Despite the global economic downturn, Singapore has continued to attract an impressive line up of upcoming business events, reinforcing its reputation as the premier business events destination in Asia.

Recent conference announcements include:

1. The FDI Dental Congress in September 2009, expected to attract over 13,000 dental professionals;
2. World Conference on Tobacco or Health (WCTOH), which will be held in Singapore for the first time in 2012 and is expected to attract over 2000 experts;
3. International Conference on Emergency Medicine (ICEM) in 2010;
4. UFI Congress, Global Association of the Exhibition Industry, which will be held in Singapore in 2010.

Trade shows also continue to feature in the mix of conferences in Singapore including:

1. IFAI Expo Asia 2011: This will be the inaugural Asian edition of the Industrial Fabrics Association tradeshow and is expected to attract exhibitors from South Korea, China and Australia;
2. JIAM, international Apparel Machinery Trade Show in 2011, which is considered one of the worlds top three major apparel machinery trade shows;
3. ITB Asia, the Asian edition of the world’s largest travel trade show, ITB Berlin.

“Singapore is consistently acknowledged as a premier conference and business hub due to its excellent location and accessibility, state of the art conference facilities, pre and post conference touring opportunities and the support provided by the industry to ensure an event’s success,” said Mr Yee Choong CHOOI, Regional Director Oceania, Singapore Tourism Board.

As more events are attracted to and confirmed in the Lion City, so too are the openings of a raft of new venues ensuring organised have plenty of choice. Some of these include:

1. Hort Park: A beautiful oasis within the city, Hort Park offers a range of venues suitable for intimate meetings for 25 to evening cocktails for 200 or more;
2. Singapore Flyer: What about ending an event by letting delegates feel on top of the world – several venues associated with the Singapore Flyer such as the Megu Event Hall, Singapore Flyer Greek Theatre and VIP Lounge can be combined with enjoying the view 165m up with a glass of champagne in hand;
3. Capella: The latest hotel to open on Singapore’s tranquil Sentosa Island, Capella is a luxurious top-end resort. In addition to the luxe surrounds, the hotel offers numerous boardrooms and meeting facilities nestled within a glamorous five star setting;
4. Marina Barrage: A great venue for a corporate event, use the boardroom facilities by day and host a evening dinner in the garden at night as you watch the island city come alive across the waterway.

Other venues earmarked for opening soon include Marina Bay Sands (due to open end of 2009), which will feature three hotel towers topped by a skypark, a floating crystal pavilion, retail stores, new restaurants and endless entertainment options including nightclubs and a Las Vegas-style casino. All this along side premier meeting space, state of the art technology, highly flexible exhibition halls and a convention centre that can host up to 45,000 delegates.

Resorts World @ Sentosa is scheduled to open its doors in 2010 and will offer over six different hotels including the Hard Rock Hotel and Festive Hotel, a Universal Studios, retail and F&B outlets along side theatre shows such as Voyage de la Vie and a myriad of function venues including one of the biggest ballrooms in Asia.