SINGAPORE has unveiled a new roadmap to guide the sustainable growth of its meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions industry, as the city-state seeks to strengthen its position as a leading regional hub for international business events.
Speaking at the opening of the Singapore MICE Forum 2026 on July 30, Minister of State for Trade and Industry and Foreign Affairs Gan Siow Huang announced the MICE Sustainability Roadmap 2.0, a framework developed by Singapore Tourism Board (STB) and the Singapore Association of Convention & Exhibition Organisers & Suppliers (SACEOS).
The SACEOS Committee with Minister of State Gan Siow Huang, and Ong Huey Hong, Assistant Chief Executive (Industry Development), Singapore Tourism Board
The updated roadmap broadens the industry’s sustainability agenda beyond environmental targets to include social and economic goals. While the original roadmap, launched in December 2022, focused on environmental sustainability, the new version introduces three pillars: environmental sustainability, social sustainability and economic sustainability.
The move reflects growing pressure on the business events industry to demonstrate broader value beyond reducing carbon emissions. Under the expanded framework, companies are encouraged to create positive community outcomes and strengthen the long-term business case for sustainable practices, alongside meeting environmental objectives.
More than 1,500 delegates from government agencies, industry associations, MICE companies and higher education institutions attended the three-day forum at Resorts World Convention Centre. Organised by SACEOS under the theme “Going Beyond”, the event included industry discussions, networking activities and the Singapore MICE Awards.
Ambition of this kind demands more than a roadmap. It demands a level of collaboration that platforms such as SMF are built to spark.”
– said Jasmine Ho, forum chair
“When the industry confronts hard questions on innovation, sustainability and navigating uncertainty alongside leaders from other sectors, that is when real progress happens,” Ho said.
According to Carrie Kwik, executive director for conventions, meetings and incentive travel at STB, the new roadmap introduces measurable industry targets while broadening the definition of sustainability.
“As we enter the next phase of the MICE Sustainability Roadmap, we are setting clear, measurable targets for the industry to rally behind, expanding our remit to cover environmental, social, and economic sustainability.
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“This reflects our belief that a truly sustainable MICE destination must deliver lasting value not just for the environment, but for the local community and businesses as well,” said Kwik.
“Together with SACEOS and industry players, we will turn these commitments into action and strengthen Singapore’s position as Asia Pacific’s leading sustainable MICE destination, ensuring our industry remains competitive and future-ready.”
MICE SUSTAINABILITY ROADMAP 2.0
Environmental Targets:– Develop a MICE Decarbonisation Framework by 2028 for purpose-built MICE venues to actively reduce waste and emissions;
– Continue tracking waste and carbon emissions to reduce waste and achieve net zero emissions
by 2050Social targets:
– Develop a partnership framework for partners and suppliers to work with MICE event organisers by 2027
Develop a MICE Industry Social Impact Playbook by 2028
Economic target:
– Conduct a study on a business case for MICE sustainability adoption by 2028
The roadmap comes as Singapore seeks to maintain its competitive edge in a rapidly evolving global events market. The city ranks first in Asia-Pacific and fifth worldwide for international association meetings, according to the International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA). It also ranks second in Asia-Pacific and 13th globally in the 2025 Global Destination Sustainability Index.
Alongside the sustainability agenda, industry leaders highlighted the need for technological transformation. A MICE Industry Development Plan, previously announced by STB, aims to help companies improve productivity and manage labour constraints through digital tools and new ways of working.
The MICE industry is at an inflection point. Technology has moved from a competitive advantage to a baseline expectation, and the numbers bear that out – nearly three in four meeting professionals already rely on software to run their meetings, and 87 per cent of exhibition companies reported using AI in 2025.”
– Richard Ireland, SACEOS president
“This is no longer the future we are preparing for; it is the present we are operating in,” Ireland said.
Singapore has set an ambitious target to triple MICE tourism receipts to S$4.5 billion by 2040. MICE tourism receipts rose 35 per cent from S$1.7 billion in 2024 to S$2.3 billion in 2025, according to STB. With MICE visitors typically spending twice as much as leisure visitors, the industry is expected to play an increasingly important role in driving high value tourism growth.
