The Swiss-based World Economic Forum (WEF) has cancelled its 2021 annual meeting in Singapore this August due to continued global challenges in the management of the Covid-19 pandemic.
In a statement released on May 17 night, WEF said: “Regretfully, the tragic circumstances unfolding across geographies, an uncertain travel outlook, differing speeds of vaccination rollout and the uncertainty around new variants combine to make it impossible to realise a global meeting with business, government and civil society leaders from all over the world at the scale which was planned.”
The World Economic Forum has axed its special meeting in Singapore this August due to continuing global challenges in pandemic management
WEF will host its next annual meeting in 1H2022, but has yet to determine a specific date and location. A decision will be made after an assessment of the situation this summer, noted the statement.
The cancellation follows two postponements – from its initial schedule in May 13-16 to May 25-28 and later to August.
Meanwhile, other major events scheduled to take place in Singapore this year will remain as planned.
The Ambassadors are instrumental in strengthening the city’s position as a best-in-class MICE hub
Over 100 leaders of business and professional bodies in Hong Kong have joined forces with the Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB) as Hong Kong Convention Ambassadors to promote the city as the choice for regional and global business events.
The Hong Kong Convention Ambassador programme was launched to help revitalise the city’s business events industry, by tapping onto the Ambassadors’ extensive connections, influence and personal standing in their respective fields.
The Ambassadors are instrumental in strengthening the city’s position as a best-in-class MICE hub
YK Pang, HKTB’s chairman, said: “The Hong Kong Convention Ambassador programme is formulated not only to bring business events to the city when travel resumes. It will also promote the advantages of Hong Kong to the global business community and help drive multi-sectoral recovery.”
He added that the “economic multiplier effect of hosting world-class MICE events is huge”, where on average, MICE visitors spend at least 20 per cent more per capita than a general visitor.
The ambassador programme will certainly deepen the network between the HKTB and business sectors to bring even more leading international events,” said Henry Li, chief marketing officer of Hong Kong Productivity Council.
For instance, Century Tsang, president of the Hong Kong Dental Association and Hong Kong Convention Ambassador, has helped to successfully host the Hong Kong International Dental Expo and Symposium in January. The three-day event drew an average daily attendance of over 3,000 dental professionals.
In addition, Hong Kong is seeing a strong line-up of 12 upcoming ambassador-led events expected to generate close to US$10 million in tourism receipts. They include the 23rd International Conference of Racing Analysts and Veterinarians 2021, and the Asian Conference on Emergency Medicine 2021.
A recent rise in Covid-19 community cases in Singapore has put the city-state’s travel bubble with Hong Kong on hold yet again
The launch of the air travel bubble (ATB) between Singapore and Hong Kong which will allow for quarantine-free travel between the two cities will be deferred for a second time, following a spike in Covid-19 cases in Singapore.
The decision to delay the ATB 10 days before its launch on May 26 was made during a meeting on Monday (May 17) between Singapore’s transport minister S Iswaran and Hong Kong’s secretary for commerce and economic development Edward Yau, Singapore’s Ministry of Transport (MOT) said in a statement on Monday.
A recent rise in Covid-19 community cases in Singapore has put the city-state’s travel bubble with Hong Kong on hold yet again
The ATB was first planned to take off on November 22, but a surge in Covid-19 cases in Hong Kong put the plan on hold.
“Both sides remain strongly committed to launching the ATB safely. However, in the light of the recent increase in unlinked community cases, Singapore is unable to meet the criteria to start the Singapore-Hong Kong ATB,” it said.
MOT added that the two cities will decide on the new launch date of the ATB towards the end of phase two (heightened alert) in Singapore, which is slated to end on June 13.
Both cities had said the ATB would be suspended when the seven-day moving average of unlinked community cases in either Singapore or Hong Kong increases to more than five.
As at Sunday, Singapore reported 38 community cases, bringing the seven-day moving average of unlinked community cases to nearly five.
The Sea Cloud Business Lounge at Fuzhou Changle International Airport
Global airport lounge programme Priority Pass will be adding more than 150 new airport lounges across the world to its portfolio this year, representing a 20 per cent growth for the network.
This brings Priority Pass’ total coverage to exceed 1,500 lounges and premium experiences.
The Sea Cloud Business Lounge at Fuzhou Changle International Airport
Priority Pass has currently added 32 new airport lounges this year – including Lufthansa Business lounges in New York Airport (JFK), Newark International Airport (EWR) and Washington Dulles Airport (IAD), and 14 lounges in China alone. Other new lounges have been added in locations such as Russia, Turkey, Egypt, and India.
The Priority Pass network is a mix of partnerships as well as lounges owned by its sister company, Airport Dimensions, both owned by Collinson Group.
Over the last 12 months, Collinson has adapted its offerings to reflect the ongoing needs of travellers during the Covid-19 era. The company created a new set of global health and safety standards for lounges in the Priority Pass network, as well as launched its ‘Ready to Order’ tech solution, available to all lounge partners, allowing guests to enjoy their F&B with maximum social distancing.
Collinson’s joint CEO David Evans said: “Our investment in Priority Pass is a clear reflection of our confidence in the travel recovery, which our research has shown will also include an increased appetite for premium spaces and experiences while travelling.”
“Asia-Pacific continues to be a core growth-driver for our clients and their customers, and as such, we have a strategic, long-term – and most of all, exciting – growth plan that supports our clients’ objectives, while delivering an enhanced experience for their customers,” added Todd Handcock, president, Asia Pacific, Collinson.
The future of Singapore's MICE future looks bright
Major MICE events in Singapore, such as June’s Shangri-La Dialogue, August’s World Economic Forum (WEF), and November’s Bloomberg New Economy Forum will proceed as planned, according to The Straits Times.
Organisers have assured attendees that they will be prioritising health and safety measures, in response to increasing local infections and tighter restrictions in the city-state.
Planning for major business events still ongoing in Singapore (pictured) despite heightened measures
As part of the measures, the Singapore government has reduced event attendance limits from 750 to 250, and made pre-event testing compulsory for meetings with more than 100 people.
Although these restrictions are currently in place till May 30, conditions remain fluid and uncertain, and event organisers will have to review the options available based on the latest developments.
Other events like the World Cities Summit (WCS) – organised by the National Development Ministry’s Centre for Liveable Cities and the Urban Redevelopment Authority – will continue with scaled-down plans.
It was originally set to be held at the Marina Bay Sands’ Expo and Convention Centre from June 20-24, but instead, will take place with a mix of hybrid and fully virtual sessions from June 21-23, before a series of webinars from July to November.
Come year-end, the Bloomberg New Economy Forum from November 16 to 19 will gather government leaders and top businessmen, including Tesla boss Elon Musk, to discuss global challenges.
In December 2021, Singapore is also set to host its inaugural Global Esports Games (GEG), the flagship event of the Global Esports Federation. More than 400 international esports athletes from more than 80 countries and territories will be competing in Singapore in the multi-titled world championship.
GEG will be held annually in December, featuring multi-title esports competitions. GEFcon, a global convention, and the GEFestival, billed as a “dynamic celebration of inclusive esports culture”, will be held parallel to the Games.
Update: WEF announced its decision on May 17 to cancelled its event in Singapore. Its next annual meeting will be held in 1H2022, with no determined dates and location yet.
Singapore has moved to tighten Covid-19 restrictions to stem a spike in Covid-19 community cases, with social gatherings limited to two people and dining-in banned from May 16 until June 13.
Eateries and hawker centres will only offer takeaways and deliveries during this period to prevent the risk of transmission, said the Health Ministry on Friday (May 14). Households will also only be allowed to receive two distinct visitors a day, from five previously.
Singapore has further tightened movement restrictions, which now prohibit dining in at eateries and an even smaller allowed capacity at attractions, public and private events
All attractions that have received prior approval to operate at 50 per cent capacity will have to reduce this to 25 per cent, while museums and public libraries will also operate at a reduced capacity of 25 per cent.
Indoor and outdoor shows may proceed with up to 100 people with pre-event testing implemented, or up to 50 people without testing. Attendance at cinemas will be capped at 100 people with pre-event testing, or up to 50 people without testing. The cap of two persons per group applies, and food and beverages cannot be sold or consumed in the cinema.
Working from home will remain the default at workplaces, and employers must ensure that staff who can work from home do so.
The stricter measures are in response to the Changi Airport cluster, which has become Singapore’s largest active Covid-19 cluster on Thursday (May 13), with a total of 46 cases confirmed.
Education minister Lawrence Wong, who co-chairs the multi-ministry task force on Covid-19, was quoted by The Straits Times as saying in a virtual press conference that stricter measures are necessary as there may be hidden cases among those who have recently visited Changi Airport that have leaked out into the community. He further noted that unlinked cases have also been on the rise.
Activities that will also be banned include strenuous indoor exercise classes and sports, as well as facials and saunas.
Weddings receptions will not be allowed, but solemnisations may continue for up to 100 people with pre-event testing, or 50 people without testing.
A lower cap of 50 people will also have to be observed at congregational and other worship services, with the cap going up to 100 people with pre-event testing implemented. Occupancy limits for malls and showrooms will also be reduced to 16m2 per person of gross floor area, from 10m2 per person previously.
Travellers from Taiwan will now have to serve a 21-day stay-home notice; Changi Airport pictured
Singapore citizens, permanent residents and long-term pass holders entering Singapore with recent travel history to Taiwan will have to serve a 21-day stay-home notice (SHN), effective since May 16, 11.59.
The tightened border measures are in response to the recent increase in Covid-19 cases in Taiwan, said MOH in a statement on Saturday.
Travellers from Taiwan will now have to serve a 21-day stay-home notice; Changi Airport pictured
Travellers from Taiwan will have to serve a 14-day SHN at dedicated facilities, followed by an additional seven-day SHN at their place of residence. They will undergo Covid-19 PCR tests on arrival, on Day 14 of their SHN, and before the end of their 21-day SHN period.
This overrides the previous regulation which allowed travellers from Taiwan to go about their activities in Singapore without the need to serve a SHN, if their on-arrival PCR test results were negative.
In addition, short-term travellers holding an air travel pass with recent travel history to Taiwan will not be allowed to enter Singapore.
Travellers who are not Singapore citizens or permanent residents, and who have recent travel history to Taiwan will be required to take a PCR test within 72 hours before departure. They will also need to present a valid negative Covid-19 test result for entry into Singapore.
All travellers with travel history to Taiwan who entered Singapore between May 15 and May 16 will be subject to government-funded PCR tests on Day 3 and Day 7 of their arrival in Singapore.
MOH said that affected travellers will be contacted with additional details on how they can take their PCR tests.
Conrad Hong Kong announces the appointment of Jan Jansen as General Manager effective 29 March 2021.
Conrad Hong Kong has hired Jan Jansen as its general manager.
Previously in 2016, Jansen first joined the hotel as the hotel manager, before being recruited as opening general manager of Conrad Hangzhou two years later.
His return this year will play an instrumental role in leading the hotel in adapting to the new normal and creating business opportunities.
Prior to joining Hilton in 2012, Jansen cut his teeth in management at the Rezidor Hotel Group (presently known as the Radisson Hotel Group), particularly in the business development and commercial sectors.
The once-delayed Singapore-Hong Kong bilateral travel bubble may risk another disruption due to Singapore’s rising number of Covid-19 cases.
Singapore’s transport minister Ong Ye Kung said at a Covid-19 multi-ministry task force press conference on May 14 that a critical review of the travel bubble’s start date will be carried out.
The commencement of the Singapore-Hong Kong travel bubble is being reviewed
“The assessment is: Given the rising cases in Singapore, it is very likely that Singapore will not be able to meet the resumption criteria,” said Ong.
A decide will be made early next week on the commencement of the Singapore-Hong Kong travel bubble.
According to a CNA report, Ong had given Hong Kong’s secretary for commerce and economic development Edward Yau an update on Singapore’s situation on Friday morning. Ong shared that both parties have agreed that the travel bubble must be done safely and in accordance with the resumption mechanism that both sides have agreed on.
Under the terms of the agreement, the travel bubble will be suspended for at least 14 days if the seven-day moving average of unlinked local Covid-19 cases a day, excluding dormitory resident cases in Singapore, is more than five in either Singapore or Hong Kong.
As of noon on May 14, Singapore has 52 new infections, including 24 community cases, said the Ministry of Health.
Double-bill trade event, IT&CM Asia and CTW APAC, will return this year from September 28-30 in a virtual format amid ongoing travel restrictions.
Delegates to the three-day event will be able to enjoy 24-hour access to the exhibition on the improved OnAIR virtual event platform, making it easier for those outside of Asia-Pacific to attend.
Organiser TTG Asia Media has also created flexible business meeting arrangements that allow for mutually requested scheduled slots and walk-ins; weaved in destination and corporate brand presentations and mini-roadshows; alongside insights into buyers’ procurement motivations; and daily themed knowledge sessions.
Sponsorship packages are available for sellers, while qualified buyers get to access all content for free.
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