To The Moon

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Hybrid tools developed during the pandemic - such as Sands Expo and Convention Centre’s virtual meeting set-up and live broadcast studio – are also helping organisers bring events to a larger audience. The ITB Asia, one of the largest travel trade shows in the region, used holograms, mixed reality and hybrid technology to engage audiences and capture delegates’ imagination during their virtual show in 2020. Hybrid also means that, rather than compressing all their engagements into a single three-day or five-day period, organisers can use technology for micro-engagements throughout the entire year. “We are the home of Ecosperity, one of the major sustainability conferences in the region,” Ong says. “They use virtual elements to engage their communities in topics such as wind technology or s

Singapore’s wealth of best-in-class venues, high-tech facilities and compelling leisure experiences – from Gardens by the Bay, one of Asia's premier horticultural destinations, to its famous bar and restaurant scenes – have long made it a mecca for delegates and event organisers alike. At Marina Bay Sands, the landmark triple skyscraper that towers above Marina Bay, Wee Min Ong, vice-president of sales and MICE, leads a team of 400 people who manage thousands of events each year.

In 2023, Singapore will host MICE gatherings of high-growth industries, from sustainability to lifestyle. Lifestyle events include: Bar Convent Singapore - a bartender convention; Vinexpo Asia - a wine and spirits tradeshow and SILMO Singapore - an eyewear and lifestyle fair. In addition, sustainability thought leaders will gather at Greentech Festival and Ecosperity.

This sort of technological innovation makes Singapore a magnet for gatherings of industries such as agri-food tech. Singapore was the first government to approve a cultured meat product. The city-state hosted in October last year the second edition of the Singapore International Agri-Food Week, which aims to catalyse sustainable food production in Asia. Over 6,000 attendees from 66 countries, including innovators, industry and government leaders gathered at events such as the Asia-Pacific Agri-Food Innovation Summit, the Roundtable on Novel Food Regulations and the inaugural Agri-Food Tech Expo Asia, which showcased the latest innovations and solutions in food technology.

The festival also hosted part of Project Orchid, the Singapore government initiative that’s exploring a range of digital currency solutions, including purpose-bound money. “The trial of purpose-bound money was a notable innovation,” says Pat Patel, executive director of festival organiser Elevandi. “Trial participants could use RedeemSG vouchers at participating food and beverage outlets, and merchants could directly receive the underlying digital Singapore dollars for the vouchers redeemed

That dynamic and innovative business environment helps organisers add edge to their Singapore events by using smart technology. At Singapore FinTech Festival, in addition to contactless check-in, a dedicated app service and networking software, attendees were able to use blockchain technology to mint their own personalised token showing proof of attendance.

Singapore’s innovation and diversity shapes business and events alike Singapore came into being as a trading post where different cultures and industries intersect and, Song notes, it retains that market position. “Singapore is a neutral meeting ground between several different ecosystems: the South Asia region, Chinese diaspora talent, and South East Asian markets,” says Song. “I think that’s the key component that makes it so dynamic."

For Song and other entrepreneurs, Singapore’s dynamic startup ecosystem and culture of innovation makes it not only a vital marketplace of ideas but an essential destination for doing business. Innovation doesn’t just fuel economic growth and attract talent, it makes Singapore a global hub for Meetings, Incentives, Conventions and Exhibitions (MICE) and gatherings of thought leaders.