Singapore’s Marina Bay Sands says it is working towards taking part in the government’s new pilot program for MICE events hosting up to 250 attendees, with one event at its Sands Expo and Convention Centrealready scheduled for late October.
The Singapore Tourism Board (STB) announced Monday it will start accepting applications from organizers to host MICE events for up to 250 attendees from 1 October 2020.
The 250 limit, increased from just 50 people under previous COVID-19 restrictions, is being described as a pilot program with organizers required to demonstrate their ability to implement Safe Management Measures before gaining approval from the STB and Ministry of Trade and Industry (MTI).
MBS was quick to confirm its intention to take part, revealing it is in the process of “reimagining” Sands Expo to provide a safer delegate experience. Measures to be implemented will include reduced capacities and measures to adhere to safe distancing requirements – from onsite registration processes, event queue management systems to redesigned event set-ups.
Theatre-style set-ups will also observe government guidelines on capacity and prevailing safe distancing rules, it said, while banquet table capacity will be reduced and the distance between tables doubled. Meeting rooms will be equipped with teleconferencing capabilities to reflect the increasing reliance on virtual conferences.
“The MICE industry is currently experiencing an accelerated digital transformation, and traditional event set-ups no longer serve the needs of event planners in this new environment,” said Ong Wee Min, Vice-President of Conventions & Exhibitions, MICE at Marina Bay Sands.
“Digitization, flexibility of venue spaces as well as health and safety protocols will be event planners’ key priorities following the resumption of the industry. Marina Bay Sands is investing in the future and has further expanded our in-house capabilities to meet the demands of the evolving landscape.”
MBS also revealed Tuesday that Sands Expo will welcome back guests as the first carbon neutral MICE venue in Singapore, pledging to invest inRenewable Energy Certificates (RECs) and carbon offsets to cover 100% of the carbon emissions generated from the venue’s gas and electricity consumption.
““Being carbon neutral gives us the opportunity to raise the bar for sustainable events and demonstrate our commitment towards managing our environmental footprint effectively with our MICE partners,” said MBS Executive Director of Sustainability, Kevin Teng.
“Together with our resource-efficient infrastructure and customizable meeting solutions, our carbon neutral MICE venue adds another dimension to our suite of sustainable event solutions.
“Since 2012, we have reduced our carbon footprint by 33% and we will continue to explore industry-leading methods to further decouple our carbon footprint from our business growth.”
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