THE Singapore Tourism Board (STB) has announced it will be enhancing the Lion City’s MICE appeal through a 35 per cent increase in marketing investment this year.
At the Singapore Tourism Industry Conference today, STB assistant chief executive, Neeta Lachmandas, was unable to provide the exact amount of the investment but said it will be a “substantial sum” channelled into brand building and marketing campaigns.
Lachmandas told TTG Asia e-Daily: “Prior to 2013 and 2014, we had a bit of a quiet period which we did not have that much of a destination branding for MICE.”
With the aim of generating greater awareness through PR activities, advertising and increased participation in tradeshows, she said: “In the US and Europe markets, we are targeting the association conventions as well as exhibition and conference event organisers; in Asia-Pacific, we see bigger opportunities for corporate meetings and incentives.”
Asked how STB will build event attendance, she elaborated: “We want more people to know about a specific event so we can increase participation numbers through advertising driven towards the delegates.”
According to Singapore’s second minister for trade and industry, S Iswaran, STB is on track to secure more best-in-class exhibitions and conferences, and has made good progress towards the annual target of securing 10 new association world congresses.
New large-scale events this year such as the Oriflame Diamond Conference 2015, BestWorld Convention 2015, USANA Asia & Pacific Convention 2015, Forever Living Global Rally 2015 and Jeunesse Global Expo Unite Annual World Conference are expected to bring in more than 24,000 business delegates combined.
