All testing and quarantine requirements have now been voided for vaccinated visitors , with no countries under the Restricted Category .
Singapore and the pandemic Despite the unavoidable impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on the global MICE industry , Singapore has been able to navigate the risks and , in fact , use the crisis as an opportunity for development and innovation .
At its foundation , Singapore has long been a Global-Asia node for MICE , with extensive experience hosting large international business events . Through events , Singapore positions itself as a home for important discourse on critical topics that impact the region and world .
In November 2020 , during the deeply uncertain times caused by the pandemic , Singapore was still able to host two large scale international events : SFFxSWITCH2020 and TravelRevive2020 .
With TravelRevive 2020 being the fi rst international travel tradeshow to take place physically in the Asia Pacifi c region , hybrid technologies and safety protocols , that have now become the global norm for events , were put on trial for the fi rst time .
These hybrid experimentations demonstrate the pioneering efforts of Singapore to be at the vanguard of global innovation , solidifying its reputation as a worldleader for modernisation and adaptability in the global MICE industry .
Innovation in hybrid events were not only piloted but were recognised as a needed area of infrastructural development . During August 2020 , the integrated resort , Marina Bay Sands launched a state-of-the-art hybrid event broadcast studio at its Sands Expo and Convention Centre .
The studio is a cutting-edge stage fi tted with an immersive backdrop and fl oor that can be reconfi gured to fi t every event ’ s needs . The hybrid broadcast studio was a fi rst for the industry which paved the way to defi ne the hybrid revolution in the global MICE community .
Looking beyond the pandemic A key part of this vanguard action was not only hosting hybrid events but pushing forward intellectual debates around how the MICE industry could adapt and move forward beyond the pandemic .
Whitepapers , such as Reimagining Business events – through Covid-19 and beyond , show how Singaporean MICE players collaborated to produce research that supported and upskilled the global MICE community .
Through such research , Singapore understood that the pandemic has changed the way operations are run in all industries , and the transformations that were made during the pandemic needed to have a continued legacy . As Singapore transitions into a Covid-resilient state , the country aims to offer peace of mind to travellers , event owners , organisers , planners , and delegates who come to visit and do business here .
For instance , the SG Clean campaign , launched at the start of the pandemic by the National Environment Agency ( NEA ), rallied stakeholders to adopt good personal habits and to raise standards of cleanliness and public hygiene . This early action from NEA has set high standards throughout Singaporean society , implementing a legacy that will hold the country in good stead to deal with any variations of Covid-19 and future pandemics .
The Singapore Tourism Board ( STB ) has also implemented SingapoReimagine , an initiative launched in November 2020 , to assemble local and global communities to envision a new standard of travel , based around elevated standards of technology , sustainability and heightened safety .
Time to turn green The STB has not only led the way with Covid security and innovation but has put sustainability at the forefront of its long-term MICE strategy .
Ready , get set , go green ! is a White Paper , published by the STB and American Express Global Business Travel , which looked at the key trends of green meetings and events , the role that destinations play , and how event planners can measure a destination ’ s sustainability . The research outlined the importance of Singaporean MICE strategy in pursuing ‘ progressive improvement ’, where ‘ sustainability is a process and not just an end goal ’.
Singapore , as a nation , has also outlined its sustainability objectives in its Green Plan 2030 ( SGP30 ). These objectives focus on reducing carbon emissions and creating a circular economy , while still encouraging economic growth .
In line with the SGP30 , the Singaporean hotel sector has set out the Hotel Sustainability Roadmap . This timeline places clear targets and strategies for hotels to adopt , enabling the sector ’ s co-operation towards a greener and economically prosperous future .
Likewise , Singapore joined the Global Sustainable Tourism Council in October 2021 and the Global Destination Sustainability-Index ( GDS-Index ) in April 2022 . These are additional efforts from Singaporean institutions to develop strategies that ensure thorough and tangible sustainable changes are made throughout all MICE processes , quickly and effectively .
The return of events Singapore ’ s clear strategy and innovative action during the pandemic has left the country in a strong position to secure large scale international events looking to the future .
In November 2021 , Asia ’ s most infl uential aerospace and defence event , Singapore Airshow , concluded a strategic media and knowledge partnership with Aviation Week Network , the largest multimedia information and services provider for the global aviation , aerospace , and defence industries . This partnership highlights the infl uence of the Singapore Airshow at effectively connecting key stakeholders with broad and core communities .
Additionally , in January 2022 , as the Omicron wave of Covid-19 was gripping international headlines , confi dence was cemented in Singapore as the country ’ s Formula 1 Grand Prix was confi rmed for another seven years , from 2022 to 2028 .
As the events industry emerges from the pandemic , Singapore has throughout presented itself as an innovator and leader for global MICE . Singapore is now fully open for events , but in all honesty , it was never really closed .
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