Mice industry will need more manpower in areas like technology, sustainability: Alvin Tan

SINGAPORE – Singapore will need more people in the Mice industry – that is, meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions – to hit its goal of tripling Mice tourism receipts from $1.4 billion in 2019 to $4.5 billion by 2040.

It is especially looking for those with expertise in sustainability and technology, said Minister of State for Trade and Industry Alvin Tan, on the sidelines of the Singapore Mice Awards 2025 on July 24.

These skills will help draw global event organisers to Singapore, he added. He cited examples such as using machine learning and artificial intelligence to make organising Mice events more exciting and less labour-intensive.

“People, as we know, are behind the heart of every Mice experience and behind every successful Mice event – where you start from 5.30 in the morning to those who are cleaning up after today’s dinner,” Mr Tan said. “That’s why we must continually identify, grow and develop talent in our industry.”

Singapore recently secured several Mice events for multi-year contracts such as the Milken Institute Asia Summit, which will be from 2026 to 2028.

It will also host the Asian edition of world-leading trade shows from Europe, such as Passenger Terminal Expo Asia and Breakbulk Asia in 2026, and InnoTrans Asia in 2027. They span growing industries, such as aviation, logistics and transport technology. 

The groundwork for this talent pipeline is already being laid, Mr Tan added.

The Singapore Mice Development initiative will be launched on July 25 as part of the three-day Singapore Mice Forum that kicked off on July 23. The forum, organised by the Singapore Association of Convention and Exhibition Organisers and Suppliers (Saceos), is expected to see more than 1,500 attendees from the industry.

Leading Mice companies will be able to engage with over 600 students from 13 institutes of higher learning (IHLs), and mid-career professionals exploring opportunities in the industry as part of this initiative.

In a speech at the Singapore Mice Awards at the Sands Expo and Convention Centre, Mr Tan noted that the global Mice market is projected to double in value, with the Asia-Pacific as one of the fastest growing markets.

Singapore is intensifying efforts to attract more Mice visitors, who are estimated to spend twice as much as leisure visitors, and studying the development of a new Mice hub in the downtown area.

The new facility is expected to complement and bolster Mice facilities in the vicinity, and will leverage existing and upcoming amenities, including hotels and lifestyle experiences.

A total of 16 awards were given out at the Singapore Mice Awards, which celebrated outstanding individuals and organisations in the business events industry.

The forum also saw the signing of four agreements on July 23 between partners such as Saceos, IHLs and the Singapore Tourism Board (STB), aimed at strengthening the pipeline of talent and enhancing training standards.

With the aim of lowering barriers to launch, scale and anchor new and innovative events in the Republic, and cultivate them into impactful international events, STB and Saceos launched BeInspiredSG on July 24.

The event incubator and accelerator pilot programme will provide promising local event concepts with mentorship from industry veterans and professional consultancy services.