DESPITE the gloomy economic climate, Marina Bay Sands will help spur the local MICE industry and intends to work with Singapore's tourism players to achieve this growth.
Ideal location: Singapore's geographic location and the large number of companies based here stand the island in good stead to host more corporate meetings'While there is some belt-tightening, many exhibitors will still attend trade shows. I am confident we will widen the portfolio of trade shows here,' says Wolfram Diener, vice-president of conventions and exhibitions for Marina Bay Sands. Operations in Macau can act as a springboard to bring new trade shows to Singapore, he reckons.
Mr Diener says the Marina Bay Sands MICE facilities are on target to open at end-2009, but the company will forego major MICE events until the first quarter of 2010 to allow sufficient time to be 'ready to deliver service excellence'.
He believes Singapore's geographic location and the large number of companies based here stand the island in good stead to host more corporate meetings.
Additionally, trade shows and corporate meetings may encourage business travellers to return as leisure travellers, he feels.
However, he acknowledges that the corporate meetings segment is likely to soften in the short term, especially as clients such as those in the financial services look to cut costs in trying times.
While corporate meetings are unlikely to come to a standstill, since they serve as both an incentive and a source of education for staff, Mr Diener thinks companies will instead shorten the duration of meetings and shave spending on them about some 20 per cent.
As costs in Singapore are higher than elsewhere in the region, the island has to work to communicate its strengths - efficiency, transparency and reliability - to win business.
However, this has to be done hand in hand with the rest of the tourism industry, he says. 'We need to work together to keep Singapore strong as a MICE and travel destination.'
Mr Diener was speaking yesterday at the inaugural seminar of Ngee Ann Polytechnic's new Centre of Excellence in Business Tourism.
Ngee Ann's School of Business and Accountancy will offer a new diploma in international business from next year.
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