STB inks sustainability, expansion MoUs to grow Singapore’s Mice industry
Elysia Tan
THE Singapore Tourism Board (STB) on Wednesday (Oct 5) signed three memoranda of understanding (MoU) with meetings, incentives, conventions and exhibitions (Mice) players to support sustainability efforts and expand their presence in Singapore and South-east Asia.
The Global Mice Sustainability Alliance – comprising STB, the world’s largest tradeshow organiser Informa Markets, Singapore Association of Convention and Exhibition Organisers and Suppliers (SACEOS), Constellar Venues, Pico World (Singapore), Cityneon Holdings and Kingsmen Exhibits – will explore new solutions for green events to reduce exhibition waste and carbon footprint.
It plans to create sustainability targets over the next six months and trial green initiatives at Food and Hotel Asia-Food & Beverage 2024. Charlie McCurdy, president and chief executive officer (CEO) of Informa Markets, said the goal is to reduce the carbon footprint “to as close as possible to zero”.
The signing “underlines the confidence that global event organisers continue to have in Singapore as the preferred destination for Mice events and a launchpad for international expansion,” STB said in a media statement.
Richard Ireland, president of SACEOS, said: “It’s a statement of intent… built on confidence, which then will lead to investment in resource and marketing.”
STB, citing findings from an STB-American Express Global Business Travel joint white paper, said 70 per cent of travel and meetings professionals place high or medium importance on green certifications and credentials when selecting a supplier.
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Executive director of exhibitions and conferences at STB Poh Chi Chuan noted that organisers are already taking steps towards sustainability, for example by reducing the use of single-use plastics and printing paper passes rather than plastic ones.
Informa Markets already has sustainability initiatives in practice, such as using renewable energy at events and the Better Stands programme, which replaces disposable exhibition stands with reusable versions.
STB on Wednesday also inked an MoU with exhibition organiser Italian Exhibition Group (IEG) to establish the latter’s first Asian headquarters in Singapore. The group’s international director Francesco Santa said Singapore-based IEG Asia is expected to be incorporated in the next two weeks.
IEG is acquiring two trade shows in Singapore in the jewellery and food and beverage sectors to expand its Singapore and South-east Asian presence. It hopes to close the deal by end-October, Santa said.
Santa said he wants to bring an “Italian footprint” to local events, “adapting the show to the local needs and the local characteristics” but possibly grouping exhibitors in areas or using coloured theming to make them more identifiable – things that IEG is “doing very well in Italy”.
The final MoU signed on Wednesday by STB and event organiser Comexposium looks to grow the organiser’s investment in Singapore, through its existing shows as well as two new events: eyewear and lifestyle tradeshow Silmo Singapore, and wine and spirits exhibition Vinexpo Asia. Both events are slated for the second quarter of 2023.
While Comexposium operates a large part of its business in Asia, its footprint in South-east Asia specifically has been limited, said Elaine Chua, its Asia-Pacific chief executive.
Ireland of SACEOS said in September alone, there were more than 25 business events and over 94,000 delegates in Singapore. SACEOS anticipates similar high numbers in October and November.
He cautioned, however, that despite the confidence, challenges remain. There is geopolitical uncertainty, some source markets remain closed, inflation may impact supply chains and increase the cost of travel, and the perennial labour shortage remains an issue.
“All we can influence is work with our regional counterparts to have a more open market and work with our customers to provide high levels of value… they’re the things in our control.”
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