A guide on how meetings, incentives, conventions and exhibitions (Mice) events can be held safely has been rolled out to help organisers as business events are gradually allowed to resume.
The Event Industry Resilience Roadmap unveiled yesterday also includes information on the benefits of hybrid events - those with both physical and virtual attendees - and a plan to support enterprises in the industry.
The road map was developed by the Singapore Association of Convention and Exhibition Organisers and Suppliers (Saceos) with Enterprise Singapore (ESG) and the Singapore Tourism Board (STB).
Saceos president Aloysius Arlando told a briefing: "The (road map) will help Mice enterprises rediscover ways to rebuild a successful business and restore the vibrancy and competitiveness of the industry."
An updated road map that will be unveiled at a later date will expand on ways firms in the Mice industry can boost their capabilities so they can pivot efficiently to the hybrid model amid the pandemic.
The sector sprang back to life on Oct 1 when organisers received the green light to apply to pilot Mice events with up to 250 attendees, with all proposals reviewed by the STB and the Ministry of Trade and Industry.
The first of these will be the Singapore International Energy Week conference at Marina Bay Sands from Oct 26 to 30.
Mr Arlando noted that as events progress towards a hybrid model, organisers will need to deal with physical and virtual audiences and consider how to best engage them in both offline and online mediums. What they eventually settle on will depend on their business model, he said.
He added that pilot events will help the industry arrive at a "commercially viable hybrid platform".
Saceos vice-president of digital and innovation Veemal Gungadin noted that there are costs associated with holding hybrid events such as setting up studios, buying new equipment and other infrastructure needs to meet safe distancing rules.
This means that initially, it will probably cost more to hold such events compared with conventional physical ones, he said.
But there are initiatives to have more centralised facilities that firms can leverage, which will mean lower costs eventually, Mr Gungadin said.
A memorandum of understanding was also signed between Saceos and the National Trades Union Congress to establish the Mice and Events Capability Building Network yesterday.
This effort, which is supported by the STB, ESG, Workforce Singapore and SkillsFuture Singapore, will help develop the skills of Mice professionals, including freelancers and self-employed people.
The network will partner educational institutions to develop blueprints of new and refreshed career paths and create training programmes.
