Singapore in festival spirit
Constellar group CEO says exhibition business is on a positive trajectory
he seventh Singapore
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Fintech Festival ( SFF ) recently drew 450 exhibitors and 25 international pavilions for a weeklong programme that marked a return as an in-person event for the first time since 2019 . The event is one of many now signalling the resurgence of exhibitions on the island post-Covid .
Jean-François Quentin , group CEO of SFF venue host Constellar , said : “ There is no replacement for the physical event experience in unlocking the potential of impactful partnerships .” Asked by EW to assess the current business trend on the island , he said : “ Constellar is on a positive business trajectory with our recent international events attracting 87,000 attendees across our four key trade exhibitions in the last quarter – Industrial Transformation ASIA- PACIFIC ( ITAP ), the inaugural Agri-Food Tech Expo Asia ( AFTEA ), Franchising & Licensing Asia ( FLAsia ) and Singapore FinTech Festival ( SFF ). We conclude 2022 with our last consumer event of the year , The Tech Show , in December and welcome 2023 with the 12th edition of BuildTech Asia in March .
“ Our trade exhibitions remain vital platforms for the launch of key industry initiatives by governments , industry associations and leading institutions . ITAP 2022 saw the launch of Singapore ’ s refreshed Industry Transformation Map for the manufacturing sector , while AFTEA 2022 saw the launch of Singapore ’ s first Agri-
Food Standards . Sixty industry announcements were made at SFF .
“ At Singapore EXPO , space booking levels have resumed to about 65 % of pre-Covid levels and we are seeing a promising outlook for 2023 . We welcomed several regional key trade exhibitions , including Food & Hotel Asia , Jewellery & Gem World and the recent Cosmoprof Asia .”
Although Quentin said he expected the industry to fully cover in 2-3 years , the global confidence in Singapore ’ s fundamentals as a trusted convenor – its vibrant business culture , infrastructure , and track record in delivering high-quality events , he said , meant that Singapore remained a preferred destination for events and a launchpad for international expansion .
“ While Singapore remains our main operation base , we still rely significantly on foreign attendeeship and exhibitors ,” Quentin added . Thus , he said ,
Top : Jean- François Quentin
Constellar continued to expand its brand and business via strategic investments and partnerships . The group already has offices and events in Malaysia and India , and through a joint-venture company Constellar-WorldEx in Guangzhou , China .
Constellar recently inked a long-term quadripartite agreement with three established F & B trade fairs in China to launch the largest international food trade exhibition , Food2China Expo in Guangzhou . “ We also continue to widen our talent search , creating roles to drive digital transformation , sustainability , community engagement and event management services ,” Quentin added . “ With buying decisions and behaviour changing significantly , we recognise the importance in investing in data analytics and UX / UI enhancement so as to reinvent our touchpoints to provide an Online2Offline model and keep up with 365 engagement , rather than offering a typical three-day event .
“ Constellar has also committed to achieving net zero by 2024 for Singapore EXPO and it is installing solar panels on the rooftops of ten halls , commencing end- December 2022 .” The Singapore MICE Sustainability Alliance is also exploring solutions for green events .
www . exhibitionworld . co . uk Issue 6 2022 27