S"pore MICE industry expects 2013 to be strong year for events

SINGAPORE: Singapore’s meetings, incentives, conventions and exhibitions (MICE) industry is expected to see a stronger year in 2013 compared to 2012, according to Singapore’s MICE trade association SACEOS.

Major player Marina Bay Sands (MBS) said it will host a record number of trade shows at its Sands Expo and Convention Centre this year.

The world’s largest trade show for the Asian Travel Market — ITB Asia — has signed on to hold its annual event at the Sands Expo and Convention Centre for another three years.

After six years in Singapore, the organisers reviewed proposals from other Asian cities like Bangkok.

However, it decided to stay put, except to change its venue from Suntec City to the Sands Expo and Convention Centre.

ITB Asia’s executive director Nino Gruettke said: “Last year, it was very easy for us to decide, when Suntec refurbished its place, to just move over to MBS without any hassle…Suntec and Singapore Expo also could have won the bid but the entire package that MBS offered is the best of the three of them.”

Besides the venue for trade shows, ITB Asia said MBS also offers hotels and conferencing facilities as the official venue next year. MBS will also invite 100 of its clients to participate in ITB Asia.

MBS said it is expecting to stage more than 70 trade shows and exhibitions this year — a record number compared to 51 events it hosted in 2012.

Meanwhile, SACEOS is calling for a wider range of MICE venues to help grow the industry.

SACEOS’ executive director Lilian Kuan said: “One important area is for Singapore to have a good range of top world-class venues, which will be important for any organizer. Venues need not be all in the city. We have a good range of facilities already within the city. But there may be some who may be looking for a different sort of venue, in different parts of Singapore.”

Opening after an extensive revamp this year, Suntec Singapore International Convention Exhibition Centre said it has confirmed a strong pipeline of events, including trade shows new to Singapore.

It will be revealing its event calendar for 2014 towards the end of November.

In 2012, Singapore held 1,102 MICE events – 46 per cent more than in 2011. 

S"pore MICE industry expects 2013 to be strong year for events