12 Nov, 2020

Singapore-based TravelRevive strives to restore the balance with a physical MICE experience

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Singapore, 11 November 2020 (ITB Asia media release) – TravelRevive, powered by ITB Asia and Singapore Tourism Board (STB), will be held at the Marina Bay Sands Expo & Convention Centre, Singapore, from 25-26 November 2020.

It claims to be the first pilot tradeshow to trial the newly developed ‘hybrid event’ prototype for safe business events, safe itineraries and digital enablers in Singapore. Foreign delegates will attend based on existing cross-border travel arrangements. At the event, exhibitors and industry experts will form the line-up at conferences, exhibition, and side events.

Ms Katrina Leung, Managing Director, Messe Berlin (Singapore) – organiser of ITB Asia – said the event will “set the benchmark for future hybrid events to redefine the new normal. It is now more important than ever that we provide the opportunity for the travel industry to trial safety measures to prepare us to relaunch physical events. As we continue to move towards bringing people back together safely, we also look forward to resuming and fortifying Singapore’s position as a key hub for events and corporate travel.”

Mr Andrew Phua, Executive Director, Exhibitions & Conferences, Singapore Tourism Board, claimed that TravelRevive “is the first major international tradeshow to take place physically in Asia Pacific since COVID-19.” He said the STB anticipates a resumption of physical events safely and gradually and working with industry partners to set Singapore apart as the “world’s leading destination for safe, trusted and innovative MICE events.”

TravelRevive’s conference will feature a hybrid format with live and on-demand components available on ITB Community in Asia.

The conference will see industry experts across the travel industry come together in two series of panels: The Leaders’ Panels and Keynote Panels. Speakers will come together in Singapore to lead the conversation on topics such as preparation for the new MICE business model, rethinking of business travel, and discussions of ways to revive travel in a safe way.

At The Leaders’ Panels, representatives of hotels, associations and event organisers will share their take on how their respective industries have pivoted in the current-COVID-19 environment. Other speakers will include senior executives from InterContinental Hotels Group, Global Association of the Exhibition Industry (UFI), International Association of Convention Centres (AIPC), International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA), Marriott International and Oakwood Worldwide. 

Experts from Accenture, Amadeus, Expedia, Google, Hilton and Travelport will discuss surviving and reviving by going against the norm and how travel technologies can truly transform travel post-pandemic.

To facilitate one-to-one meetings between exhibitors and buyers in a safe manner, TravelRevive will feature 18sqm booths complemented with 9sqm meeting pods, and an online diary mobile app. Amongst the main exhibitors are Capella Hotel Group, Furama Hotels International, Singapore Tourism Board (STB) and Sentosa Development Corporation (SDC).

Various live and live-virtual hybrid side events within TravelRevive include:

(+) MICE MOU Signing Ceremony: STB and several MICE partners will ink collaborations to add vibrancy to the MICE landscape in Singapore.

(+) IAEE Asia Hybrid Forum: Where innovation and imagination meet – the transformation of the exhibitions industry in a post covid-19 world. For the first time, Singapore will host the IAEE Asia Forum which will showcase the digital capabilities of MICE venues of the future and feature a panel discussion with senior industry leaders on the transformation of the exhibitions industry.

(+) SMFX @ MICE Connect: Co-organised by STB and SACEOS, this special edition of the Singapore MICE Forum (SMF) and MICE Connect will share the latest developments happening in the Singapore MICE and events industry, including the Event Industry Resilience Roadmap which was launched in early October.

These events showcase the resilience of the industry, as well as how MICE players and industry associations in the region are coming together to rethink and pave the way forward for the MICE industry.

Resuming MICE itineraries with safety in mind

As part of the public-private collaboration under the Emerging Stronger Taskforce (EST)’s[1] Singapore Together Alliance for Action on Enabling Safe and Innovative Visitor Experiences[2], STB is working with industry stakeholders to establish a framework to guide tourism businesses, including travel agents, in developing safe itineraries.

TravelRevive will pioneer safe itineraries for delegates that not only offer them an assurance of safety, but also experiences that are authentic, bespoke and personalised. These include virtual tours with hands-on activities that delegates can participate in from their hotel rooms, private museum site visits, and even a guided site visit to a Kelong (an offshore wooden platform used primarily for fish farming).

The Safe Travel Concierge (STC), a working prototype developed by Changi Airport Group (CAG) under the auspices of the EST Alliances for Action, will also help travellers manage their visits by customising a travel checklist of pre-entry requirements to fulfill before entering Singapore[3], from the SafeTravel Pass application to the arrival swab tests conducted at the airport. The STC will also help to facilitate safe events by helping guests adhere to their cohorts at all times, including when attending post-event safe itinerary activities.

[1] The Emerging Stronger Taskforce (EST) was formed under the Future Economy Council (FEC) to review how Singapore can stay economically resilient and build new sources of dynamism to emerge stronger from COVID-19. The EST is co-chaired by Minister for National Development, Mr Desmond Lee and Group CEO of PSA International, Mr Tan Chong Meng, and comprises members from various sectors, including businesses and trade associations and chambers.

^[2] The Alliance for Action on Enabling Safe and Innovative Visitor Experiences is co-led by Ms Kwee Wei-Lin of Singapore Hotel Association and Mr Lee Seow Hiang of Changi Airport Group, and comprises industry stakeholders and government agencies to explore and pioneer new ways to facilitate safe and innovative visitor experiences in a COVID-19 environment.

[3] The pre-entry requirements will take into account the travelers port of origin and the various regulations in place.