Singapore: Innovative by design

Both prior to and during the Covid-19 pandemic, technology and innovation were a key focus for Singapore. It means that planning an event in Singapore not only has the advantage of being in a vibrant business environment and regional centre for technological research, but it also benefits from world-class infrastructure and industry-ready talent.

Singapore is globally recognised as a leader in innovation and technology. In 2019, the World Economic Forum named Singapore the most competitive nation in the world, the strength of its innovation ecosystem among the key criteria, while The Economist Intelligence Unit named Singapore the top country in Asia for digital transformation – ahead of China, Japan and South Korea.

The presence of global technology companies in Singapore is a testament to its leadership in innovation and technology. Over 80 of the world’s top tech firms have built regional bases and research facilities in Singapore, leveraging technology to deliver exemplary customer experiences.

Singapore is aiming to be the first fully Smart Nation, harnessing digital and smart technologies to create new jobs, business opportunities and tech-enabled solutions, ultimately transforming the way people live, work and play. The Singapore Government has taken an integrated approach over the last decade to lay the necessary infrastructure. Its Smart Nation Sensor Platform has accelerated the deployment of sensors and other Internet of Things (IoT) devices, driving e-Payments for simple, swift, seamless, and safe payments, for instance. It has also leveraged data and digital technologies, including artificial intelligence and autonomous vehicles, for smart urban mobility to further enhance the public transport commute.

Key technology and innovation sectors include Information and Communication technology and healthcare, where strong research capabilities, intellectual property regimes, high quality assurance standards and extensive R&D network, has seen 250 homegrown and 60 multinational companies, contribute S$13.3 billion to the economy in 2018.

In Fintech, Singapore has built up particular strengths in wealth management and digital banking, with Blockchain, E-Payments, Fund Management and Robo-Advisory, InsurTech, RegTech, Remittance and trading and lending all having significant presence and leading the way in developing global industry innovations.

In all these sectors, as well as large multinational companies establishing a significant presence in Singapore, the innovation climate sees hundreds of start-ups raising funds to continue their expansion. In Fintech, for instance, these companies are making waves with their unique applications of blockchain, artificial intelligence, machine learning and other deep technologies to solve critical sector challenges.

Throughout the pandemic the Singapore Tourism Board supported and upskilled the business events industry, testing and trialling new formats for delivering events, building on its post pandemic legacy of SG Clean certification and safe transfer through Changi Airport and experimenting with such state of the art concepts as the Hybrid Studio. The Singapore Exhibition and Convention Bureau (SECB) helps professional event organisers and planners reimagine business models: from customer experience and content delivery to operational considerations like revenue streams, manpower, and supplier relationships.

Various incentive schemes, from Business Events in Singapore (BEIS) to the Singapore MICE Advantage Programme and Inspire Global have been developed to support business events. The BEIS scheme, for instance, seeks to encourage the business events industry by giving funding support for third-party qualifying costs, such as professional services, content development, marketing and bidding activities. This in turn helps anchor and grow quality events as well as catalyse the creation of new content, supporting activities that will build the foundation towards bringing events into Singapore in the long term. The Singapore MICE Advantage Programme (SMAP) offers a portfolio of benefits for both events organizers and delegates via the convention bureau and a number of partners including Grab taxis and Sentosa, while also offering complimentary air tickets on Singapore Airlines for organisers  and discounted tickets for delegates (subject to minimum spend). Finally the In Singapore Incentives & Rewards (INSPIRE) Global 2.0 programme offers close to 80 options in dining, attractions, thematic tours, team-building and retail experiences to complement the itineraries of corporate meetings and incentive groups to Singapore

From the recently-opened Museum of Ice Cream to forthcoming hotels such as the Pullman Singapore, Raffles Sentosa Resort & Spa and the Pan Pacific Orchard Road, the group’s first zero waste property, there is a lot to look forward to in coming years.

By next year, the Mandai Eco-Tourism Hub will be developed as an integrated 126-hectare wildlife nature precinct with a strong focus on sustainability and Southeast Asian biodiversity. The precinct will also house eco-sensitive accommodation such as camps, tents and family rooms including a new Banyan Tree Resort. The Mandai Wildlife Reserve is a unique destination for wildlife and nature. In the reserve, the five zoos will be integrated with distinctive nature-based experiences, green public spaces and an eco-resort, providing access to a wide range of sustainable and ethical wildlife experiences.

For outstanding views, the Sky Helix Sentosa is an open-air rotating gondola that will ascend 35 metres above ground and offer views of Singapore’s southern coast, allowing visitors to enjoy a drink while taking in views from Sentosa to the Keppel Bay area. Meanwhile Marina Bay Sands will complete an expansion and renovation by 2026, with a later addition of a fourth tower.

For a glimpse of the future, it’s time to visit Singapore.

Singapore Exhibition and Convention Bureau