inConversation… STB’s Carrie Kwik on safety, innovation & events in a post-pandemic world

Already established as a leader in the global MICE industry, Singapore’s robust and transparent handling of the Covid-19 situation has put the destination in a strong position to bounce back post-pandemic.

Singapore Tourism Board (STB) recognises that MICE and events are a catalyst for economic recovery, and the past year has seen the organisation develop a clear and steady roadmap to bring back business events safely.

Singapore has already successfully piloted a number of hybrid and live events, including the TravelRevive trade show in December, which welcomed close to 1,000 in person delegates.

Together with its partners, STB is determined to set Singapore apart as the world’s leading destination for safe, trusted and innovative business events.

We caught up with Carrie Kwik, STB Executive Director, Europe, to find out more…

What’s the situation in Singapore right now?

Singapore entered Phase 3 of re-opening on 28 December 2020 – gatherings of up to eight people are allowed, while capacity limits for tourism attractions were increased. We have also progressively scaled up our pilots for live performances as well as business events.

All these activities must take place with strict adherence to safe management measures, which includes safe distancing, wearing of face masks and capacity limits in venues.

The health and safety of our local community and overseas visitors is our top priority. To ensure this, we have put in place rigorous standards of safe management and hygiene. There are detailed national guidelines called Safe Management Measures (SMMs) that we have developed and customised for our tourism industry – from hotels and tours, to attractions and MICE. These cover measures such as capacity limits, ensuring safe distancing and good hygiene practices.

To set high standards of environmental public hygiene and to build confidence in our businesses, we launched the SG Clean Quality Mark in February 2020. This is a national mark of excellence that is awarded to businesses that meet those standards, and as of 31 December 2020 we have since certified more than 29,000 individual premises across Singapore.

To safeguard public health and minimise the risk of transmission, we have expanded our testing capacity and enhanced our contact tracing capabilities by investing in new technology and research. We have also begun our nationwide vaccination programme, which includes front-liners in our aviation and hotel industries.

We believe these measures will give locals peace of mind to explore our vibrant city and inspire confidence for international visitors when the time is right for more of them to return.

What protocols have you put in place specifically for the events industry?

For the MICE industry, we are building the best end-to-end system to ensure that MICE visitors can enjoy a safe and seamless journey. This means developing protocols and solutions which remain commercially viable while fulfilling the need to safeguard the health and safety of Singaporeans and incoming travellers.

The Safe Business Events framework (SBE) was established to achieve that. Under the framework, organisers of MICE events must display their ability to implement Safe Management Measures in order to receive approval to pilot MICE events of up to 250 attendees. These include strict guidelines on group size, safe distancing, operating capacity limits and a framework to monitor health.

The framework was created in consultation with the industry and is aligned with international best practices. It arises from reflections and lessons learnt over the past year, when businesses in Singapore’s MICE sector conceptualised and reimagined what a safe event could look like. 

Various measures will be taken to ensure the safety and well-being of the attendees. For example, foreign participants will be required to undergo COVID-19 tests before departure and upon arrival, and to follow a strict controlled itinerary limiting interactions with the wider community, as well as regular testing during their stay in Singapore.

Are business events taking place in Singapore right now?

Singapore’s main objective is to safeguard the health and safety of Singaporeans and incoming business travellers while ensuring that MICE events are conducted in a commercially viable manner. Singapore aims to stand at the forefront of the MICE industry as a trusted, safe and innovative destination.

In September 2020, STB started accepting applications to pilot MICE events of up to 250 attendees. Organisers must demonstrate their ability to implement safe management measures under the Safe Business Events Framework, such as adhering to guidelines on group size and safe distancing to receive approval to pilot their events. Overseas attendees are able to attend these MICE event pilots through green lane arrangements for selected countries.

TravelRevive, held in November 2020, was the first major international travel trade show to take place physically in the current COVID-19 environment in the Asia Pacific – with close to 1,000 visitors onsite, of which about 65 were foreign delegates.

The event served as our first prototype for safe business events, safe itineraries and digital enablers in Singapore. These were all developed in partnership with the private sector, through the Alliance for Action on Enabling Safe and Innovative Visitor Experiences under Singapore’s Emerging Stronger Taskforce.

Pilot events such as TravelRevive and Geo Connect Asia 2021 taking place in March allow us to study the findings and data to refine the safe management measures and best practices for MICE events progressively. GCA 2021, for example, will pilot creative solutions to enhance health and safety for delegates, as well as digital enablers to allow participants a seamless experience in the current Covid-19 environment.

The successful execution of TravelRevive will pave the way for other international trade shows to take place in Singapore in 2021 and beyond.

When do you expect larger events to resume?

The reopening of the MICE events sector will proceed in a phased and calibrated manner. STB’s key priority is to ensure that business events in Singapore can provide a safe and positive experience for event organisers and delegates while minimising the risks of transmission.

Even as we pilot more MICE events, we will ensure that this is done with health and safety as our topmost priority. We will monitor the implementation very closely. The resumption of more events in the MICE sector will be dependent on the success of the pilot events and the ability and readiness of the event owners and organisers to implement the necessary safe management measures effectively, considering the prevailing health situation.

How have you adapted the way you communicate with event planners over the past year?

We have remained agile with our communications throughout the pandemic and are constantly looking for innovative channels and new platforms through which to augment our messaging to event planners at this time. 

On a regional level, we have launched a new campaign with MICE micro influencer Sabrina Meyers targeting the UK & Ireland Agency & Corporate markets. Sabrina will be sharing relevant, practical and useful updates on what event planners can expect when running events in Singapore via her LinkedIn, Instagram and Twitter platforms.

We’re excited to be hosting the SingapoREimagine MICE Virtual Show on March 3 & 4.   The 2 -day virtual trade show will connect event planners with up to 40 leading suppliers including convention centres, hotels, unique meeting venues, destination management companies and tour operators in Singapore.  STB will share latest updates on Singapore’s progress towards the safe resumption of business events, showcase new and reimagined MICE experiences and conduct virtual tours and culinary masterclasses from Singapore. 

What’s in the pipeline?

In August 2021, Singapore will be hosting the World Economic Forum Special Annual Meeting, bringing together the world’s top leaders in government, business and academia to address some of the more pressing issues facing the world. This will be the second time the meeting will be held outside of Switzerland since its establishment in 1971 and the first time it will be held in Asia.

Singapore has also secured the rights to host the Worldchefs Congress and Expo in 2024 and the 110th Lions Clubs International Convention in 2028. The Lions Clubs International Convention is expected to attract around 20,000 foreign delegates.

These successes build upon Singapore’s track record as Asia Pacific’s top meeting city for 18 consecutive years and the confidence in Singapore’s robust and transparent handling of the Covid-19 situation.

What initiatives have you put in place to drive recovery of business events in Singapore?

To ensure Singapore’s sustained attractiveness as a business and travel hub, we must pioneer new ways to enable safe visitor experiences in a COVID-19 environment. We are glad that some companies have already transformed their business models and event formats, adopting digital solutions and virtual engagements to augment face-to-face events. Many have also used this downtime to send their staff for training and upgrading. STB will continue to actively work with stakeholders and the Singapore Association of Convention and Exhibition Organisers and Suppliers (SACEOS), to develop robust safe management measures and best practices to guide the industry.

STB has also been collaborating with SACEOS to drive the adoption of MICE Sustainability Certification, as well as roll out the 3R Toolkit to provide guidance to industry stakeholders on Reducing, Reusing and Recycling initiatives for the MICE industry.

Other initiatives such as the $2 billion SGUnited Jobs and Skills Package create new opportunities for workers affected by the pandemic, including placements into long-term jobs. This will help them reskill and take on other jobs while awaiting the recovery of the tourism sector. The package aims to create close to 100,000 new jobs, traineeships and skills training opportunities.

What trends do you expect to see in the meetings and events market post-pandemic?

In the MICE industry, we are working toward meeting consumers’ needs through digital transformation, which include holding hybrid events.

Hybrid events are expected to be the norm in the new COVID-19 environment, with a blend of virtual and physical elements, while retaining the ‘live’ aspect that fulfils the need to connect and network. The integration of technology into the visitor experience, such as digital guides and contactless registration, are also expected to become mainstream.

Therefore, it is critical for our industry to pivot and adapt to new event formats and business models. STB is committed to support our industry through this journey.