By tapping into popular trends to bring out the eclectic flavours of Singapore, World Express pulled off a wow event for Morinda China.
Event brief
Whip up a wow event – that was the key request that Morinda China made, when the international health supplement company selected Singapore’s World Express as the organiser.
This four-night incentive trip to Singapore was to be created for more than 150 of Morinda’s top distributors.
Challenges
Besides the wow factor, Morinda wanted activities that “retained the local and authentic flavour of Singapore”, explained Darren Tan, managing director of World Express.
This had to be executed while keeping in mind that the participants were staying in the Shangri-La Rasa Sentosa Resort & Spa, away from the main city sights. Furthermore, World Express had to find an engaging way for the social media-savvy group to share their experiences with other Morinda staff back home, in part as motivation for future incentive trips.
All these requests came in with a short lead time of less than three months, said Tan.
Solutions
World Express saw this event as a opportunity to creatively introduce Singapore to the 150 participants.
Tan elaborated: “Every part of the programme – from welcome gifts and collaterals, to excursions and dinners – was an opportunity to showcase Singapore’s unique multiracial heritage and multifaceted attractions.”
The agency took advantage of the resort’s proximity to Sentosa’s key attractions such as the SEA Aquarium and Universal Studios Singapore (USS), and hosted the welcome and farewell dinners there.
But the organisers took the event a step further. They worked with USS to prepare a special yusheng for Morinda – even though it wasn’t Chinese New Year – to give them a taste of local tradition.
World Express also weaved elements of teambuilding into the city tours, which took participants to Arab Street, Bugis and Little India. On these tours, the staff sampled different cuisines at various stops. This was a unique arrangement that substantially reduced costs, revealed Tan.
Along the way, the team provided seamless Wi-Fi connectivity for the participants to stay connected to friends and family back home. It also allowed the group to update their social media on the go.
Key takeaways
Despite having a short preparation time, World Express rallied its team and resources to execute an unforgettable retreat for Morinda. In recognition of their efforts, the company recently picked up the Best Meeting/Incentive Organiser at the Singapore Tourism Awards.
When asked what lessons could be learnt from the organising of this event, Tan shared: “Creativity and out-of-the-box solutions are what millennial organisers and participants are looking for. Our proposals need to be highly personalised, and be in line with popular trends.”
Having a “young and open-minded MICE team that is flexible” proved imperative in winning the trust of clients, added Tan, and this ultimately played into World Express’ strength as a “truly Singapore-grown DMC with an authentic flavour”.
