For the Southeast Asian city-state of Singapore, 2015 was, in some ways, a year of reflection. It was the country's 50th anniversary, and more somberly, it was also the same year Singapore said goodbye to its founding prime minister, Lee Kuan Yew. But in true Singaporean fashion, while the country reflects on its past, it also finds creative ways to reinvent itself into 2016 and beyond.
This is especially the case when it comes to the Singapore Tourism Board's (STB) newest MICE strategy, rooted in establishing the country as the premier destination for thought-leadership events in the Asia-Pacific region. The Singapore Exhibition & Convention Bureau, a group within the STB, recently unveiled "MICE2020" a roadmap for evolving the country's MICE industry. Its pillars include transforming Singapore into a "connected city" where Big Data and smart technologies combine for a seamless MICE experience; defining an authentic, local, and experience-driven meetings approach; and establishing Singapore as the definitive MICE headquarters of Asia.
So, what does this mean for U.S.-based meeting planners? To make it easier for planners to find the right information, contacts, and resources for bringing a meeting to the country, the STB unveiled a brand-new microsite, YourSingapore.com/MICE, designed with planners in mind. Upon logging onto the site, planners can customize their experience by choosing what type of event they intend to plan -- conferences and exhibitions; association conventions; and meetings and incentive travel. The site also offers case studies with event ideas meant to inspire them.
And while Singapore is home to a number of unusual meeting venues, venerable hotels, and world-renowned restaurants -- the Marina Bay Sands, the Fullerton Hotel, Suntec Singapore convention center, and the Singapore Botanic Gardens (a newly designated UNESCO World Heritage Site) -- the country continues to evolve its offerings for travelers and meeting attendees.
In the fall of 2015, Singapore welcomed The South Beach, an impressive 654-room hotel that emphasizes what it calls "imaginative social spaces," of which there are 43. This includes a total of 19 meeting rooms, two courtyards, three Sky Patios, two infinity pools, and a grand ballroom that lives up to its name. The ballroom, which is housed in a heritage building (a former drill hall), is home to a literal "forest of lights" -- the curved ceiling is covered in some 11,520 lights. The ballroom can accommodate up to 340 for banquets, and up to 400 for a cocktail reception. All rooms and suites were designed by Philippe Starck.
New for 2016 is the Patina, Capitol Singapore, a thoughtful restoration of two historic and stately edifices -- the Capitol Building and Stamford House -- under the direction of Pritzker Prize-winning architect Richard Meier. The luxury property has 157 guest rooms, including Patina Spa, a signature restaurant, and a pillarless, 2,600-square-foot Patina Ballroom. The Patina is located in the heart of the country's civic and cultural district, not far from the National Gallery, Singapore Art Museum, and Marina Bay area.
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This article appears in the January 2016 issue of Successful Meetings.