Source : Business Times - 3 Sep 2008
But MICE industry faces short-term challenges: Iswaran
FOR the very first time, Singapore was ranked the world’s top international meeting city - in 2007 by the Union of International Associations (UIA).
Singapore climbed from third spot previously in the 2006 rankings to pip favourites such as Paris and Vienna, Senior Minister of State for Trade and Industry, S Iswaran, said yesterday night at the Singapore Business Events Awards, which was organised by the Singapore Tourism Board (STB).
Singapore was also ranked Asia’s top city for meetings for the 25th consecutive year and Asia’s top country for meetings.
The minister also cautioned that Singapore’s business travel and MICE industry would face some short-term challenges as a result of the uncertain global economy and financial markets.
‘Companies will be looking to trim discretionary expenditure, and such belt-tightening will see some scaling back in the corporate travel and meeting segments while attendance building at exhibitions and conferences will become more challenging in the coming months,’ he said.
However, he added that there were significant opportunities for bidding for future business events from 2010 onwards.
In 2007, business travel and MICE visitors accounted for more than $5 billion or 40 per cent of total tourism receipts.
The minister also urged the Singapore Association of Convention and Exhibition Organisers to help ‘bridge the gap between the industry and educational institutions’ to push for greater professionalism and competency in industry standards.
Other initiatives to support the growth of the industry include STB’s project to upgrade the facilities at the Singapore Expo.
World Vision International Triennial Council was among the winners at the Singapore Business Events Awards as meeting of the year while Singapore Maritime Week 2007 was selected as convention of the year.
Exhibition of the year went to CommunicAsia 2007 and professor Feng Pao Hsii of the National University of Singapore was Business Events Ambassador.
Kingsmen Exhibits was winner of the Service Partner Excellence Award for the second year running and Raffles City Convention Centre was tops for business event venue excellence. WIT - Web In Travel 2007 was voted the most innovative marketing initiative.
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