SINGAPORE: The Singapore Tourism Board (STB) will start accepting applications to pilot large-scale meetings of up to 250 people from Oct 1, as part of plans to gradually resume economic activities in the country.
Organisers of such Meetings, Incentives, Conventions and Exhibitions (MICE) events must demonstrate their ability to implement safe management measures, said the agency on Monday (Sep 7).
Advertisement Advertisement STB and the Ministry of Trade and Industry (MTI) will review all MICE event proposals, and organisers may proceed only on MTI’s approval.
There will be pilot events taking place under this arrangement, such as the Singapore International Energy Week Conference, in October.
As more insights and data are obtained through these pilot events, STB will work with the MICE industry to adapt and adjust the protocols for safe business events, the agency said.
[h=3]READ: COVID-19 risk management framework to be trialed on 2 pilot business events: STB[/h] Advertisement Advertisement “This move to start accepting applications to pilot events of up to 250 attendees also takes into account the importance of the MICE industry as well as the strong industry interest in and demand for business events,” STB said.
The MICE industry supported more than 34,000 jobs with an economic value-add of S$3.8 billion, or nearly 1 per cent of Singapore’s GDP, according to a study commissioned by STB last year. Business travellers also spend almost double that of leisure travellers, making them high-yield visitors.
An Event Industry Resilience Roadmap, developed with industry input, will be launched later this month to give guidance on safety measures and best practices.
Mr Keith Tan, STB's chief executive, said: “The MICE sector is a strategic one for the Singapore economy, and its safe and gradual resumption will safeguard jobs and core capabilities. It will also help those in related sectors such as hospitality and aviation.
“Public health and safety remain our utmost priority, and we have worked closely with the industry to create strict protocols and develop new ways of organising events.
"These pilot events and solutions will help Singapore lead the way as a safe, trusted and innovative destination for MICE events.”
NEW MICE VISITOR EXPERIENCES
To give business travellers coming to Singapore peace of mind, the industry and government agencies are devising new protocols and ways to hold the events, and for visitors to tour Singapore, STB said.
For example, a travel insurance product is being developed for inbound travellers to cover critical COVID-19-related expenses, and it is expected to be ready by the fourth quarter of this year.
Foreign delegates of the pilot events will also be required to use TraceTogether to facilitate contact tracing.
A prototype for safe trade shows and exhibitions, developed in partnership with the private sector, has been designed to let delegates interact at the trade show, but in a safer way which minimises infection risks.
For example, delegates will be grouped into smaller cohorts and visitor flow will be carefully designed to minimise intermingling.
This will be tested at a few trade shows, starting with a new event in November called TravelRevive, which is organised by ITB Asia and supported by STB.
[h=3]READ: Tours in Singapore can now take up to 50 people, with participants divided into sub-groups[/h]At the event, international delegates and businesses will come together to exchange ideas and reimagine the future of travel, STB said.
The new trade show and exhibition protocols were developed by the Alliance for Action on Enabling Safe and Innovative Visitor Experiences, co-led by Mr Lee Seow Hiang of Changi Airport Group and Ms Kwee Wei-Lin of Singapore Hotel Association, and working closely with industry stakeholders such as the National Association of Travel Agents.
It has also explore ways to facilitate safe and innovative visitor experiences in Singapore amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
Safe itineraries designed by the alliance will be trialled with the MICE delegates of TravelRevive.
For instance, private group tours, with a dedicated tourist guide offering concierge-like services, could be on the cards.
“In preparation for TravelRevive, the Alliance is working with relevant Government agencies and industry stakeholders to deploy digital enablers to facilitate a seamless and safe visitor experience from arrival to departure,” STB said.
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