TravelRevive, powered by ITB Asia and Singapore Tourism Board (STB), concluded yesterday i.e. 26^th November at the Sands Expo & Convention Centre. Leading the way with rigorous protocols and innovative solutions for the end-to-end visitor journey, TravelRevive was the first pilot tradeshow to trial the newly developed  ‘hybrid  event’  tradeshow  prototype  for  safe  business  events,  safe itineraries,  and  digital  enablers in  Singapore.  This was part of a public-private collaboration under the Emerging Stronger Taskforce (EST)’s SingaporeTogether Alliance for Action (AfA) on Enabling Safe and Innovative Visitor Experiences.

TravelRevive is the first international travel tradeshow to take place physically in Asia Pacific during COVID-19, with both local and foreign attendees and exhibitors. A total of close to 1,000 local and international attendees came together on- site  for  two  days  to  exchange  ideas,  bridge  knowledge  gaps,  and reimagine   the   future of travel.   Alongside   TravelRevive,   STB,   International Association  of  Exhibitions  and  Events  (IAEE),  and Singapore  Association  of Convention & exhibition Organisers & Suppliers (SACEOS) also co-organized the IAEE Asia Hybrid Forum and SMFX x MICE Connect Forum on 26 November 2020. These events were specially curated, with panel discussions, masterclasses and updates on the Industry Resilience Roadmap, a joint initiative between STB, ESG, and SACEOS. Attended by local stakeholders as well as ASEAN and global MICE associations,  both  events  were  platforms  for  ideas  and  knowledge exchange to reimagine the future of MICE events.

Besides live sessions, TravelRevive featured on-demand components that were accessible to delegates joining via the ITB Community in Asia online platform too.

Enhanced safety measures for all:

 Various measures were taken to ensure the safety and well-being of attendees at TravelRevive, including:

·        Safe management measures for every stage of an event attendee’s journey (pre- to post-event)

·        Crowd density control and cohorting of attendees

·        18sqm booths complemented with 9 sqm meeting pods that were equipped with protective plexiglass to facilitate safe one-to-one meetings between exhibitors and buyers

·        The use of TraceTogether to facilitate contact tracing for international visitors

·        The launch of an online diary mobile app to safely arrange one-to-one meetings between exhibitors and buyers

To prepare Singapore for the phased resumption of leisure travel, STB has also been working closely with industry stakeholders to establish a framework to guide tourism businesses, including travel agents, in developing safe itineraries.

Safe  itineraries  had  been  specially  curated  for  all  delegates  to  offer  them  an assurance  of  safety,  and  cater  experiences  that  are  authentic,  bespoke and personalized. These included virtual tours with hands-on activities that delegates could participate in from their hotel rooms, private museum site visits, and even a guided site visit to a Kelong (an offshore wooden platform used primarily for fish farming).

Changi Airport Group (CAG), under the auspices of the AfA on Enabling Safe and Innovative Visitor Experiences has also developed a working prototype called the Safe Travel Concierge (STC). This is an online tool to help travellers manage their visits by customizing a travel checklist of pre-entry requirements to fulfill before entering  Singapore,  from  the  SafeTravel  Pass  application  to  the  swab  tests conducted at the airport. The STC will also help guests remain in their cohorts at all times, including when attending activities as part of their safe itineraries after TravelRevive.

The AfA on Enabling Safe and Innovative Visitor Experiences will study the findings and data from TravelRevive to refine the safe management measures and best practices for MICE events and leisure travel progressively.

Speaking about the initiative, GB Srithar, Regional Director, India, Middle East & South Asia (IMESA), Singapore Tourism Board (STB) said, “TravelRevive has been an important step for us in the gradual, cautious re-opening of the MICE space. It was among the first hybrid events, with international delegates’ presence, in The Asia Pacific and hosted in Singapore under the “new normal” in the Covid-present times. Despite the various complexities and challenges posed by the pandemic, we are happy that we could pilot this tradeshow in a newly developed hybrid events format. It brought together foreign and in-Singapore delegates under strict measures in hygiene, safe distancing, travel and physical capacity limits. We look forward for such more events, as cross-border travel restrictions ease. MICE events are essential for the travel economy, enabling business travelers to come together for collaborating, creating and sharing of innovative business solutions.”

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