The Singapore Tourism Board (STB) has signed three Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) with key business events stakeholders to grow the industry.
The first signing was under the Global MICE Sustainability Alliance, where the seven-party MoU aims to meet the growing demand for sustainable business travel by reducing waste and the carbon footprint of exhibitions. The signatories are STB, Informa Markets, Constellar Venues, PICO World (Singapore), Cityneon Holdings, Kingsmen Exhibits and the Singapore Association of Convention & Exhibition Organisers & Suppliers (SACEOS).
The alliance will explore new solutions for green events and leverage its global expertise in sustainable event planning to ensure that these will adhere to local business events sustainability standards that are currently being developed. It will also focus on industry education to increase awareness and adoption of green practices. The alliance aims to set out clear sustainability targets over the next six months for the identified pilot event – Food & Hotel Asia -Food & Beverage 2024 and trial green initiatives there.
These efforts build on Singapore’s sustainability efforts under the Singapore Green Plan 2030, and are part of STB’s ambition for Singapore to be a top sustainable urban destination.
The second MoU, lasting three years, has been signed with Italy-based exhibition organiser Italian Exhibition Group (IEG), as part of a business expansion to South-east Asia. This includes establishing IEG’s South-east Asia regional headquarters in Singapore – its first office in Asia – by the end of 2023.
Under the partnership, IEG and STB will also explore ways to develop and anchor events in Singapore.
As a start, IEG is acquiring two tradeshows in the jewellery and F&B sectors from Conference & Exhibition Management Services – The Singapore International Jewelry Expo; and Café Asia, Sweets & Bakes Asia and Restaurant Asia. The aim is to expand IEG and the tradeshows’ presence in Singapore and South-east Asia.
Finally, the last was a three-year agreement with event organiser Comexposium, which will grow existing shows such as Milipol Asia-Pacific, Asia-Pacific’s largest homeland security event. Two anchor events will also be launched: SILMO Singapore, an eyewear and lifestyle tradeshow held from April 12-14, 2023; and Vinexpo Asia, a major wine and spirits exhibition scheduled for May 23-25, 2023. Both events are linked to established brands in Paris.
The signing ceremony was held alongside the launch of the Asia CEO Summit on October 5, 2022, at The Fullerton Hotel Singapore, on the back of a strong business events recovery following the reopening of Singapore’s borders in April this year. It also underlines the confidence that global event organisers continue to have in Singapore as the preferred destination for business events and a launchpad for international expansion.
