Mr S Iswaran at the SACEOS 30th Anniversary Gala Dinner, 31 Jul 09

SPEECH BY MR S ISWARAN, SENIOR MINISTER OF STATE FOR TRADE & INDUSTRY AND EDUCATION, AT THE SINGAPORE ASSOCATION OF CONVENTION AND EXHIBITION ORGANISERS AND SUPPLIERS (SACEOS) 30TH ANNIVERSARY GALA DINNER ON FRIDAY, 31 JULY 2009, 2045HRS AT THE GRAND BALLROOM, CONRAD HOTEL

Good evening ladies and gentlemen.

Introduction

It is my pleasure to join you this evening for the SACEOS [pronounced sa-s-yours] 30th anniversary gala dinner.

Key Milestones in SACEOS’ History

Since its establishment in 1979, SACEOS has grown from strength to strength to become the leading MICE industry association, comprising a diverse mix of members, ranging from Singapore’s top convention and exhibition organisers tosuppliers of MICE facilities and services.[1]As a focal point that brings together the different elements of the industry,SACEOS plays a key role by facilitating opportunities for networking, cooperation and collaboration, as well as encouraging high standards of professionalism in the business events industry.

These efforts are underscored by key milestones in SACEOS’ history. In 2004, SACEOS launched the first International Exhibition, Convention and Meeting Expo (IECM) with the aim of strengthening Singapore’s position as an international exhibition city and regional convention hub.Following this, in 2006, it launched the “Explore Business Events in Singapore – MICE Business Directory”, an essential guide that showcases the expertise and facilities available in Singapore to a global audience.

More recently, SACEOS played an instrumental role in the development of the first ISO standard for the global exhibition industry. The efforts of SACEOS contributed to the successful launch and implementation of the ISO standard.The new standard facilitates clearer communication among industry players, minimises ambiguity over the terms used, and, in so doing, raises the service standards and professionalism of the global exhibition industry. I applaud SACEOS for its many contributions towards establishing Singapore as an international exhibition and convention hub.

Singapore as a Preferred Business Destination

The growth of SACEOS, as an association, and your members has contributed significantly to the development of Singapore’s MICE industry. I am delighted to note that Singapore recently clinched, for the second consecutive year, the title of “TopInternationalMeetingCity” in the Union of International Associations (UIA) 2008 Global Rankings.Singapore also moved up one notch to third position in the countries category, behind USA and France, as a venue for international meetings. Regionally, Singapore has retained pole position as Asia’s Top Country and City for Meetings, a spot that we have firmly held for the past 25 years. These achievements have been made possible by the tireless efforts and contributions of our industry players in the business events sector, and I would like to congratulate everyone here on these outstanding achievements.

The close collaboration between SACEOS and Singapore Inc. partners, such as the Singapore Tourism Board (STB), exemplifies the strong partnerships necessary for the continued success of our MICE industry. The Singapore Exhibition and Convention Bureau (SECB), which is a part of STB, adopts a Strategic Cluster Approach whereby companies, industry associations and government agencies within key economic clusters[2] work closely together to attract, create and grow a host of business events aligned with these clusters.

To further spur the growth of the business events industry, the STB launched the “Business Events in Singapore” incentive scheme (or “BE in Singapore”) in 2006, which is aimed at helping business events organisers attract and anchor more business events in Singapore.To date, the BE [pronounced as ‘be’] in Singapore scheme has supported over 600 business events, including BioMedical Asia, the Singapore International Water Week (SIWW) and ITB Asia.

The second SIWW, held in June this year, attracted more than 10,000 trade visitors, delegates and exhibitors from over 85 countries. The event also concluded on a high note with some $2.2 billion in water-related deals signed, almost six times the amount achieved last year.These achievements demonstrate that business events continue to thrive and expand even in the context of a global economic downturn.

STB aims to build upon these achievements to propel Singapore’s MICE industry to greater heights. To help the industry stay one step ahead of our competitors amidst the economic downturn, STB launched the BOOST initiative in February this year (or Building on Opportunities to Strengthen Tourism), where the BE in Singapore scheme was enhanced to provide a greater level of support to business events organisers. Since March this year, over 150 new business events have been provided with enhanced support under this scheme. These efforts heighten Singapore’s value proposition as a MICE destination and sharpens our overall competitiveness in the business events industry.

To grow visitorship and build attendance from regional markets, STB has collaborated closely with in-market travel industry partners to leverage on key business events taking place in Singapore this year. Along with the umbrella marketing campaign “2009 Reasons to Enjoy Singapore”, the “2009 Reasons to Meet in Singapore” campaign was launched in May this year to encourage business travel to Singapore.The campaign offers business travellers acomprehensive Business Pack. Beyond an increase in business travellers to Singapore, this initiative also aims to encourage business delegates to immerse themselves more completely in Singapore’s rich spectrum of business and leisure offerings.

Growing Singapore’s MICE industry

Moving forward, the STB will aggressively pursue opportunities to sustain a robust pipeline of business events.These efforts are bearing fruit. UFI, the Global Association of the Exhibition Industry, will hold the 77thUFI Congress in the new Integrated Resort, Marina Bay Sands, in November next year. Singapore has also attracted new conventions such as the International Conference on Emergency Medicine (ICEM) in 2010. The 15th World Conference on Tobacco or Health (WCTOH) will be held in Singapore for the first time in 2012 and is expected to attract more than 2,000 experts on smoking cessation. The staging of these events will further cement Singapore’s reputation as an exchange capital of the world, where people, technology and ideas converge.

On the immediate horizon, September promises to be an exciting month when Singapore hosts the FDI World Dental Congress 2009, an event which is expected to attract some 13,000 dental professionals from all over the world. The event will be the biggest ever held by FDI. In the creative industry arena, Singapore will host Spikes Asia, the 1st Asian Advertising Festival created by the organisers of the acclaimed Cannes Lions International Advertising Festival. This October, Singapore will also see the return of ITB Asia - the Asian edition of ITB Berlin, the world’s largest travel trade show - after its successful inaugural show here last year.

This robust calendar of business events provides opportunities for Singapore to showcase its quality infrastructure, strategic connectivity as well as the professionalism, creativity and innovation of business events industry players.

Upcoming tourism developments such as the two Integrated Resorts (Marina Bay Sands, and Resorts World at Sentosa), Gardens by the Bay and the International Cruise Terminal will augment Singapore’s existing business events venues and enhance our appeal as a dynamic and vibrant global city.

Conclusion

In conclusion, I would like to congratulate SACEOS on its 30th anniversary. Let me also take this opportunity to express my appreciation for the valuable efforts of our industry partners, many of whom are present today, in bolstering Singapore’s reputation as a MICE destination of choice. I wish all of you an enjoyable evening.

Thank you

[1] Suppliers of facilities and services to the exhibition, convention and meeting industry include audio-visual and equipment suppliers, freight forwarders, stand builders, venue operators, travel agents, hotels, printers and publishers.

[2] These clusters include biomedical sciences, infocommunication technology and digital media, environment and water technologies