The Singapore Tourism Board (STB) is accelerating the growth momentum of its business events sector through high-level alliances designed to insulate its pipeline from rising global costs and logistical uncertainties.
At the recently-concluded IMEX Frankfurt 2026, STB signed a landmark three-year Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with London-listed Informa Group Limited, the world’s largest B2B event organiser by revenue, to import FundForum Asia, Pharmapack Asia, and BioProcess International Asia later this year, as well as expand its aerospace and semiconductor showcases.
Ong Huey Hong, STB’s assistant chief executive, Industry Development Group, said: “Our partnership with Informa Group Limited is founded on a shared belief: business events, organised with the right partners, can do more than bring people together. They can catalyse conversations, deepen connections, and leave a lasting impact on the communities that host them.”
Nick Cole, chief commercial officer, Informa Markets, added: “Singapore is a leading global hub for business and trade. We deeply share Singapore’s belief in the power of live events to champion and drive growth and success, not just for the markets they serve, but for the local community and economy too. We have nearly 20 brands in Singapore, and are excited at expanding our activity through this deeper strategic partnership, which will help us serve our customers and markets in more ways while contributing to the further development of Singapore’s thriving economy.”
The collaboration will also see the two entities co-develop “festivalisation” initiatives. “It is about bringing the delegates outside of the conventional exhibition hall to experience the city a little bit more,” Ong explained.
STB is also deploying targeted MoUs with domestic professional networks to secure high-yield international association congresses. Announced at the Tourism Industry Conference in early May, a fresh two-year alliance with the Academy of Medicine Singapore – which comprises 13 specialised medical colleges and five chapters – aims to establish a pipeline of local medical experts to act as bid champions.
Ong highlighted to TTGmice that local academic backing is an absolute prerequisite. “For some of these congresses, you need to have a local host before a destination can bid for it. Having local association support is absolutely critical for us to even be able to put out a bid.”
Despite geopolitical friction and economic headwinds causing hesitation in longhaul travel, Ong pointed to Singapore’s enduring baseline advantages.
“Singapore has always been a neutral, highly accessible, and ideal destination for these global events. We continue to secure events and maintain a very strong pipeline. Every day we are actively working on bids and confirming new events, and our sector has proven to be incredibly resilient,” she stated.
