Marina Bay Sands, Asia’s leading destination for business, leisure and entertainment, has been booked for nearly 2,400 events to date, involving over one million participants.

From the inaugural Women’s Fashion Week Singapore which will see entire halls decked out in seasonal themes, to the burst of colors in the upcoming 20th World Orchid Conference that is returning to Singapore after a 48-year hiatus, Marina Bay Sands continues to push the creative boundaries and raise the bar for the industry.

“18 months after we first opened our doors, Marina Bay Sands is experiencing solid momentum in our MICE business. We’re at nearly full capacity for the trade show space, and are breaking our own records for the conference floors.  With foreign delegates travelling to attend events at Marina Bay Sands, we’re seeing growing demand in our hotel as well as spillover benefits for other hotels. We are delighted to be delivering what we promised right from the beginning – to bring new shows to Singapore and elevate the MICE and travel industry to the next level,” said Mr. George Tanasijevich, President and Chief Executive Officer of Marina Bay Sands.

Just this week, the integrated resort clinched the prestigious Special Recognition – Breakthrough Contribution to Tourism Award from the Singapore Tourism Board in its annual celebration of the industry’s best. Held fittingly at the Grand Ballroom at Sands Expo and Convention Center on 17 October, the Singapore Experience Awards acknowledges Marina Bay Sands’ position as a leading tourist destination in Singapore and reaffirms the breakthroughs that the iconic integrated resort has achieved since it opened in April last year.

Before the year closes, Marina Bay Sands will see a flurry of activities in the MICE space, most noticeably with the visually arresting exhibits of the upcoming 20th World Orchid Conference in November. Last held in Singapore in 1963, the conference will feature over 60 exhibits from 23 countries spread over six continents, transforming the Sands Expo and Convention Centre into a lush landscape of exotic orchids.

In the same month, Marina Bay Sands will also play host to several brand new tradeshows, including Cruise Shipping Asia 2011, focusing on the burgeoning Asian cruise industry and APVIA 2011 PV Asia-Pacific Expo, which is held in conjunction with Singapore International Energy Week 2011.

In 2012, other prestigious events making their way to Marina Bay Sands for the first time include Singapore International Water Week 2012, held in conjunction with the 3rd World Cities Summit and the inaugural CleanEnviro Singapore, all under the same roof at the Sands Expo and Convention Center. Another new event debuting at Marina Bay Sands is WasteMET Asia 2012, a premier exhibition and conference event focusing on waste management and environmental technology for the region.

In the coming months, Marina Bay Sands will see the return of many exhibitions that have been staged successfully on the property, including the Singapore International Jewellery Show 2012, ArtStage Singapore 2012, Franchising and Licensing Asia 2012, Hospital Build 2012 and CommunicAsia 2012. The latter is an annual internet and communications technology show that saw over 27,000 visitors attend its show this year at Marina Bay Sands, the highest number ever recorded for this event to date.

Upcoming large-scale international conferences include a 1,500-strong international delegation for the Amway Taiwan Conference in Feb 2012, as well as the prestigious Young Presidents’ Organization (YPO) Global Leadership Summit 2012. The latter will see 1,400 top young executives from around the globe converge in this debut event in Asia.

To celebrate its recent achievements, Marina Bay Sands will hold a party on 20 October for MICE and travel professionals participating in ITB Asia 2011. The “Sandsational Evening at Marina Bay Sands” party will take place at Avalon, the shimmering nightclub housed in one of the two crystal pavilions on the waters of Marina Bay.

Mr. George Tanasijevich said, “We would like to thank everyone who played a part in contributing to Marina Bay Sands’ success over such a short period of time. We are confident of strengthening Singapore’s position as a leading travel destination as we continue to focus on guests’ evolving interests in entertainment, dining, shopping and in staging iconic MICE events.” (Source: eglobaltravelmedia.com.au)