Singapore tweaks its MICE treats

SINGAPORE Changi Airport Group, Singapore Tourism Board and Singapore Airlines launched the second edition of the Singapore MICE Advantage Programme at IMEX Frankfurt Wednesday.

SMAP is a joint initiative that seeks to provide a differentiated and seamless Singapore business event experience for MICE organisers and visitors.

The latest edition comes with improved benefits and aims to further refine this experience.

[L-R] Mr Benjamin Chan (SIA), Ms Melissa Ow (STB) and Mr Peh Ke-Wei (CAG) at the SMAP and INSPIRE launch at IMEX Frankfurt 2017.

Three existing partners, as well as two new ones –

luxury airport terminal JetQuay and ride-sharing giant Uber – provide benefits.

Latest benefits

The journey to achieve a seamless MICE experience under SMAP highlights the following services.

Customised support through STB’s Business Events in Singapore (BEiS) Scheme and facilitation for event organisers

Besides the BEiS grant scheme, STB streamlines the planning process for organisers, by introducing suppliers and agencies, as well as recommending MICE and social venues, and experiences.

More value fares to Singapore are now available from four carriers. Organisers and participants can choose from Singapore Airlines, SilkAir, Scoot and Tigerair, which collectively serve over 130 destinations worldwide. Previously, SMAP’s first edition offered value fares only on Singapore Airlines.

Upon arrival in Singapore, the airport terminal JetQuay [1] caters to VIPs with complimentary one-way quayside service for commercially important persons (CIPs). Delegates arriving through Singapore’s Changi Airport gain a complimentary welcome desk, shopping and dining vouchers and complimentary Wi-Fi router rentals.

Moving around Singapore, events benefit from the ride-sharing app Uber, which is offering ride discounts to delegates.

SMAP’s first edition, which launched in 2013 and concluded in December 2016, secured over 85 events, and brought in close to 140,000 visitor arrivals to Singapore.

One event that benefitted from the programme is the 2017 Pacific Rim International Conference on Lasers and Electro-optics (CLEO).

The conference committee selected Singapore after having considered several Asian cities. The organisers are expecting more than 1,000 delegates for the 2017 event, which will also mark CLEO’s first time in Southeast Asia. The conference steering committee was won over by the SMAP offerings, which addressed some of the issues commonly faced by meeting attendees.

SMAP applies to qualified events, which are considering Singapore as a host destination. Applications can be filed from now till 31 December 2019 and all events should take place before 31 December 2025.

INSPIRE expansion

In addition to the enhanced SMAP Programme, the “In Singapore Incentives & Rewards” (INSPIRE) Programme for Europe and North America will also be extended for an additional year until 31 December 2018.

INSPIRE, first launched at IMEX Frankfurt in 2016, was conceptualised in a partnership with CAG and SIA. In its first year, it has built good awareness of Singapore as a choice business destination rich with vibrant lifestyle offerings amongst corporate meeting and incentive travel groups. To ride on the momentum, the programme has not only been extended, but refreshed to include more generous air ticket offers and engaging cocktail experiences.

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