The International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA) ranks Singapore as Asia’s top convention city.
This
is the 11th year that Singapore has been listed in the Top 10 of
the global ranking. Singapore is also the only Asian city in Top 10,
which is dominated by European cities such as Vienna, Madrid, Paris, Berlin and Barcelona.
According to the Singapore Tourism
Board (STB), last year, Singapore hosted a record 150 ICCA events
and 18 world congresses, including some first-time events like the World
Nut and Dried Fruit Congress and the International Association of
Gaming Regulators Conference.
Conventions and meetings bring in
billions in tourism receipts for Singapore from January to September
last year, such visitors spent some 4.29 billion SGD in Singapore, 7
percent higher than the whole 2011.
With the new developments,
Singapore expects to attract a good cross-representation of delegates
from across Asia and the rest of the world, as it grows as a hub for
companies accessing the growing opportunities in the region, the STB
said in a statement.
Singapore will need to progress to a higher
level with the building of interesting venues, some slated to open soon,
such as the Singapore Sports Hub, the River Safari and the National Art
Gallery.-VNA