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THE TOURISM INDUSTRY is a key pillar of the Singapore economy . In particular , the Meetings , Incentives , Conferences , and Exhibitions ( MICE ) sector is a significant contributor . Pre-Covid-19 , the MICE sector supported more than 34,000 direct and indirect jobs with a value-add of SGD3.8bn ( US2.82bn ), or 0.8 % of Singapore ’ s GDP , with significant spill-over benefits to lifestyle and hospitality sectors .
While Covid-19 has impacted Singapore ’ s MICE industry , it has also accelerated innovation and the use of technology . Singapore is reimagining the future of MICE , with rigorous protocols and innovative solutions for the end-to-end visitor journey .
Geo Connect Asia 2021
Geo Connect Asia 2021 ( GCA 2021 ), organised by Montgomery Events Asia , was held recently with a specific focus on Southeast Asia . A hybrid strategic and collaborative business meeting platform for industry professionals , government agencies , and start-ups came together to build and develop knowledge of global solutions for Asia ’ s geospatial and location intelligence .
Over 2,200 industry professionals attended physically and virtually , with close on 600 attending inperson . Approximately 100 foreign delegates from countries , including Belgium , Germany , Hong Kong , Australia , Indonesia and Malaysia , attended .
Montgomery Asia worked closely with the Singapore Tourism Board ( STB ) to ensure the safety and wellbeing of attendees . This included complying with Safe Management Measures ( SMMs ) such as crowd density control and the use of
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TraceTogether to facilitate contact tracing for international visitors .
GCA 2021 trialled the ‘ hybrid event ’ prototype developed by the Alliance for Action on Enabling Safe and Innovative Visitor Experiences . The prototype provided delegates with the degree of interaction they would be accustomed to in a regular tradeshow setting – but in a far safer way which minimised infection risks . The Geo Suites structures represented the main mode of interaction among visitors . Each Geo Suite featured two meeting pods , allowing visitors to conduct private business meetings safely . The pods are fitted with plexiglass , with microphones on both sides .
Riding on the learnings and insights from the recent TravelRevive , the first largescale in-person conference and exhibition to return post-pandemic ( November 2020 ), GCA 2021 piloted creative solutions to enhance health and safety for delegates , as well as digital enablers to allow participants a seamless
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Andrew Phua , executive director of Exhibitions & Conferences at the Singapore Tourism Board , said , “ We will continue to support and collaborate with our MICE industry to cement Singapore ’ s position as one of the world ’ s leading destinations for safe , trusted , and innovative MICE events . The event ’ s focus on digital transformation and sustainability in smart cities is in line with the opportunities that Singapore is exploring in the new environment . Geo Connect Asia 2021 is also the first hybrid tradeshow of the year in Singapore , and we look forward to a safe and fulfilling experience for all our visitors and delegates .”
Events like Geo Connect Asia were able to reimagine traditional trade exhibitions by innovating the event format to facilitate safe interactions with digital enablers .
• Geo Suites and meeting pods facilitated face to face business engagements and knowledge transfer between exhibitors , speakers and attendees .
• Digital enablers , which leverages
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Image : Panel
discussion at Geo
Connect Asia 2021
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