Singapore’s living-with-Covid strategy set to reap expo dividends

SINGAPORE is gearing up to hold larger business events this year as an expansion of vaccinated travel lanes and an easing of anti-Covid safe-management measures come into effect.

One of the events seen as representing a turning point is the Singapore Airshow in February which had 13,000 trade visitors and almost 600 exhibitors.

Relaxed rules allow attendance at larger events to be 50 per cent of the venue’s capacity while quarantine requirements have been lifted for all vaccinated and Covid-free travellers.

Backgrounder… Singapore wants more lanes for vaccinated travellers

Poh Chi Chuan, Singapore Tourism Board’s executive director for exhibitions and conferences, said the city state has progressively scaled-up business events over the past two years of the pandemic to “allow the global business community to meet and exchange ideas in person”.

“With the reopening to all vaccinated travellers, it is now easier and more convenient to meet in Singapore. We have secured a strong pipeline of events for 2022 and beyond, and are confident that this will anchor Singapore’s position as a Global-Asia Node for MICE.”

TRADE SHOW TIME
Some of the business events lined ups for 2022:
Singapore International Water Week (SIWW) 2022 and CleanEnviro Summit Singapore, April – organisers expect more than 15,000 at both events.
Food&HotelAsia – an expected 35,000 visitors for its September event and 30,000 visitors for one in October.
Find: Design Fair Asia – expects nearly 20,000 participants from more than 15 countries.
Singapore International Jewelry Expo – Between 13,000 and 15,000 for event in July.
Cosmoprof Asia – Special edition to be held in Singapore in November. One of a number of shows relocated from Hong Kong where the event attracted 40,000 visitors in 2019.

Organisers are welcoming the easing of restrictions, saying it will help revive the MICE industry in Singapore.

“The announcement could not have arrived at a better time.,” said Richard Ireland, president of the Singapore Association of Convention and Exhibition Organisers and Suppliers.

“Singapore’s MICE industry has leveraged the pandemic downtime to transform their businesses, build new capabilities and create innovative solutions for a strong recovery.”

Leck Chet Lam, managing director of Experia Events, told the Straits Times that before the vaccinated travel lanes had been brought in, most of the company’s events were held virtually. He said the moves would help revive Singapore’s MICE industry.

More… Cosmoprof Asia 2022 relocating from HK to Singapore

“Coupled with expanded VTLs and progressive opening up of international borders, the outlook for the long term is promising,” Lam told the Times.

Jean-Francois Quentin, group CEO of Constellar, which operates Singapore EXPO and MAX Atria, said the business event industry has seen an increasing demand for in-person event to resume in in a post-pandemic environment.

“Displaying a strong commitment towards reopening our borders and easing our restrictions are essential steps for us to rebuild confidence among global business communities,” Quentin said.