TravelRevive: Paving the future of MICE in Singapore

TravelRevive will be the first pilot tradeshow to trial the newly developed prototype for safe business events, safe itineraries and digital enablers in Singapore.

TravelRevive – which will take place live from 25-26 November 2020, at Marina Bay Sands Expo & Convention Centre, will bring together the travel industry to exchange ideas, bridge knowledge gaps, and reimagine how the future of travel will look like.

A safe, trusted and innovative MICE experience

Developed by the Alliance for Action on Enabling Safe and Innovative Visitor Experiences, a task force created to review how Singapore can stay economically resilient, this prototype will provide delegates with the degree of interaction they would be accustomed to in a regular tradeshow setting – but in a far safer way which minimises infection risks.

The prototype includes creative solutions to enhance the health and safety for delegates, as well as digital enablers to allow participants to experience the event safely and seamlessly. Solutions the prototype will adopt include innovations such as touchless technology and automated registration kiosks, as well as safety measures such as plexiglass shields in exhibition booths and meeting pods that serve as an additional measure to reduce droplet transmissions.

Reimagining the future of travel

The two-day event will feature conference sessions, exhibitions, as well as opportunities for one-to-one buyer-seller appointments in a safe manner. The event is expected to welcome 150 hosted buyers from countries across Asia. TravelRevive will also be complemented with virtual interactions which allow a wider global audience to connect with regional travel businesses.

TravelRevive comes off the back of Singapore Tourism Board’s (STB) announcement in September on the safe and gradual resumption of MICE events. This is in line with the gradual and calibrated lifting of travel restrictions and the implementation of green lanes with various countries.

Exhibitors in attendance include Singapore Tourism Board and Sentosa Development Corporation and the event will welcome all travel trade professionals including buyers, sellers, national tourism organisations, media, thought leaders and VIPs. Complementing the live event, TravelRevive will include virtual aspects such as live telecast of the conference, on-demand sessions and online exhibitor directory.

The Alliance has also designed safe itineraries, comprising a selection of leisure activities that comply with prevailing safe management guidelines, which will be trialled with the MICE delegates of TravelRevive. These safe itineraries could serve as a model for small groups of international visitors when international travel resumes eventually.

In preparation for TravelRevive, the Alliance is also working with relevant Government agencies and industry stakeholders to deploy digital enablers to facilitate a seamless and safe visitor experience journey from pre-arrival to 14 days post-event.

Yap Chin Siang, assistant chief executive, Singapore Tourism Board, said: “As we gradually resume MICE events safely, we are heartened to partner Messe Berlin to roll out TravelRevive as Singapore’s first pilot tradeshow and to prototype solutions for the entire end-to-end visitor experience. Public health and safety remain our priority and we have worked closely with the industry to create strict protocols, and reimagine what a safe and high-quality business event could look like. Together with our industry, we want to set Singapore apart as the world’s leading destination for safe, trusted and innovative business events.”