Initiatives to Reimagine MICE in the Post-COVID Era: The Latest from Singapore, a Leading MICE City

1. Singapore’s Visitor Numbers Expected to Fully Recover by 2024

With entry restrictions lifted, we are once again seeing large numbers of foreign tourists for the first time in three years. MICE events in Japan are also making a full-fledged comeback, with major international conferences being held. Overseas, MICE activity is even more vibrant. With IMEX set to take place in Frankfurt soon, we are receiving a steady stream of promotional emails from abroad. In particular, it seems that all-inclusive resorts are launching aggressive promotional campaigns this year.

It is likely the leading MICE nations and cities that are actively capitalizing on this momentum. News is pouring in about “new attraction organizations being established” and “new hotels opening.” Among these, I had the opportunity to hear from a representative of the Singapore Tourism Board about the messages they are communicating regarding Singapore—a country world-renowned for its strategic approach to attracting MICE events—as a MICE destination, so I would like to share them here.

First, regarding the recovery of visitor numbers to Singapore: in the first quarter of this year (January–March), the number exceeded 2.9 million, recovering to 62% of pre-pandemic levels. The forecast for international tourists this year is 12 to 14 million. They have announced that a full recovery of tourism is expected by next year.

2. “Reimagine MICE in Singapore, a City of Possibilities”

The Singapore Tourism Board’s core message regarding MICE promotion is “Reimagining MICE in a City of Possibilities.” This signifies that they will promote MICE by positioning Singapore as an ideal destination management city based on technology, sustainability, and high safety standards. The three keywords for achieving this are accessibility, innovation, and sustainability.

Of these three keywords, “Innovation” is perhaps the most striking. In the context of Singapore’s MICE promotion, “Innovation” refers to the country’s ongoing efforts to break new ground as a meeting place for entrepreneurs and cutting-edge partners across industries such as financial services, urban solutions, aerospace and logistics, sustainability, and agritech—all in alignment with the nation’s industrial promotion policies.Building on this track record, Singapore has positioned itself to remain a hub for innovation, technology, and research as the direction for its MICE promotion. It is said that Singapore views itself as “an ideal launchpad for generating new ideas and partnerships.”

3. Singapore’s Sustainability Initiatives

Sustainability is another key theme that Singapore prioritizes.

　The Singapore Tourism Board and SACEOS (Singapore Association of Convention & Exhibition Organisers & Suppliers) announced the “MICE Sustainability Roadmap” last December. It sets out three specific goals:

1. Develop sustainability standards that the tourism industry can easily adopt by 2023, and achieve international recognition by 2024.
2. Ensure that six MICE venues and 80% of SACEOS member companies obtain internationally or domestically recognized sustainability certifications by 2025.
3. To reduce waste in line with the “Singapore Green Plan 2030,” begin tracking waste and carbon emissions by 2023 and achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2050.

The background for formulating this roadmap includes the strong recovery of Singapore’s MICE sector, the growing demand for sustainable business travel, and, above all, the Singaporean MICE industry’s own recognition of the significant environmental impact of MICE events and the need to mitigate it. This is something the Japanese MICE industry would do well to emulate.

Air travel is considered the largest source of environmental impact in the international MICE sector. However, Singapore Airlines has also set a goal of “achieving net-zero carbon emissions across the entire group by 2050.” To this end, the airline is proposing measures such as adopting aircraft equipped with the latest fuel-efficient technology, utilizing biofuels, serving in-flight meals that minimize food waste, and implementing carbon offset programs.

4. Singapore’s MICE Support Programs

Next, I would like to discuss the specific support programs available for attracting MICE events. Here is a summary of the information posted on the Singapore Tourism Board’s official website.

INSPIRE (In Singapore Incentives & Rewards) Global 2.0 Program

Nearly 80 programs are available, covering dining, unique venues, attractions, themed tours, and team-building activities. MICE groups that meet certain criteria can select experience programs from this list.

The eligibility criteria are very simple: groups of 20 to 250 foreign delegates who stay in Singapore for at least three nights. While these conditions may vary depending on the situation, those considering outbound incentive travel might want to inquire about this program.

Singapore Airlines, which plays a major role in access to Singapore, is also running a campaign for MICE. Depending on the number of passengers, in addition to offering the best group fare rates, they provide services such as a 10kg excess baggage allowance, special in-flight announcements, original headrest covers, and discounts on rental Wi-Fi routers. There are two daily flights to Singapore from both Narita and Haneda airports, as well as flights from Kansai, Fukuoka, and Centrair. It is also reported that an additional flight on the Haneda route is scheduled for this fall.

5. Diverse Content Development Reflecting National Policy

Changi International Airport offers a wide variety of attractions, and in 2019, a new complex called “The Jewel” opened on the airport grounds. It became a major talking point due to its waterfalls and botanical gardens. Since the COVID-19 pandemic began shortly after, I haven’t had the chance to visit yet, but it’s definitely an attraction I want to see next time.

The question of what kind of content is necessary to attract MICE events often comes up. Is it a unique venue, a tourist attraction, or a luxury hotel? While it would certainly be ideal to have all of these, the reality is that it is difficult for a single city to provide everything. However, I feel that Singapore has no hesitation in providing everything within its own borders and striving to meet every possible need.One possible reason for this is that, due to factors such as its location and the fact that it is an island nation, it is difficult to coordinate across a wide area. However, perhaps this is a manifestation of the clear policy unique to a country that has built its national strength by serving as a hub in Asia where people, goods, money, and information converge.

MICE participants are individuals, and based on their preferences, tastes, and interests, they decide what they want to experience in a place, where they want to stay, and which tourist attractions they want to visit. In other words, outside of their MICE activities, they enjoy the city just like any other tourist. I believe we, as hosts, need to keep this in mind when striving to attract MICE events. Singapore may be the one that fully understands the feelings and mindset of these MICE participants.