Chan Chun Sing urges more countries to adopt shared travel protocol

MORE countries should put in place a shared framework for safe travel amid the Covid-19 pandemic, Minister for Trade and Industry Chan Chun Sing said.

"We hope that such a protocol will be adopted and accepted by more countries... to reduce the need for (a) long-term quarantine period that is really disrupting the business travel," he told a trade show for the Mice (meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions) industry.

That's as he billed the ability to ensure travellers' health "a competitive advantage" for countries globally, saying: "If we are able to build and operationalise these capabilities, it will set us apart from many other competitors."

But, rejecting "a defensive play of just trying to return to the old status quo", Mr Chan also called on Wednesday for the tourism industry to "reimagine the entire experience" and "mass-customise the level of experience" for leisure, business and Mice visitors.

More Mice events can be expected in the months ahead, he added: "Our pipeline of projects also gives us the confidence that we are moving in the right direction."

Singapore is adopting a "risk management" approach to travel, rather than a risk elimination strategy, he said at the hybrid event, which was also streamed online.

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Mr Chan cited an inability to sustain the tourism industry on domestic demand alone, and also noted that trends such as digitalisation and environmental sustainability had already been changing travel and the Mice industry. Learning how to manage risks could "place us in good stead" for the next crisis after Covid-19, he added.

"In the early days of Covid-19, we made the difficult decision to close our borders and impose travel restrictions as the safety and health of our people was our number one priority," Mr Chan told attendees.

But he added, pointing to stronger testing and contact-tracing capabilities: "While that remains our priority, there have since been several developments that have given us the confidence to progressively resume travel and connect with the rest of the world."

Meanwhile, the Singapore Tourism Board (STB) is inking three memoranda of understanding with Mice organisers Messe Munich, Fiera Milano and Informa Tech.

These latest agreements show global Mice companies' continued confidence in Singapore, said Mr Chan, while adding that such firms are also "expanding their presence in the region through partnerships with our local players".

"As a key travel and transit hub in the region, there is also scope to establish ourselves as a safe and secure meeting place for businesses that may not otherwise be able to meet due to travel restrictions between their countries," he also noted.

Under the agreements, Messe Munich and Fiera Milano will each set up South-east Asian regional headquarters in Singapore.

Meanwhile, Informa Tech will launch a new international event in Singapore in the second half of 2021 with a focus on innovation and digital transformation in the tech sector, in its pact with the STB and Infocomm Media Development Authority.

The two-day TravelRevive is the first Mice trade show under a public-private effort from the government-led Emerging Stronger Taskforce for economic recovery from Covid-19. Sixty-five foreign delegates from 14 countries were among the close to 1,000 participants at the event.

Safety measures in place included pre-event rapid tests, separation of attendees into groups, and a mobile app to schedule meetings between exhibitors and buyers.

Katrina Leung, managing director of organiser Messe Berlin (Singapore), said in a statement: "TravelRevive is a major stepping stone for our industry's recovery, while setting a bold new benchmark for hybrid events.

"Together with STB, we look forward to growing the Mice industry and fortifying Singapore's position as a key hub for events and corporate travel."