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By Jeannie Lim, Executive Director (Conventions, Meetings and Incentive Travel), Singapore Tourism Board
Did you know, that…?
+ Singapore has successfully hosted the only night race in Grand Prix history and Asia’s only street race on the Formula 1 calendar at the Marina Bay Street Circuit in Downtown Singapore since the inaugural race in 2008. The race has since been extended to 2021 and is definitely a must-attend social event for delegates in town.
+ Associations and delegates will be pleased to know that Singapore offers a range of services and products that suits all budgets. For instance, we have a range of accommodation options from international chains to local boutique hotels, and several convention facilities, to suit different needs and budgets. We are also home to the world’s cheapest Michelin-Star meal – you can enjoy the iconic chicken rice dish from Liao Fan Hong Kong Soya Sauce Chicken Rice & Noodle at US$1.50!
+ Furthermore, Singapore has gained a reputation as a leading convention city globally, having staged many large-scale and prestigious conventions. It has been ranked by the Union of International Associations (UIA) as the Top Asian Meeting City for 10 consecutive years and by the International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA) as the Top Convention City in Asia-Pacific for 15 consecutive years!
Where to meet?
Singapore is the perfect place to combine business and leisure for your event, with more than 1,000 award-winning venues, unique event spaces and green venues with versatile facilities and service excellence to foster the development of great ideas and connections.
Take advantage of Singapore’s multitude of state-of-the-art convention centres, exhibition halls and meeting venues that cater to a variety of needs and budgets. The Marina Bay Sands® Expo & Convention Centre, Suntec Singapore Convention & Exhibition Centre, Raffles City Convention Centre and the Singapore EXPO with its MAX Atria wing are suitable for large-scale international exhibitions and conferences, providing flexible settings with world-class facilities. Resorts World™ Sentosa Singapore also provides attendees with an excellent sense of place as well as lasting memories that are unique to Singapore.
Or make an impression at one of the many unconventional event venues, ranging from lush gardens and beachfront locations to even the Night Safari. Other interesting and exciting experiences outside of conventional board room and hotel meeting facilities and yet incorporate MICE facilities include: ArtScience Museum, Gardens by the Bay, Marina Bay Cruise Centre Singapore, Royal Albatross, S.E.A. Aquarium™ and Singapore Sports Hub. Smaller venues are also available for more intimate gatherings.
Where to stay?
Singapore offers a wide selection of accommodation across different categories – from well-established international hotel chains to boutique hotels across the island – for delegates with varying budgets.
We currently have 420 licensed hotels that offer over 67,000 rooms, and are expected to reach about 70,000 rooms from 2018 and beyond. New properties incorporating innovative technologies and amenities across all categories are constantly being added, with a list of new hotels having opened in 2017 including Courtyard by Marriott, InterContinental Robertson Quay, Novotel & Mercure Singapore on Stevens, Andaz Singapore by Hyatt and Sofitel Singapore City Centre.
How to get there?
Singapore, geographically located at the heart of Southeast Asia's air and sea lanes and naturally positioned as a gateway between Eastern and Western cultures, is well-connected and easily accessible. Voted by air travellers as the World’s Best Airport for the 8th time at the 2017 Skytrax World Airport Awards, Singapore is linked to some 400 cities in 100 countries by more than 100 airlines; providing global connectivity and convenience for all visitors.
Within a three- to four-hour flight radius, Singapore offers access to a pool of more than 600 million people living in Southeast Asia. By extending that flight radius by just two more hours, Singapore is reachable to the rest of the Asia Pacific region – gaining access to a market of over 4 billion people.
Do you offer any special services/assistance for associations?
SECB provides a range of assistance for associations to hold their business events in Singapore. Support may include facilitation in securing venues, introductions with leading government agencies, local associations and trade partners as well as marketing and publicity support. In addition, there are other financial schemes that associations may wish to tap into:
+ Business Events in Singapore (BEiS) scheme:
The Business Events in Singapore Scheme seeks to encourage the business events industry to anchor and grow quality events as well as catalyse the innovation of new content. It also supports activities that will build the foundation towards bringing events into Singapore in the long term. Opened to all businesses/companies or associations, funding support is given on fulfilment of its evaluation criteria and deliverables.
+ Singapore MICE Advantage Programme (SMAP):
SMAP is a partnership between the SECB, Changi Airport Group, Singapore Airlines Group, JetQuay and Uber to provide business event organisers and MICE delegates with greater value such as savings on air tickets, enhanced event planning and delegate experiences, discounts on advertising spaces in Changi Airport, among other benefits. It is intended to complement the BEiS incentive scheme currently offered by the convention bureau.
Do you have any personal recommendations or insider tips for Singapore?
With a wide array of award-winning food choices, world-class retail options and annual citywide celebrations, start exploring Singapore when you have your next business event in town.
+ Begin your day with a river cruise on the Singapore River to get a sense of Singapore’s maritime history, before heading to Chinatown which is one of Singapore’s most exciting cultural districts where old meets new and traditional tea houses and hawkers still ply their wares amid chic galleries and hipster cafes. When you’re there, dine at any of our famed hawker centres for a sense of Singapore’s cuisine at nearby Maxwell Food Centre or Chinatown Food Street.
+ Adventure junkies will enjoy Sentosa Island which is home to Resorts World Sentosa, an integrated resort which is home to one of Singapore’s two casinos, a Universal Studios theme park, Adventure Cove theme park and also other exciting attractions such as our newly opened AJ Hackett for a round of Bungee Jumping. Beach lovers should check out the beaches on Sentosa Island such as the Tanjong Beach Club or Siloso Beach for a fun day out.
+ A must-visit for shopping fanatics is Orchard Road, Singapore’s premier lifestyle and leisure destination. At more than 2km long, Orchard Road will satisfy all shopaholics with its boutique malls offering a huge variety of merchandise and food. On the other side of town, be entertained by theatrical acts, eat your heart out at fine dining restaurants and sip drinks at rooftop bars and also indulge in shopping therapy at Marina Bay Sands - our famous landmark right in Marina Bay.
+ Nature lovers can take a stroll at Singapore’s 1st UNESCO World Heritage site – the 74-hectare Singapore Botanic Gardens, or walk amongst futuristic Supertrees and the Cloud Forest at Gardens by the Bay.
+ When dusk falls, head over to Clarke Quay for nightspots and bars for a fun night out. Otherwise, families can look forward to a unique opportunity to get up close and personal with the animals in the Night Safari.
Whom to contact?
If you are ever interested in hosting your next business event in Singapore or need further information, please contact SECB at secb@stb.gov.sg. You can look forward to a memorable and enriching event in Singapore.
www.stb.gov.sg
About the Singapore Exhibition & Convention Bureau (SECB):
The Singapore Exhibition & Convention Bureau™ (SECB) is a group of the Singapore Tourism Board that champions the business events industry in Singapore. As the lead government agency for this industry, the SECB aims to establish Singapore as a dynamic business events destination where an ecosystem of ideas, people, and technology draws on vibrant knowledge and wide networks. The SECB values industry partnerships and collaborates with business event organisers, associations and MICE industry stakeholders to identify key opportunities to grow, attract and create business events. The SECB also assists business event organisers, corporations and associations by providing comprehensive and impartial information on Singapore’s MICE facilities, incentive venues and industry partners. To stay relevant and competitive in a rapidly changing global operating environment while meeting rising expectations, Singapore’s efforts will continue to focus on quality tourism by understanding consumer needs and strengthening industry capabilities so as to reinforce Singapore’s value proposition as an award-winning MICE destination in the region. Constant innovation is necessary to provide personalised and enriching experiences that meet the evolving needs of our visitors. Last but not least, the SECB is also a member of the BestCities Global Alliance, the world’s first convention bureau alliance with 12 partners in five continents.