Reimagining the future of events in Singapore

^{“The pandemic has emphasised the need to innovate and be nimble in the business events sector,” says Keith Tan, Chief Executive, Singapore Tourism Board (STB). “This journey of transformation is not a sprint, but a marathon that extends beyond the pandemic. As Singapore gradually scales up our capacity for larger business events, we hope that our local MICE industry will continue to build new capabilities and reimagine the future of business events.”}

Industrial Transformation ASIA-PACIFIC (ITAP) 2021

Singapore EXPO’s largest in-person trade event since the start of the pandemic took place in November with 15,000 fully-vaccinated visitors and online attendees across three days.

With over 100 exhibitors and eight country and industry pavilions from 50 countries, ITAP 2021 was a pilot event that implemented the Vaccination-Differentiated Safe Management Measures + Test (VDS+Test) protocols. Organiser Constellar took comprehensive measures for safety and hygiene with all attendees provided with a tracking dongle for contact tracing and capacity monitoring. They were also required to undergo free daily ART testing.

Exhibitors and visitors on the show floor were able to maximise their participation and engagement with online attendees through the event platform ITAP CONNECTED, which provided a comprehensive exhibition e-showcase and networking opportunities through AI-powered business matching.

Fourth Annual Bloomberg New Economy Forum 2021

More than 300 current and former heads of state, global CEOs and public sector leaders from over 50 countries met in person in Singapore in November to focus on new programmes and initiatives on finance, cities, trade, climate and health.

“The global economic challenges deepened by the pandemic brought a special level of urgency to this year’s New Economy Forum,” said Michael R. Bloomberg, Founder of Bloomberg L.P. and Bloomberg Philanthropies. “The quick transition from COP26 to the Forum gave us a unique window of opportunity.”

The forum collaborated closely with the Singapore Government on protocols to provide a safe environment for its in-person delegates, who were fully vaccinated and underwent mandatory daily pre-event testing.

Singapore’s Minister for Trade and Industry Gan Kim Yong said: “The Bloomberg New Economy Forum is an important event and Singapore is pleased to host it here physically despite the pandemic, affirming Singapore’s role as a leading business events capital, and a global node for MICE and businesses.”

TravelRevive:

TravelRevive was the first major physical international travel tradeshow in Asia Pacific during COVID-19. Championed by ITB Asia and STB, the event was held at Sands Expo & Convention Centre in November and attracted nearly 1,000 attendees including delegates from 14 countries. Virtual interactions through ITB’s virtual event platform also allowed a wider global audience to participate.

TravelRevive reimagined the entire MICE travel experience by pioneering safe itineraries where delegates could unwind with an array of Singapore’s leisure offerings.

Geo Connect 2021:

Geo Connect Asia 2021 (GCA 2021) was a hybrid strategic and collaborative business meeting platform for industry professionals, government agencies, and start-ups to build and develop knowledge of global solutions for Asia’s geospatial and location intelligence.

More than 2,200 industry professionals took part in total with close to 600 attending in person including around 100 from Europe and Australia. Organiser Montgomery Asia worked closely with STB to comply with Safe Management Measures such as crowd density control and the use of TraceTogether to facilitate contact tracing for international visitors.

GCA 2021 trialled the ‘hybrid event’ prototype developed by the Alliance for Action on Enabling Safe and Innovative Visitor Experiences. Geo Suites featured two meeting pods fitted with plexiglass and microphones, allowing visitors to conduct private business meetings safely.

To find out more about holding your event in Singapore visit here.