Elevating the meeting experience with Singapore’s world-class events
Looking to supercharge engagement for meeting and incentive participants? Tap into Singapore’s vibrant and diverse calendar of leisure events
As travel regains global momentum, the demand for in-person meetings has surged and incentive travel is booming. According to the Incentive Research Foundation 2023 Trends Report, participation in incentive travel is set to increase by 48 per cent in 2023 and 61 per cent in 2024, as organisations look to in-person events to build bonds between in-office and remote workers.
With attendees increasingly seeking one-of-a-kind experiences, one approach for event planners to curate unique and interactive programmes that enhance attendee engagement is to take advantage of leisure events in their destination of choice.
Singapore’s vibrant calendar of leisure events, from sporting extravaganzas to superstar concerts and food festivals, presents a plethora of opportunities for MICE planners to infuse their events with enhanced programming, entertainment and unique destination experiences beyond the conference setting.
Holding a business event in Singapore is more appealing than ever. Apart from having an impressive selection of venues, attractions and dining experiences to choose from, planners can leverage Singapore’s spectacular and diverse events landscape to attract attendees, elevate event programming and increase satisfaction.
Meet during these exciting events
Singapore has a vibrant events calendar that planners can organise their meetings around including:
• Marina Bay Singapore Countdown (31 December 2023)
• Singapore Art Week (19-28 January 2024)
• Singapore Cocktail Festival (May 2024)
• Singapore International Festival of the Arts (May-June 2024)
• Singapore Food Festival (July 2024)
• Grand Prix Singapore Season (13-22 September 2024)
Click here to view the full listing of leisure events in Singapore
Gear up for business alongside a high-octane event
By leveraging Singapore's line-up of leisure events, meeting and incentive planners can attract more attendees who want to maximise their experiences in the destination while fostering the team camaraderie that makes meetings more engaging and memorable.
The star of Singapore’s event calendar is the Formula 1 Singapore Airlines Singapore Grand Prix, which drew more than 264,000 spectators in 2023. The Singapore race is also elevated by the Grand Prix Season Singapore, a 10-day festival featuring racing-themed experiences across dining, entertainment, retail and more across the city.
It’s therefore no coincidence that this electrifying season attracts many business events: more than 28 MICE events were held in the lead-up to the race weekend and up till the week after the race in 2023. One was the Ethereum Singapore 2023 conference and hackathon, an inaugural event organised by Ethereum Singapore and supported by community partners, to spotlight Web3 innovations and its use for social good. Tickets for the three-day event from 10-12 September, in the week before the race, were sold out.
“We picked the F1 period because we knew the entire world was coming to Singapore during that week. It made the most sense for us as this was our inaugural event and we wanted to make sure we started out strong,” explained Qing Ze Hum, Conference Lead, Ethereum Singapore. “The sheer number of activities happening during this week is mind boggling and attendees are spoilt for choice.”
With opportune timing and an immersive programme — featuring themed pavilions and workshops — the event saw notable guests such as the Ethereum Co-founder Vitalik Buterin, as well as representatives from Ethereum Foundation, Google Cloud, Huawei, Matter Labs, Scroll, Coinbase and more.
Another conference that has timed its schedule around the Singapore Grand Prix is Milken Institute Asia Summit 2023, which convenes leaders across business, government, technology and academia to discuss greater access to capital, deeper digitalisation, health innovation and other key social issues. The event, now in its 10th edition, has been held in Singapore since 2013.
“Our participants like to have business reasons to be in Singapore, coupled with the opportunity for fun and networking at the F1 Grand Prix race,” shared Laura Deal Lacey, Executive Director of Global Markets at Milken Institute. “Our delegates enjoy experiencing not only the thought-provoking panel discussions at our Summits but also the thrills, the adrenaline and all the excitement brought forth by the F1."
Lacey emphasised that the Singapore Grand Prix’s prestige factor is a strong drawcard. “Leveraging the star power of the F1 Grand Prix, our Summit every year features several sports & entertainment panels and high-profile sports speakers, including CEO of McLaren Racing Zak Brown,” she added.
Exclusive experiences tailored for meeting & incentive groups
With Singapore’s diverse line-up of leisure events, planners can elevate meetings and incentive trips by partnering with event organisers to amplify engagement and networking opportunities among delegates.
Sport, for one, has the power to bring people of different nationalities and ideologies together. This makes sporting events an ideal complement to meetings and conferences, giving meeting and incentive planners a way to cater to their attendees’ interests.
Thanks to an increased interest in cycling in Singapore — with a 15-20 per cent increase in bicycle sales compared to 2019 — the Tour de France Prudential Singapore Criterium (28-29 Oct 2023) enjoyed huge success in its inaugural edition last year. This year, it once again featured 32 cyclists from eight of the world’s best professional teams with a new 3km street circuit, including top cyclists Tadej Pogacar, Mark Cavendish, Giulio Ciccone and others. Attendees also enjoyed a post-race party featuring American musician and producer KSHMR.
“Our ability to hold the event in downtown Singapore, where the race is easily accessible to the fans and where the riders can compete against the stunning Singapore skyline, is a big draw for both fans here and those watching live or delayed footage of the race,” said Kendrick Wong, Chief Operating Officer at Evoke, organiser of the Tour de France Prudential Singapore Criterium.
One attraction is the CEO Breakfast Ride, where planners can arrange for delegates to enjoy breakfast with Tour de France professional riders, a 30-minute round on the race circuit, photo opportunities and an autograph session. Evoke also worked with event planners to create bespoke corporate experience packages, such as networking sessions, private meet-and-greets and hotel stays.
Another sporting extravaganza that planners can look forward to is the HSBC SVNS Singapore (3-5 May 2024), part of a globally revamped festival celebrating World Rugby’s iconic rugby sevens game format. The weekend-long event offers an exhilarating conclusion to meetings and incentives that few other destinations provide.
“Outside of the rugby on the pitch, fans will have a variety of reasons to arrive to the venue early and stay late into the evening,” shared James Cloake, Head of Event Promotions at World Rugby. "These include world-class food and beverage experiences, music entertainment, as well as mass participation events that encourage teams and individuals to participate in a wide variety of sports.”
With basketball, netball and other fitness events to be included, this means that aside from networking opportunities in the spectator zones, corporate delegates with varied interests can get their game on at HSBC SVNS Singapore for an unforgettable experience.
Discover how you can plan your next meeting alongside a stellar array of exciting leisure events in Singapore.
Click here to view the full listing of leisure events in Singapore
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