Today marks the global launch of the In Singapore Incentives & Rewards (INSPIRE), an incentive programme initiated by the Singapore Tourism Board to attract potential visitors from the global Meetings, Incentives, Conventions and Exhibitions (MICE) sector. In partnership with 29 local Singapore businesses, global INSPIRE offers a selection of over 60 complimentary experiences that qualified MICE groups visiting Singapore can enjoy.
The global launch of INSPIRE follows a strong performance of BTMICE visitors to Singapore. In 2018, Singapore welcomed over 2.9 million BTMICE visitors, a growth of 12.1 per cent from 2017. Tourism receipts[1] rose 7.2% to reach S$4.68 billion in 2018, compared to the same period in 2017.
Ms Melissa Ow, Deputy Chief Executive, Singapore Tourism Board said, “We are delighted to launch the global INSPIRE programme on the back of our stellar results for BTMICE visitors to Singapore in 2018. Building on the positive reception received for the previous INSPIRE programme that was offered to corporate groups in Southeast Asia and specific regions, the new global INSPIRE includes markets such as the Americas, North Asia, Oceania and more.”
“Together with local businesses in Singapore, STB has curated a selection of group experiences from dining to social networking, from attractions to thematic tours, as well as unforgettable team building experiences, all tailored with the MICE visitors’ profile in mind. These incentives have been designed to complement groups’ itineraries and provide exclusive experiences that showcase the best of what Singapore has to offer.”
Global INSPIRE set to engage and enrich MICE meetings experience
According to the American Express 2019 Global Meetings and Events Forecast Report, engaging participants is considered the key to achieve an optimal meetings outcome. Planners are looking beyond the smooth execution of a meeting and are considering factors such as unique locations, interaction and networking, content and technology, to best engage participants.
In addition, CWT Meeting & Events Trends Report 2019 expects global demand for meetings and events to increase between 5-10 per cent as events are considered a key channel to facilitate face-to-face engagement, discussions, conversations and networking. Riding on the positive momentum of this trend, extending INSPIRE to a global audience is expected to help drive more MICE groups to experience Singapore’s distinctive leisure landscape and lifestyle offerings.
Showcasing Singapore through a selection of over 60 curated activities
The new global INSPIRE incentive programme serves up a wide range of specially designed experiences for MICE groups, catering to small and mid-size groups from all parts of the world. Specially created by passionate experts and mavens in various fields, these experiences are designed to delight and thrill visitors to Singapore. INSPIRE offers 63 unique experiences under four broad categories, namely: Singapore’s dining, entertainment and nightlife, thematic tours and learning experiences, tailored attraction-based experiences and distinctive team building activities.
Some specific examples include visitors getting to create their own bespoke cocktail using herbs and spices found in Singapore, right in the heart of a UNESCO World Heritage site, the Botanic Gardens. Or groups keen on discovering Singapore’s Silicon Valley can get to enjoy an insider’s tour of the One North vicinity, with exclusive fireside sharing sessions by founders and start-ups of successful businesses. And for those visitors who wish to immerse themselves in Singapore’s famed greenery, there is a private after-hours Garden Rhapsody show at Gardens by the Bay, complete with unrivalled city night views from the OCBC Skyway.
Strong pipeline of meetings and events in 2019 and beyond
Singapore’s BTMICE landscape continues to grow from strength to strength, with the city state set to host notable events and meetings such as Vidcon Asia, Home Delivery Asia, Deloitte All Hands Meeting and Bentley Systems Year in Infrastructure Conference in 2019. Vidcon is the largest event for the global community of online content creators and will host the inaugural Asia edition of the show in Singapore
Over the next two years from 2020 to 2021, Singapore will welcome for the first time an expected 8,000 participants attending International Trademark Association’s 142nd Annual Meeting, the world’s largest gathering of intellectual property professionals. Lions Clubs International Convention will be held in Singapore in 2020, with an expected 20,000 foreign attendees, making it the largest association congress ever to be held in our city. SAP Field Kick-Off Meeting makes its return to Singapore with two successive years of meetings scheduled in 2020 and 2021. In addition, the Asia Pacific Life Insurance Congress and the Million Dollar Round Table Global Conference will be held in Singapore in 2021.
Singapore’s pipeline continues to be promising with events secured into the years ahead. In 2022, Singapore and Southeast Asia will host for the first time, the International Conference on Medical Image Computing and Computer-Assisted Intervention (MICCAI), earmarked as the world’s largest gathering of professionals in its field, with an expected visitorship of 2,000 delegates. Singapore was recently selected as the destination of choice for the 25th World Congress of Dermatology in 2023. This will be the largest medical convention to take place in the city, with an estimated 15,000 participants.
A Global-Asia hub that offers easy access to fast-growing Asian markets
Singapore is strategically located in Southeast Asia and possesses a vibrant and innovative business environment. It stands out as a premier business events destination with a strong track record of delivering high-quality events. The city state offers a wealth of possibilities – both at work and play – in a dynamic, pro-business environment which offers excellent connectivity, security and a diversity of inspiring venues and experiences.
Applications for INSPIRE
MICE groups that are travelling to Singapore between 10 September 2019 and 31 December 2021 can apply for the INSPIRE programme. These groups should have a minimum of 20 foreign attendees and stay for at least three days in Singapore. Interested groups should register their interest by 31 March 2021.
For more information on INSPIRE, visit https://www.visitsingapore.com/mice/en/plan-your-event/event-assistance-schemes/inspire/overview/
