Dr Edward Koh, executive director, conventions, meetings and incentive travel at Singapore Tourism Board (STB) explains the significance of events in promoting tourism and enhancing the country’s reputation as a vibrant destination: The recovery of Singapore’s tourism sector, including our business events industry, continues to gain momentum, with a strong pipeline of events for the rest of 2023 and confirmed events as far out as 2031. High quality, large-scale business events in Singapore generate significant economic benefits and global branding value for Singapore, with spillover effects to adjacent tourism industries such as retail, dining, attractions, and hotels. Prior to the pandemic, the Business Events industry supported more than 34,000 direct and indirect jobs with a value-add of almost S$4bn (US$2.91bn), or close to 1% of Singapore’s GDP. The success of business events held in Singapore demonstrates our ability to give businesses access to global talents, thought leaders and decision-makers, and adds to the growing confidence from organisers and delegates to choose Singapore for their events. Singapore is recognised by many as a safe, responsible, and trusted destination, and we are optimistic that the business events industry will look to organise more quality events here. As global travel recovery continues, we expect this year’s visitor arrivals to reach the higher end of our 12-14 million forecast, and tourism receipts to be around S$18bn-S$21bn, approximately two-thirds to three-quarters of pre-Covid 2019 levels. Singapore has been recognised for its successful event hosting capabilities. Can you highlight some of the major events that have significantly contributed to the growth of Singapore’s tourism industry? In 2022, we saw the return of many high-profile business events, such as Gamescom Asia, Singapore International Cyber Week (SICW), Singapore International Energy Week (SIEW), Food and Hotel Asia, and Tax-Free World Association Asia Pacific Exhibition & Conference. Notable events that have taken place in Singapore this year include:
- SILMO Singapore (12–14 April)
- Food and Hotel Asia (FHA)-Food & Beverage (F&B) (25– 28 Apr)iel
- TFWA Asia Pacific Exhibition & Conference (TFWA APE&C) (7–11 May)
- International Trademark Association’s 2023 Annual Meeting Live+ (16–20 May)
- Herbalife APAC Extravaganza 2023 (19–21 May)
- Asia Tech x Singapore (6–9 June)
- 25th World Congress of Dermatology 2023 (3–8 July)
- Million Dollar Round Table (MDRT) Global Conference 2023 (27–30 August)
- Gastech Exhibition & Conference (5–8 September)
- 10th Milken Institute Asia Summit (13-15 September)
The success of these events demonstrates Singapore’s stellar track record in securing, anchoring and growing quality MICE events that attract an international audience, as well as our ability to give businesses access to global talents, thought leaders and decision makers. Beyond 2023, Singapore has secured rights to host World Congress of Anaesthesiologists (3–7 March 2024), Rotary International Convention (25–29 May 2024), Worldchefs Congress and Expo (20–25 October 2024), and Global Sustainable Tourism Council Global Conference (13–15 Nov 2024) in 2024, as well as the 110th Lions Clubs International Convention in 2028. How does the STB integrate sustainability principles into the planning and execution of events in the country? We must play our part to build a more sustainable future. A study conducted by STB and American Express Global Business Travel (Amex GBT) in 2022 found that 83% of meetings and events professionals say that their organisations take sustainability into account when planning meetings and events. To raise sustainability standards across Singapore’s Business Events industry, STB has worked with the Singapore Association of Convention & Exhibition Organisers & Suppliers (SACEOS) to develop and launch the MICE Sustainability Roadmap in 2022 which charts clear targets and strategies that will strengthen our competitiveness in this area. This aligns with STB’s wider ambition to spur sustainable practices and outcomes across tourism-related industries. The roadmap sets out three targets for the industry that contribute to a larger goal to become Asia Pacific’s leading sustainable business event destination by 2030:
- To develop sustainability standards by 2023 and aim to be internationally recognised by 2024.
- Obtain sustainability certification for purpose-built MICE venues and 80% of SACEOS members by 2025.
- Start tracking waste and carbon emissions by 2023, reduce waste and achieve net zero emissions by 2050.
These efforts are now being recognised by the business events industry. We have a strong pipeline of sustainability-related events being hosted in Singapore, such as the biennial World Cities Summit and Temasek’s Ecosperity Week. These events bring leaders together to discuss and act on sustainability and testify to Singapore’s position as a regional hub for green innovation. In what ways do events play a role in raising awareness about sustainability and inspiring both locals and visitors to adopt eco-friendly practices? Events play an integral role in raising awareness, uncovering sustainable solutions, and bringing together thought leaders to discuss and action on sustainability. They can range from sustainability-themed events to MICE events with sustainability woven high into their agenda. We are committed to growing our calendar of business events that cultivates global thought leadership and gather stakeholders to address issues around sustainable tourism. Examples of events hosted in Singapore include:
- Ecosperity – Supported by the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS), Ecosperity is the anchor event for Singapore’s sustainability cluster. This platform gathers high level key stakeholders across various industries to address high-impact technology, policy and finance levers that bring about transformative breakthroughs in sustainable developments across businesses, communities and the planet.
- Singapore Carbon Market & Investor Forum (19–20 July 2023) – The Carbon Market & Investor Forum facilitated new discussions, and relationships with professionals, investors, and policymakers from across the region covering three main themes: Nature-Based Solutions, Fostering International Linkages, and Investment.
We have also secured a pipeline of sustainability-focused events in the coming year, which reflects our growing appeal as a Global-Asia node for quality events with sustainability as a focus and reinforces our status as a leading sustainable MICE destination in Asia Pacific. For example, Singapore will host the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC)’s Global Conference in 2024 (13–15 November 2024) for the first time. The GSTC establishes and manages the global standards for sustainable tourism known as the GSTC Criteria. GSTC’s flagship conferences gather global and diverse tourism stakeholders across governments, leading travel companies, NGOs, communities, and individuals, to discuss critical issues in sustainable tourism through best-in-class thought leadership. Many of these events are held at MICE and leisure venues with eco-friendly features, allowing businesses to host sustainable events and experiences with ease, and to testbed sustainability innovations to meet their own sustainability goals. How does the tourism sector collaborate with event organisers to implement sustainable practices during events and what strategies and partnerships does the STB engage in to ensure that events hosted in the country align with the principles of sustainability? Also, how does the STB collaborate internationally to share best practices and contribute to a global movement towards sustainable event hosting? Strategic Partnerships In October 2022, STB inked an MoU with key MICE players. The MoU signed a strategic global MICE sustainability alliance to explore new solutions for green events in line with our nation’s larger push for sustainability under our SG Green Plan. The alliance was signed with six parties: the world’s largest trade show organiser, Informa Markets; Constellar Venues; PICO World (Singapore); Cityneon Holdings; Kingsmen Exhibits and SACEOS. The sustainability alliance is a first in Singapore, which sees key trade show ecological players coming together, pledging their commitment towards working on sustainability, specifically to reduce carbon and waste footprint of trade shows. In 2023, the Alliance trialled green initiatives at Food & Hotel Asia (FHA) – Food & Beverage, including a zero-waste booth prototype that was developed in partnership with Miniwiz, a sustainable technology firm; 100% recyclable carpets; a waste wood recycling pilot programme and the Better Stands award by Informa Markets, which seeks to recognise exhibitors and suppliers. At the Singapore MICE Forum that took place in July 2023, STB partnered SACEOS to launch the inaugural sustainable innovation marketplace, which seeks to drive industry adoption of sustainable solutions and raise capabilities of our MICE ecosystem players. The marketplace congregated 13 sustainable solutions providers, in the fields of F&B, data & analytics, robotics and more, who had the opportunity to network with over 400 attendees. These efforts contribute to our ambition to become one of the most sustainable MICE destinations in Asia Pacific. As our industry recovers, sustainable travel will continue to be an important consideration. We will continue to encourage our partners to embrace sustainability, which can bring about more efficient processes and use of resources, as well as lower costs in the long run. Global Sustainable Tourism Council The Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC), with support from the STB, is developing a new Criteria for MICE and Attractions. The GSTC MICE Criteria and GSTC Attraction Criteria aim to serve as the global sustainability standards for both industries. The development of the GSTC MICE Criteria is timely given the increasing demand for sustainable practices in the tourism sector by corporates and business travellers. The MICE industry must prioritise sustainability to meet this growing demand, and because it is the responsible thing to do. The GSTC MICE Criteria will be developed with the inputs of relevant stakeholders. It aims to provide the industry with clear sustainability outcomes aligned with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), that they can strive towards. For businesses and professionals in the business events industry, STB will continue pursuing strategic partnerships to raise standards and awareness of best practices in sustainability. Resources for Industry Singapore invests in resources to guide and encourage our local MICE industry in adopting more sustainable practices. STB-AMEX whitepaper – A white paper released by STB and American Express Global Business Travel (Amex GBT) in June 2022 – looks at key trends of green meetings and events, the role a destination plays and how travel and meetings planners can measure a destination’s sustainability. STB-PCMA whitepaper – A white paper, Sustainability in Business Events, released in October 2022 by STB and PCMA, outlines a set of RFP and contract documents that event organisers can use when contracting suppliers. During this stage, organisers can also look at how to make their F&B more plant-based, and check with their venues on renewable energy usage and waste management. Best Practice Guide for Organising Environmentally-Friendly Events – The Ministry of Sustainability and the Environment, together with the Sustainable Singapore Movement, have put together a Best Practice Guide that identifies a list of environmentally-friendly actions to take note of when organising an event. These best practices are grouped into two tiers: compulsory (high visibility + high impact) and good to have (to implement whenever feasible). This guide allows event organisers to take climate action by being environmentally responsible and prudent in the way they use resources. 3R Toolkit for the MICE Industry – The MICE 3R Toolkit is an initiative of the MICE 3R taskforce led by the National Environment Agency (NEA), to provide guidance on 3R (reduce, reuse, recycle) initiatives to reduce waste and save limited natural resources for the MICE industry. We hope to see more of such industry partnerships, as this is a journey where collaboration is key. Can you share some specific examples of how an event successfully incorporated sustainability elements, and what positive impact it had on the environment and local community? Singapore is committed to partnering event organisers to organise and hold more sustainable MICE evens. Together with the local industry, Singapore provides easy access to green venues, services, and experiences. The 25th World Congress of Dermatology (WCD), the world’s oldest and largest international dermatology meeting, convened over 11,000 delegates from about 130 countries in Singapore. WCD2023 embraced sustainability through waste reduction, recycling, and responsible resource use, alongside its Green Policy to guide participants with effective practices on going Green. Booth stands, for example, were made from recyclable cardboard and there was digitisation of conference materials. Public transport cards were issued to all delegates to encourage the use of mass public transport for travel to the conference venue. At Food and Hotels Asia-Food & Beverage (FHA-F&B) 2023, sustainability initiatives included the reduction of carpet usage, partnering food banks to cut food wastage and powering the event with renewable electricity. A zero-waste booth prototype by Miniwiz, which can be dismantled, packed, and reused, was also piloted as a proof-of-concept on how future trade shows can be run in a more sustainable manner. The 60th International Young Lawyers’ Congress 2022 convened more than 400 delegates from over 300 international law firms from over 55 countries and regions. The event provided a platform for lawyers to discuss topics such as the environment and energy law. Recyclable materials were used to produce the conference materials, ranging from badges and lanyards to the welcome bags and menus, while sponsors and partners were also encouraged to participate in this drive, such as using reusable caps and other recyclable items. How does the STB leverage the Singapore ‘Green City’ reputation to position itself as a top destination for sustainable events and conferences? Singapore has been certified as a sustainable destination based on the GSTC’s Destination Criteria. Singapore was certified based on our performance in four pillars: sustainable management, socioeconomic sustainability, cultural sustainability, and environmental sustainability. Singapore has also been ranked as the second most sustainable city in APAC, and 17th globally in the Global Destination Sustainability-Index (GDS-I), and was one of the most improved destinations this year when the results were announced on 4 October. This demonstrates our efforts and commitment towards becoming a sustainable urban destination, across areas such as the environment, society, and businesses. These strengths, coupled with our world-class MICE infrastructure and stellar track record in delivering high-quality events, contribute to our appeal to event organisers and delegates who want to conduct their business sustainably and achieve their sustainability goals. For example, we have six purpose-built MICE venues that cater to large-scale events. These venues are committed to integrating sustainable practices into their operations and meeting sustainability standards, enabling companies to easily host sustainable events in Singapore. In addition to MICE venues, we are home to iconic landmarks and hotels that prioritise sustainability. This appeals to companies who are keen to incorporate eco-friendly experiences into their delegate journey, from waste-reducing initiatives during the event to sustainable accommodation and transport. Lastly, can you outline the STB vision for the future of events in the country, with a focus on sustainable practices? STB will continue its diversification strategy and build on Singapore’s strong international presence by tapping on business travel demand from a diverse portfolio of visitor markets, such as China, India, Indonesia, US, and UK. We will also nurture events that align with Singapore’s identified growth industries, such as aerospace, logistics, and applied health sciences. This allows us to support the growth of Singapore-based companies in our key industries and ensure they remain future-ready. The sustainability journey will continue to be a two-way conversation between government and industry, to understand challenges and align on key focus areas. We also need to take into account the distinct characteristics of the various tourism industries, which may be at different stages in their sustainability journeys. This will ensure that KPIs are tailored to specific industries and tracked at appropriate milestones aligned to national efforts, such as the Singapore Green Plan 2030. We will continue to participate in internationally recognised indices and pursue assessments based on internationally-recognised standards on a destination- and tourism sector-level to benchmark our sustainability performance against other destinations. To this end, we will double down our efforts and work even closer with the industry to promote measurement and monitoring, adoption of standards and certification, and greater adoption of Green practices.
