SINGAPORE is all set with an active week ahead for MICE organisers with two industry events taking place including the first edition of a new trade show.
The Business of Events, from PCMA Asia Pacific, gets underway on Monday at Marina Bay Sands followed by the Meetings Show Asia Pacific, the regional debut from the organisers of the Meetings Show in London.
Keynote speakers at the Business of Events include author Sally Foley-Lewis on The Future of Middle Managers; consultant Scott Bales, who has worked with brands such as Microsoft, Google and Amazon, who will speak on risk-driven leadership, and Kobe Global Technologies founder and CEO Evangeline Leong who will present on Future Thinkers centred on unlocking the potential of the modern workforce.
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The Meetings Show Asia Pacific 2024 is supported by Singapore Tourism Board and organised by Northstar Travel Group and opens next Wednesday, April 17, at Sands Expo and Convention Centre, Marina Bay Sands.
COMPETITION LOOMS
Some industry observers say the new show may unsettle the dominance of AIME as Asia Pacific’s pre-eminent trade show for the meeting, incentive and business events industry. In an answer to a question from MIX at the opening conference for AIME in February, Matt Pearce, CEO of show managers Talk2Media, said the Melbourne show’s buyer-supplier appointment system was a distinct feature that distinguished AIME from any rivals and that competition, as in any business, should be welcomed.
In announcing the new show, Northstar said it promised to be a “game-changer for meetings and events planners in the region” with figures from Precedence Research showing the Asia Pacific “MICE market poised to grow from US$412.18 billion in 2023 to US$783.63 billion by 2032”.
Exhibitors that signed up by the beginning of February include Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau, Singapore Tourism Board, Dubai Tourism, Tourism New Zealand, Tourism Promotions Board Philippines, Royal Caribbean Cruises (Asia), Marina Bay Sands, Hard Rock International, Pan Pacific Hotels Group, Meliá Hotels International, and Groups360.
Industry associations such as MPI (Meetings Professional International), SITE (Society for Incentive Travel Excellence) and IAEE (International Association of Exhibitions and Events), are partnering with Northstar to invite members and facilitate business and professional growth including the relaunch of the Global MICE Collaborative.
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“As a gateway to the flourishing Asia Pacific market, The Meetings Show Asia Pacific serves to capture the widespread business opportunities in this diverse and lucrative market,” said David Blansfield, executive vice president and group publisher, Northstar Travel Group.
“We are delighted to bring the world-class experiences from our highly successful meetings show brand from London to Singapore, a stellar award-winning MICE hub strategically chosen to host our inaugural show,” he said.
Irene Chua, Northstar’s vice president and group publisher, Asia, said: “It is in the meeting of minds that new connections, ideas and innovations are sparked, and we couldn’t be more excited to launch this cutting-edge show in one of the world’s fastest growing region for the MICE industry.”
Another international trade show for business events – ibtm – is set to make its Asia Pacific debut in Hong Kong next year.
