Singapore most popular city for meetings

Source : Straits Times – 1 Aug 2009

SINGAPORE has been crowned the most popular city for international meetings for the second consecutive time by the Union of International Associations.

In the ‘country’ category, the Republic moved up a notch to third place, behind the United States and France. Regionally, it is still Asia’s top spot for meetings, a position it has held for 25 years.

Senior Minister of State for Trade and Industry S. Iswaran thanked industry players for putting Singapore at the top when he addressed them at a dinner held to mark the 30th anniversary of the Singapore Association of Convention and Exhibition Organisers and Suppliers (Saceos) last night.

Saceos chief Edward Liu said the industry has come up with a nine-initiative plan to keep the Singapore flag flying.

He told The Straits Times that the industry will work with government and other groups to focus on training new talent, promoting Singapore as a venue for business events and lowering business costs.

Industry players estimate that business costs have gone up nearly 20 per cent in five years, although the current recession has softened this somewhat.

‘Saceos must work with all strategic stakeholders…to help create an ecosystem that can support and sustain the growth and development of the industry in the challenging years ahead,’ he said.

The industry has suffered a drop in business of between 20 and 30 per cent with the downturn, he noted, but added that he foresees a recovery by the middle of next year.