Speech by Minister of State Gan Siow Huang at the Singapore MICE Forum 2026

1. Good morning. It is a pleasure to join you at Resorts World Sentosa for the 15th edition of the Singapore MICE Forum. I congratulate SACEOS, STB, and all of you who have contributed to building this important platform for our MICE industry.

A Record Worth Celebrating

1. Last year was another strong year for Singapore’s tourism sector. We achieved record tourism receipts of S$32.8 billion, with MICE receipts growing 35% year-on year to S$2.3 billion. Singapore also retained our position as the Top Meeting City in Asia Pacific in the International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA) rankings for the 23rd consecutive year, and C-vent’s named Singapore its Top Meeting Destination in Asia Pacific for 2026. These achievements reflect the collective efforts of everyone in this room and across our MICE ecosystem.

2. We have built a strong foundation, but we cannot take this momentum for granted. Today, I would like to share three areas where we are working with the industry to strengthen Singapore's position as a leading MICE destination: staying competitive today, building capabilities for tomorrow, and positioning Singapore for long-term success.

Staying Competitive Today

4. Let me start with staying competitive today. Beyond venues and hotel capacity, organisers value reliability, connectivity, and trusted partners. Building on Singapore’s strengths as a stable and well-connected business hub, we must continue to sharpen our value proposition for organisers and delegates. I am pleased to highlight two initiatives that STB has introduced to support this effort.

   1. The first is the Singapore Attendance Building Consultants programme, or ABC. Building attendance remains one of the biggest challenges for event organisers, particularly when expanding into new markets. The ABC connects organisers with trusted in-market partners to help grow delegate attendance and expand into new markets. It will begin with five partners in China before progressively expanding to other markets. I encourage organisers to find out more from my STB colleagues.

   2. The second is the Singapore Hotels Incentives for Business Events initiative, or SHINE. SHINE brings together 22 hotels focused on business events, giving organisers and delegates access to preferential room rates, exclusive privileges, and curated local experiences. This encourages delegates to extend their stay and strengthens Singapore’s attractiveness as a business events destination.

Building Capabilities for Tomorrow

5. Second, on building capabilities for tomorrow. As the MICE industry evolves, we must continue investing in technology, people, and innovation.

6. STB and IMDA have developed the Industry Digital Plan for the MICE industry, or the MICE IDP. It provides practical guidance on digital solutions across the event lifecycle, from AI-powered planning tools and lead generation to customer engagement platforms. We can already see what this looks like in practice. Our host venue today, Resorts World Sentosa, implemented an integrated customer relationship management and lead generation platform, which helped increase sales conversion rates by 36% and triple its overseas MICE business.

7. Of course, technology is only as good as the people using it. Last year, SACEOS trained close to 600 industry professionals through certification programmes, executive education and specialist training. Working with partners such as SUSS and NTUC LearningHub, SACEOS is helping our workforce build the capabilities needed for the future.

8. Beyond developing capabilities, we must also create space for new ideas and event concepts to grow. Last year, STB and SACEOS launched BEInspired, a business events incubator and accelerator programme that supports homegrown event organisers through mentorship, consultancy, and seed funding.

   1. One of the participants, Sgcarmart, launched Beyond Motion, Singapore's first B2B2C future mobility showcase in March 2026. The inaugural edition attracted 18,000 visitors with strong international participation, demonstrating the potential for homegrown event concepts to grow into regional platforms.

   2. I encourage organisers with promising ideas to speak with STB and SACEOS to explore how BEInspired can support you.

9. Finally, we must continue to strengthen our talent pipeline. Tomorrow's Singapore MICE Development and Singapore MICE Challenge will bring together students and young professionals to explore careers in the industry. I encourage industry leaders to engage with them and help inspire the next generation of MICE professionals.

Positioning Singapore for the Future

10. Third, let me turn to how we position Singapore for long-term success. Many of you will be familiar with the proposed Downtown MICE Hub. The proposed Hub is intended to expand our ability to host more and larger events downtown, while enabling complementary events to take place across multiple venues within the city centre. As an integrated development combining MICE facilities, accommodation, retail, dining and attractions, as well as its proximity to the potential new cruise terminal, it has the potential to create new opportunities for business events in Singapore.

    1. Many of you have been instrumental in shaping the proposed MICE Haim to launch the Request for Proposal next year.

11. Alongside infrastructure, sustainability remains an important competitive advantage. Since launching the MICE Sustainability Roadmap in 2022, all six purpose built MICE venues and more than 80% of SACEOS members have attained recognised sustainability certifications.

12. Building on this progress, STB and SACEOS will launch the next phase of the MICE Sustainability Roadmap. It will expand beyond environmental sustainability to include social and economic dimensions, with clear targets and measurable outcomes.

Conclusion

13. Singapore's MICE industry has never succeeded by standing still. We have succeeded by adapting to change, investing in our capabilities, and working together. The Singapore MICE Forum reflects this spirit. Over 15 years, it has grown into a platform where industry leaders, associations, businesses, and students come together to exchange ideas, forge partnerships and shape the future of our sector. Its success shows what industry, government, and our partners can achieve when we work closely together.

14. The global business events landscape will continue to evolve. What will keep us ahead is our ability to strengthen our capabilities, deepen our partnerships, and continue innovating.

15. Together, I am confident we will continue advancing our Tourism 2040 ambitions and strengthen Singapore's position as a leading global MICE destination. I wish you a fruitful Singapore MICE Forum 2026. Thank you.