• Two conferences happening in November are set to be among the largest held in Singapore since August
• One planner said he has yet to see an event with more than 1,000 attendees since August
• That month, the authorities announced that it would double the capacity limits for large-scale events
• One upcoming conference will require foreign participants to be covered by insurance for any Covid-19-related medical costs
• The other is permitted to receive up to 300 overseas participants flying in via the vaccinated travel lane scheme

SINGAPORE — Two massive conferences that will be held this month are set to be among the largest meetings, incentives, conferences, and exhibitions (Mice) events to be held here since Covid-19 regulations for large-scale events were relaxed in August.  

This is what insiders familiar with the Mice events industry are saying, with one organiser noting that he has yet to see an event with more than 1,000 attendees since August. 

The two events are the Industrial Transformation Asia-Pacific (ITAP) 2021, organised by event management firm Constellar, and the Architecture and Building Services 2021, organised by event organisers Conference and Exhibition Management Services (CEMS). 

The organisers for the two trade shows are hoping to draw as many as 5,000 attendees each, though they said the actual number will be hard to predict.

ITAP, which will feature stakeholders in the manufacturing industry, is scheduled to be held between Nov 22 and 24 at the Singapore Expo Convention and Exhibition Centre in Changi, while the Architecture and Building Services event will be held between Nov 24 and 26 at the Sands Expo and Convention Centre at Marina Bay Sands. 

Constellar confirmed with TODAY on Monday (Nov 15) that ITAP will be the largest in-person trade exhibition that will be held at the Singapore Expo since the pandemic started last year.  

Marina Bay Sands declined to comment if the Architecture and Building Services event is the largest one held on its premises since August.

When asked the same question, the Singapore Tourism Board (STB) did not answer directly but said that Singapore’s high population vaccination rate “has laid a strong foundation for us to resume larger events as we transit to a Covid-19-resilient nation”. 

The agency added that it will support the Architecture and Building Services event and ensure that the necessary safe management measures are in place.

On Monday, the Ministry of Health announced that it was embarking on a pilot scheme for participants of Mice, musical and sporting events.

As part of the pilot, participants will need to show proof that they have taken a polymerase chain reaction or antigen rapid test and have the results reflected on their TraceTogether mobile application. 

SETTING TARGETS

Constellar said last week that it is expecting up to 5,000 attendees on-site over the three-day event, but the final turnout may be different. At any one time, there will be a maximum of 1,000 attendees allowed in the exhibition hall. 

As part of a pilot that is separate from the vaccinated travel lane, the firm said that it is permitted to receive up to 300 overseas participants who are flying in via a “closed travel lane” scheme facilitated by government agencies. 

It is expecting participants from countries such as Indonesia, Malaysia and the United States. 

Participants who are not entering via the travel lane do not have to be quarantined as long as they are fully vaccinated and tested for Covid-19 before arriving in Singapore.

When asked how it intends to manage the event safely at this time, Constellar said that it will be working closely with STB, as well as other partners to “ensure participants’ health and safety” is not compromised during the conference.

Aside from requiring attendees to be fully vaccinated and undergo regular Covid-19 tests, foreign participants must be covered by insurance for any potential Covid-19-related medical costs.  

Other measures include having parts of the event held in a hybrid format —both online and on-site — and automating cleaning and disinfection of frequently touched areas at regular timings. 

For the three-day Architecture and Building Services event, CEMS’ managing director Edward Liu told TODAY that it is catering for 1,000 trade visitors daily.

During this same period, there will also be 10 conferences held in multiple venues, with provisions made for 200 delegates for each conference.  

“Our plan right now is to cater to a capacity of 5,000,” Mr Liu said, though he was not certain whether the turnout will reach that number. 

He added that the firm is still in the midst of marketing and promoting the conferences, and allowing trade visitors to register.

The Architecture and Building Services event was initially slated for the end of June, but was postponed to November owing to the Government’s announcement of tightened restrictions. Back then, CEMS said that it was expecting 2,500 attendees. 

The Mice industry was given more leeway to resume activities in August when the Government announced that it would double the capacity limits for large-scale events at a time when Singapore was preparing to live with the coronavirus circulating among the population.

Since Aug 19, events such as meetings or conferences can have 1,000 fully vaccinated participants if they are mostly seated or standing in a fixed position during the gathering, up from 500 before.

‘TRAILBLAZERS’ FOR INDUSTRY

Industry stakeholders who spoke to TODAY said that they have not seen such large-scale events since the capacity restrictions were eased. 

Mr Thomas Lim, founder and chief executive of TLC Events, said that he does not know of any event that has reached close to 1,000 attendees since August.

“This is because if you’re planning for a four-digit number of attendees, you need longer-term planning and marketing.”

He added that huge events with more than 1,000 people typically have a mix of attendees here and from abroad.

“If they’re targeting the international crowd, there is still a lot of uncertainty… with the current Covid-19 case numbers on the higher level,” Mr Lim said.

Mr Liu of CEMS believes that there will “not be many” conventions at the end of the year and so, ITAP and the Architecture and Building Services event will be among the first that are handling such large numbers. 

“We will probably be the trailblazers in trying to restart the Mice industry,” he said.