Singapore – the road to a MICE future
CMW INTERVIEWS CARRIE KWIK , EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF EUROPE AT SINGAPORE TOURISM BOARD , TO DISCUSS THE COUNTRY ’ S USPS , STRATEGY AND SUSTAINABILITY POLICIES FOR THE MICE INDUSTRY
H ow much is the events sector worth to Singapore annually ? What are Singapore Tourism Board ’ s ( STB ) USPs for bringing international events to Singapore ? MICE continues to play a key role in our tourism sector . Pre-Covid-19 , the MICE sector supported more than 34,000 direct and indirect jobs with a value-add of S $ 3.8bn ( US $ 2.75bn ), or 0.8 % of Singapore ’ s GDP . MICE events bring about significant benefits to our economy , including business for our lifestyle and hospitality sectors .
Business travellers are also important to our long-term yield-driven tourism growth strategy , as they spend almost double that of leisure travellers to Singapore . This reflects our work over the last two decades to constantly review our global footprint and ramp up our MICE efforts in a diverse mix of key markets .
Furthermore , post-Covid-19 , Singapore ’ s value proposition as a MICE destination has not changed . Apart from being a springboard to access new markets in Asia , the fundamentals that make us a key MICE hub and attractive location for business and leisure events – our vibrant business culture , excellent infrastructure , stable government , and stellar track record in delivering high-quality events – remain intact .
We are confident that these factors will continue to help cement Singapore ’ s
“ Business travellers are also important to our long-term yield-driven tourism growth strategy , as they spend almost double that of leisure travellers to Singapore ” position as a leading MICE destination that appeals to the future MICE traveller . Combined with its exciting tourism and lifestyle offerings , Singapore is well-positioned to attract MICE travellers – many of whom are longing for personal exchange and interaction again .
Which international markets bring their events to Singapore ? And are there any markets you ’ d like to explore ? Europe and Americas continue to be important source markets with growth opportunities for Singapore , as we continue to build resilience and counter increasing global volatility by diversifying our visitor source markets beyond Asia .
Pre-Covid-19 , Europe posted record International Visitor Arrivals ( IVA ) in 2019 , with more than 2.1m visitors arriving in Singapore – a year-on-year increase of 3.4 %. Europe as a source region contributed about 11 % of the total IVA in Singapore , with the US contributing over 725,000 IVA in 2019 . The UK and Germany are the two largest source markets from Europe to
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