The "SMF x IBTM Asia Pacific" initiative comes at the back of the recent deal between Singapore Tourism Board and IBTM Asia Pacific signed in November 2019.
SINGAPORE - IBTM has announced on that it has entered an agreement to partner the Singapore MICE Forum (SMF) with its newest business event, IBTM Asia Pacific.
This "SMF x IBTM Asia Pacific" initiative, announced on Jan 20, comes at the back of the recent deal between Singapore Tourism Board (STB) and IBTM Asia Pacific signed at the opening day of IBTM World in Barcelona in November last year.
Running in partnership with SACEOS (Singapore Association of Convention and Exhibition Organisers and Suppliers) - the national trade association for meetings, incentives, conferences, exhibitions and events in Singapore - SMF 2020 will take place over one-and-a-half days at the Marina Bay Sands Expo & Convention Centre from April 6, followed by IBTM Asia Pacific on April 7-8.
As SACEOS' flagship industry business event, SMF will bring together a group of more than 500 event professionals for discussions on how event design as well as digital and community engagement are becoming cornerstones of business success. Expert speakers will share and exchange views on proven transformative ideas and how the industry can make successful choices.
Structured around five key themes - innovation; technology; design; sustainability; and event trends - SMF will include a combination of dynamic talks, campfire sessions and case studies from thought leaders within and outside of the industry.
"We know from our extensive research prior to launching IBTM Asia Pacific, that there's a real appetite for education in the Asia Pacific region and we're delighted that we're going to be delivering on that through our partnership with SACEOS," said Nick Pilbeam, divisional director of Reed Travel Exhibitions, the organisers of IBTM.
"SMF 2020 will provide an inspiring and educational kick-off to our inaugural event and I'm looking forward to announcing more details in due course."
As the national trade association for business events, one of SACEOS' objectives is to provide a platform to develop a digitally-ready and future-ready MICE industry. The agenda of SMF is one of SACEOS' key initiatives to encourage conversations and showcase of the Asia Pacific MICE industry and is a platform to catalyse MICE stakeholders to be wired for the future.
Said SACEOS president Aloysius Arlando: "SACEOS aims to inspire our industry by taking the lead to upend itself, the bold step to disrupt, and forge partnerships to create a refreshed future. Through this partnership with one of the world's largest organisers, Reed Exhibitions, we can pool our strengths together with a longer term goal for SMF and IBTM Asia Pacific to lead and define the MICE industry in this region."
IBTM Asia Pacific will bring together international, APAC regional and local meeting planners and exhibitors for two days of pre-scheduled one-to-one business meetings, education and networking. The event will be under-pinned by IBTM's Hosted Buyer programme which creates personalised appointment diaries for Hosted Buyers and exhibitors to ensure that delegates only meet people with whom there's a very good chance of doing business.