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SINGAPORE
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Singapore Surge
Group travel bounces back in the international meetings destination. BY MARLENE GOLDMAN
Long a leader in Asia’s MICE business, Singapore began reporting a quick recovery this April with the relaxing of COVID restrictions for fully vaccinated travelers. Singapore lifted the requirements for COVID-19 tests and quarantine and removed capacity limits for indoor gatherings, paving the way for its return to the mainstage for meetings, incentives, conventions and exhibitions. Singapore already showed signs of an upward trend in international visitor arrivals — the figures from January to May 2022 hit close to 1 million visitors, a more than 700 percent increase over the same period last year.
In addition, Singapore’s group travel numbers are bouncing back. The city hosted more than 200 events attended by an estimated 49,000 delegates in 2021. In just the first three months of 2022, it hosted more than 150 events attended by more than 37,000 delegates. The increase of non-stop flights from U.S. and Canadian gateways to Singapore provided an added boost.
“Singapore’s MICE industry is firmly on the recovery trajectory, and the reopening of our borders without quarantine and removal of event capacity and zoning requirements has made it more attractive to host larger and commercially viable MICE events in Singapore,” said Rachel Loh, senior vice president, Singapore Tourism Board. “We have also been receiving more requests for site inspections and planning visits to prepare for upcoming events.
If all goes well, we expect MICE to make a full recovery in two to three years.” Singapore’s MICE industry innovated to include the use of immersive technology, such as holograms, avatar robots and wearable technology, to create realistic hybrid event experiences. Marina Bay Sands launched the industry’s first hybrid event broadcast studio featuring a 3-D ‘SINGAPORE’S MICE INDUSTRY stage. Other venues with hybrid event studios IS FIRMLY ON THE RECOVERY include Resorts World Sentosa, Singapore EXPO and MAX Atria, and Suntec Singapore TRAJECTORY, AND THE RE- Convention & Exhibition Centre. OPENING OF OUR BORDERS The Singapore Exhibition & Convention Bureau, part of the tourism board, also recently WITHOUT QUARANTINE AND launched an enhanced In Singapore Incentives REMOVAL OF EVENT CAPACITY & Rewards Global 2.0 program for international MICE groups. INSPIRE Global 2.0 offers AND ZONING REQUIREMENTS delegates 80 complimentary experiences such as HAS MADE IT MORE ATTRACdining outings, thematic tours, attractions and team-building opportunities. Popular options TIVE TO HOST LARGER AND include creating custom fragrances with the COMMERCIALLY VIABLE MICE collaboration of Singapore Flora and Orchid Notes and dining at Halia in Ginger Garden at EVENTS IN SINGAPORE’ Singapore Botanic Gardens, which focuses on — RACHEL LOH, SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT, sustainability. The SECB also offers the Singapore MICE SINGAPORE TOURISM BOARD. Advantage Programme, featuring a variety of exclusive privileges for groups, including sustainability-focused initiatives. On the MICE hotel front, the iconic Marina Bay Sands embarked on its $1 billion reinvestment to upgrade rooms in towers 1 and 2, to be Business Innovations: completed in phases over 2022 and 2023. New
Marina Bay Sands’ on the scene, ParkRoyal Collection Marina Bay
Hybrid Broadcast Studio 1 (top), Resorts World features gardens, a green wall and a focus on sustainability. Two recent new venues offer more Sentosa’s hybrid choices: The Dusit Thani Laguna Singapore event studio (bottom left), and The Clan opened in 2020 and features Devarana Wellness Hotel’s meeting Spa, three on-site tennis courts and two champispace (bottom right) onship golf courses; Chinatown-based The Clan
PHOTOS: © MARINA BAY Hotel debuted in March 2021 and can host SANDS, © RESORTS WORLD SENTOSA, © THE CLAN bespoke corporate experiences. HOTEL The proposed Raffles Sentosa Resort & Spa Singapore, slated to open in late 2022, will become the first villa-only hotel in Singapore, featuring 62 villas, each with its own courtyard and private swimming pool. UNIQUE VENUES
Gardens by the Bay, a 250-acre urban nature park adjacent to Singapore’s Marina Reservoir, features three waterfront gardens. Attendees can dine in the indoor Flower Field Hall, accommodating 700 seated guests or 1,100 for cocktails. There are views of the Marina Bay skyline and options to use the adjoining Waterview Room, with space for 500 standees. For outdoor events, The Meadow and Silver Leaf offer alfresco dining and panoramic views of Singapore’s downtown. Silver Leaf overlooks Dragonfly Lake.
gardensbythebay.com.sg
Another Marina Bay venue, the lotus flower-shaped ArtScience Museum utilizes indoor and outdoor space and offers a variety of locations for everything from product launches to cocktail parties. The Basement 2 Circulation & Ocutus accommodates 500 standing, while the Future World: Where Art Meets Science exhibition can host 400 standing.
marinabaysands.com
For a taste of nature, Jurong Bird Park, touted as Asia’s largest bird park, houses 3,500 birds across 400 species. The park is known for its immersive walk-in aviaries such as Lory Loft, African Treetops and Waterfall Aviary. Groups can use its Lakeview Ballroom for 240 seated or 450 standing guests, as well as The Treetops for 30 seated or 40 standing.
