It leads UIA ranking's host country category for 1st time
By Lim Yi Han, The Straits Times, 14 Aug 2012
SINGAPORE is the top international venue for meetings, according to the latest global rankings by the Union of International Associations (UIA).
It is placed above other developed Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions (Mice) countries such as the United States and Japan, which ranked second and third respectively.
It is the first time Singapore has topped the host country category, with 919 meetings and conferences which met the UIA criteria. This is a 27 per cent rise since 2010, when Singapore was in third place, with 725 meetings.
Singapore also maintained its position as the "Top International Meeting City" last year, for the fifth consecutive year.
The rankings were released in June.
The meetings taken into consideration by UIA include those organised and/or sponsored by international organisations which appear in the Yearbook of International Organisations and in the International Congress Calendar.
Some national meetings with international participation organised by national branches of global organisations are also taken into account.
Meetings held here last year include the International Air Transport Association's (IATA) World Passenger Symposium, the World Chinese Entrepreneurs Convention and the World Orchid Conference.
Ms Jeannie Lim, executive director of conventions, meetings, exhibitions and conferences at the Singapore Tourism Board (STB) said the rankings are a result of "the commitment and hard work of our local associations and other partners in the Mice industry".
Ms Jeannie Lim, executive director of conventions, meetings, exhibitions and conferences at the Singapore Tourism Board (STB) said the rankings are a result of "the commitment and hard work of our local associations and other partners in the Mice industry".
Ms Lim said: "Behind many successful congresses and meetings are proactive local associations who collaborate with partners to secure the event in Singapore."
She added: "These local associations form a solid support base for Singapore's conventions and meetings industry."
These include the Singapore Dental Association and the Association of Singapore Tamil Writers.
Apart from local associations, more than 100 international non-profit organisations and social enterprises such as the IATA and World Vision International also operate in Singapore. These international non-profit organisations have also contributed to the number of events held here.
Mr Albert Tjoeng, IATA's Asia-Pacific spokesman, said that Singapore is an attractive venue for events because it is an "aviation hub with airlines operating to many destinations".
IATA held eight events in Singapore last year.
Mr Tjoeng added: "Having the conference infrastructure is definitely a contributing factor. Also helpful are the incentives provided by the STB, which offset the costs of organising such events."
Top destinations
TOP five international meeting venues (countries) last year:
1. Singapore: 919 meetings
1. Singapore: 919 meetings
2. United States: 744 meetings
3. Japan: 598 meetings
4. France: 557 meetings
5. Belgium: 533 meetings
Top five international meeting venues (cities) last year:
1. Singapore: 919 meetings
1. Singapore: 919 meetings
2. Brussels: 464 meetings
3. Paris: 336 meetings
4. Vienna: 286 meetings
5. Seoul: 232 meetings
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