Singapore is winning some impressive accolades. Ranked top international meeting country in the world in 2013 by the Union of International Associations, it’s no wonder the city’s events industry is flying high, contributing an average 1 per cent to Singapore’s GDP.
Despite rising competition within the region, Singapore continues to catch the eye of planners for its experiential incentives and new and updated venues. On top of this, Singapore Tourism Board celebrates its 50th anniversary, which makes 2015 a year to watch out for.
Winning ways
"Infrastructure and innovation are Singapore’s strongest attributes," says Bob Guy, managing director of Destination Asia for Singapore and Malaysia. “I relocated to Singapore in 1979, attracted by the potential for growth and the great attitude of Singaporeans to visitors. Since my first visit, Singapore has developed from an exotic backwater to a world class destination.”
Security is also key to Singapore’s appeal. “The diversity of attractions is complemented by a safe, nearly risk-free choice of city with global air access – all attributes attractive to programme sponsors. Event attendees respond to Singapore’s allure as a tropical island with a great choice of food, shopping and memorable activities,” he explains.
Marina Bay Sands
Etched against the skyline is Marina Bay Sands, arguably Singapore’s most architecturally iconic hotel, convention and casino complex. In the past year, Marina Bay Sands has hosted over 70 trade shows including 15 new shows to Singapore such as the Milan Image Art Fair.
Sands Expo and Convention Centre welcomed 8,000 delegates for ITB Asia in October 2014. The show, now in its seventh year, attracted 740 exhibitors from across 76 countries. Marina Bay Sands was contracted to host ITB Asia between 2012 and 2016, with the 2014 show as a carbon-neutral event.
Event space at MBS amounts to 120,000 sqm with provision to host up to 11,000 delegates. On the rooftop is Sands SkyPark where delegates can enjoy cocktails and intimate dinners with some of the best views of Singapore.
Gardens by the Bay
Home to two of the world’s largest greenhouses and 18 vertical gardens reaching 50 metres, Gardens by the Bay is an impressive sight. Opened in 2012, the gardens house indoor and outdoor venues across 101 hectares of coastal land, just a stroll away from Marina Bay Sands. The Flower Dome and Cloud Forest feature two glass biomes that replicate Mediterranean and semi-arid climates, where some of the world’s most rare plant species are preserved.
Inside the Flower Dome is the Flower Field Hall, which hosted the 2014 Singapore Experience Awards. With provision for product launches, fashion shows, and gala dinners, the venue can seat 700 guests for a sit-down dinner with views of both the indoor gardens as well as Marina Bay.
The Silver Leaf garden makes a spectacular outdoor venue thanks to its giant vertical gardens, known as Supertrees. Overlooking the Dragonfly Lake, the space is a great spot for intimate events at around 600 sqm with a capacity for 500 for standing cocktails. At night, the Supertrees glow atmospherically against the Marina Bay skyline. Nearby power distribution boxes are available for product launches or themed events that require additional supply.
Singapore Expo
Just 2km from Changi International Airport, Singapore Expo has ten exhibition halls with over 10,000 sqm of pillar-free event space and is flexible enough for auto and fashion shows. It is also the first facility of its type in Singapore to be acknowledged for its use of natural light and greenery within the building, designed to create a more comfortable experience for visitors.
Singapore Expo hosted 8,000 delegates from across Asia Pacific for the Nu Skin Southeast Asia Regional Convention between July 16 and 18, 2014. One of the event’s key challenges was set-up for the gala dinner, which was held in the same hall as the plenary sessions. A team of 100 converted the hall from a 1,500-theatre arrangement to a 650-person banquet set-up within
three hours.
POST-MEETING OPTIONS
Singapore is a shopper’s paradise. Delegates with time for an afternoon of retail therapy can head to Orchard Road – a 2.2km strip of high-end shopping malls and boutiques.
If it’s heritage trails and culture that sparks interest, head east to the districts of Joo Chiat and Katong for a taste of local Peranakan culture. Descendants of Chinese traders who settled in Malacca and Indonesia, the Peranakan Chinese moved north to the ports of Penang and Singapore in the 14th century.
City DMC, which has operations in Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand and Indonesia, offers spousal programmes and incentives with visits to the Peranakan Museum, local spice gardens, dumpling tastings and organised batik and beading demonstrations.
For a taste of the area, stop by at Quentin’s restaurant for a Eurasian lunch. Quentin’s provides outdoor catering services as well as high
tea packages.
Suntec Convention and Exhibition Centre
Built in 1995, Suntec was one of the venues that won Singapore its reputation as a premier events destination, offering over 42,000 sqm of meeting space across 36 rooms. Formerly home to travel trade show ITB Asia, Suntec is well-positioned to host large-scale events with access to 5,200 hotel rooms in the vicinity, and has held global conferences organised by Apec, IMF and Asean. Suntec's venues span six floors with available in-house IT, digital signage, business centre and concierge services. Integrated within Singapore’s largest mall, delegates can access the convention centre via indoor walkways from nearby hotels such as the Mandarin Oriental and Pan Pacific.
Heritage and technology
A stone’s throw from one of Singapore’s first heritage hotels, the Fullerton Hotel, the Fullerton Bay Hotel is the brand’s boutique offering with just 100 rooms. Fullerton Bay has recently upped its appeal with the newly renovated Clifford Pier restaurant, which offers Asian cuisine and 360-degree views of Marina Bay waterfront. The restaurant’s deck is the site of one of Singapore’s first piers, which from as early as 1933 was a thoroughfare for arriving immigrants. Clifford Pier offers a hawker-inspired menu, complete with antique rickshaws on the deck and the original red lampposts from the pier’s founding.
Grand Hyatt Singapore has also renovated three floors of event space, with a distinct theme represented on each floor. The first floor has been remodelled to echo the layout of an art gallery; a show kitchen on the second floor, while the third level offers 2,786 sqm of open space with high ceilings and natural daylight. There are five venues across the three halls, which can accommodate between ten and 2,200 guests, while the Grand Ballroom and Grand Residence on level three feature panoramic video-mapping technology and colour-changing lattice walls, respectively.
Due to open in October 2015, the National Gallery of Singapore will offer a selection of new venues, housed in the former Supreme Court and City Hall. Spanning 64,000 sqm, the National Gallery will be the largest arts venue in Singapore showcasing collections of contemporary art from across Southeast Asia as well as visiting exhibitions.
POST-MEETING OPTIONS
Singapore is a shopper’s paradise. Delegates with time for an afternoon of retail therapy can head to Orchard Road – a 2.2km strip of high-end shopping malls and boutiques.
If it’s heritage trails and culture that sparks interest, head east to the districts of Joo Chiat and Katong for a taste of local Peranakan culture. Descendants of Chinese traders who settled in Malacca and Indonesia, the Peranakan Chinese moved north to the ports of Penang and Singapore in the 14th century.
City DMC, which has operations in Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand and Indonesia, offers spousal programmes and incentives with visits to the Peranakan Museum, local spice gardens, dumpling tastings and organised batik and beading demonstrations.
For a taste of the area, stop by at Quentin’s restaurant for a Eurasian lunch. Quentin’s provides outdoor catering services as well as high
tea packages.
