Celebrating at Young Living APAC Conference 2023. Photo Credit: Young Living Essential Oils
Based on The World Federation of Direct Selling Associations (WFDSA)
2021 retail sales figures, APAC contributed the most to global direct
selling retail sales compared to other regions. In particular,
Singapore saw higher growth rates than the Asia Pacific average in terms
of retail sales and sales force, with retail sales rising by about 15%
in 2021 compared to pre-pandemic levels in 2019.
Singapore has also shown a three-year compound annual growth rate of
4.1%, surpassing the industry’s global three-year compound annual growth
rate of 3.8% from 2018-2021.
With this upward trend, Edward Koh, executive director, Conventions,
Meetings & Incentive Travel, Singapore Tourism Board, shared how the
Republic has managed to draw direct selling events to its shores.
“The direct selling business model, characterised by strong personal
networks and order fulfilment processes, has proven to be adept to
withstand challenging economic situations such as the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Singapore’s growth could have been due to the country’s strong
digital and logistics infrastructure, which allowed direct selling
companies to pivot to e-commerce platforms and continue selling during
the pandemic. The increased awareness and demand for health and wellness
products during the pandemic could have been another contributing
factor.”
The steady year-on-year growth from 2018 to 2021 was driven by
top-selling categories such as Health and Wellness, Cosmetics and
Personal Care, and Household.
The nature of direct selling events
Direct selling companies tend to hold bigger events to engage,
inspire and regularly train their distributors. It is common for these
companies to hold their meetings where they have a strong distributor
presence and to prioritise face to face meetings, given the nature of
the direct selling business.
Added Koh: “As direct selling companies prioritise face to face
meetings that range from mid-sized events to large-scale meetings, they
can generate significant economic benefits for Singapore, with spillover
effects to adjacent tourism industries such as retail, dining,
attractions, and hotels.”
Herbalife APAC Extravaganza 2023 (May 2023): incentivising and training opportunities for delegates. Photo Credit: Herbalife NutritionSingapore’s vibrant business community and location within the APAC
offers direct selling companies ready access to new markets,
partnerships, and networks. Its high concentration of MNCs and
business-friendly environment, enables companies to conduct business and
expand their presence in the region.
The country recently hosted the Herbalife APAC Extravaganza 2023 and
Young Living APAC Conference 2023. Singapore was chosen due to its
excellent international connectivity, high-capacity meeting venues, and
high-quality year-round calendar of leisure events to diversify demand
and attract visitor segments, said Koh.
Events for 2024
Upcoming direct selling events include Nuskin Korea 2024 Success Trip
(Apr 2024), Amway China Leadership Seminar (Aug 2024), and Amway Japan
PF24 Family Programme (Mar 2025). They are mid- to large-scale and will
draw regional and global delegates
“We have observed that while the pandemic has accelerated the
adoption of technology, leading to hybrid events, the ability to network
in person remains an integral part of MICE events. Physical
interactions help to build rapport, promote cooperation, and ultimately
create business opportunities,” said Koh.