Creating first class customer experience within the Singapore MICE landscape

As Asia’s leading MICE destination， Marina Bay Sands is not “just another MICE venue”. The integrated resort is an iconic destination that has not only transformed Asia’s meeting and events industry， but also played an integral role in driving Singapore’s business， leisure and entertainment tourism. Offering a luxury hotel， state-of-the-art convention and exhibition facilities， theatres， world-class entertainment and the best shopping and dining experience in the region all under one roof， Marina Bay Sands offers an an unparalleled integrated solution to its visitors.

Spanning 120，000 square meters， the Sands Expo and Convention Centre is Singapore’s largest MICE facility. It is home to Southeast Asia’s biggest ballroom which can accommodate up to a maximum 11，000 delegates at any one time. The Sands Expo and Convention Centre is a one-stop event and exhibition solution provider –offering a comprehensive range of services ranging from technical needs such as audio visual equipment， stage set-up and various logistics requirements.

According to Michael B. Lee， Vice President of Sales at Marina Bay Sands， the integrated resort has contributed effectively to Singapore’s position as a top MICE destination in the region since it opened in 2010. Lee says that when pitching Marina Bay Sands to potential clients， he would always promote Singapore as a destination first.

“It is only when organizers are attracted to Singapore in the first place that they can then decide to hold their events at Marina Bay Sands，” he said. Lee also pointed out that for the first-time visitors to Marina Bay Sands， iconic attractions like the Sands SkyPark， located on the 57th floor of the Hotel， are especially appealing. Marina Bay Sands also continuously refreshes and revamps its offerings so as to encourage repeat visitation and deliver diversified experiences to customers.

Unparalleled service excellence

When it comes to customer service， Lee says that the integrated resort firmly believes in going above and beyond its role as a venue host. From planning to execution， the teams at Marina Bay Sands work hand-in-hand with clients to co-create unique event experiences.

Lee added that that it is vital for the team at Marina Bay Sands to engage clients early in order to clearly determine their exact requirements for each event. He notes that while it is common for events to experience last minute modifications， the Marina Bay Sands team is well-equipped with years of event management expertise to anticipate and handle changes so as to ensure the smooth execution of the events.

Green meetings and sustainability

Marina Bay Sands， an ISO-certified facility， is the venue host for this year’s UFI Educational Forum on Sustainability. Operating sustainably across all facets of Marina Bay Sands is a very important goal for the integrated resort， and sustainability has been deeply rooted in its culture and business operations since 2010. “We offer our clients a range of green meeting options， including the provision of a dedicated Green Meeting Concierge and a post-event Sands ECO3600 Carbon Impact Statement to detail their sustainable efforts，” said Lee. “This is done at no additional cost to organizers.”

Beyond its regular Sands ECO360o meetings program， Marina Bay Sands continues to establish thought-leadership through introducing new， innovative sustainability solutions. Offering flexibility and customization in its green meeting services， the integrated resort is poised to deliver best-in-class sustainability initiatives – especially for clients looking to push the envelope of their green meetings.

Looking ahead

Lee is positive about the development of the global MICE industry. He pointed out that with the increasing scale of meetings， exhibitions， and larger association meetings， the industry is likely to witness further growth in the following years. Despite the current economic outlook， Lee believes that Marina Bay Sands will remain robust due to its unique integrated resort business model. In his opinion， one key factor that will further differentiate Marina Bay Sands from competitors is having a professional MICE team. The integrated resort will continue to cultivate， build and groom the next generation of MICE talents. Through its extensive internship programs and by sending its MICE team for professional certification， such as the Certified Meeting Planner （CMP）， Marina Bay Sands is primed to meet the evolving demands of meeting clients and create first-class customer experiences.