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Singapore Looking forward 2022 and beyond

April 4, 2022

Corporate events and team-building trips abroad are some of the best ways to reward the hard work of your employees and give them the motivation and inspiration they need to increase performance.

While Singapore is known for its strict rules (going to jail for chewing gum — a myth; consumption is allowed, selling isn’t) and being a “fine” country (getting fined for every little offence — a myth depending on the “crime” committed), most of the world has learnt to live under strict Covid rules for the past two years that these rules seem minuscule in comparison.

Singapore’s appeal for travellers is in its cosmopolitan vibe, with a melting pot of cultures to see and experience. With its global outlook, Singapore is Asia-lite — a great jump-off point for first-timers coming to Asia to ease into Asian culture. Besides the shimmering skyline and famous food scene, there’s so much more Singapore has to offer business travellers. Let’s dive into it!

Life in Singapore Since the Pandemic

While nightlife in Singapore hasn’t been the same since the pandemic, daytime in Singapore is largely unchanged. Cafes, restaurants, hawker centres, museums and bars are still fully functioning. Heritage districts like Joo Chiat, Katong, Geylang, Arab St and Little India are still vibrant. As food is a window to different cultures, having a bowl of the famous Katong laksa, Geylang Beef Hor Fun, Nasi Padang in Kampong Glam and the various regional Indian cuisine in Little India is a must-do during your stay in Singapore. While most travellers would avoid Geylang due to its seedy reputation, going on a guided walking adventure in the area will give you deeper insights into Singapore’s diverse communities.  To comfortably tour the city in your spare time, take the bus number 10 which goes from the east to the west of the island. It’s a great way to see contrasting cityscapes – from the heartlands to the CBD – in two hours. I highly recommend boarding the bus from Katong and alighting opposite Haw Par Villa MRT station. Cross over to Haw Par Villa and check out the Chinese folklore and strange sculptures in the decades-old theme park, which you’ll get a chuckle out of. My favourite way to start the day on weekends is with a coffee and hearty brunch at Five Oars Coffee Roasters on Upper East Coast Rd. Its spacious industrial minimalist interior also makes it conducive for working on the laptop on weekdays. For a nightcap, I enjoy hanging out at Kult Yard, an outdoor art bar housed in a former police barrack on Pearl’s Hill Terrace. I also like the newly opened Offtrack, a music-centric bar featuring Pan-Asian food and cult classic cocktails.

A Variety of MCE-Friendly Hotels

No matter your budget, you’re sure to find suitable accommodation for MCE participants as you’ll find a variety of comfortable hotel options ranging from heritage hotels to boutique hotels to 5-star hotels that also offer MCE venues. Capella Hotel is a luxury 5-star resort hotel on Sentosa Island. The hotel offers venues for meetings, conferences and events. The best part about this hotel is its tropical island surroundings and the curated experiences available for booking so event participants can discover local culture in their spare time. Located in the Orchard Road neighbourhood, Artyzen Cuscaden is a newly opened boutique heritage hotel that infuses aesthetic and culinary elements of Straits Chinese culture, with influences from Malaysia, Portugal, Goa and Spice Islands. Here, guests can get to learn more about a part of Singapore’s multicultural background and get to the major sights of the country within 30 minutes. Yet another newly opened hotel, Hilton Singapore Orchard offers 16 extensively renovated and versatile event spaces spanning more than 2,400 square metres. The hotel will be able to accommodate meetings and events ranging from conventions and exhibitions for up to 1000 people in its ballrooms. In this hotel, guests have proximity to Singapore’s retail and dining haven.

Diverse Event Venues

Singapore has a number of heritage and modern spaces to offer, each with its unique character. 

The Events Centre at The Barracks Hotel was once part of the British artillery barracks, and is now a conserved building with details of its architectural past beautifully restored. Located in the CBD, Suntec Singapore offers 42,000 sqm of customisable event space and all-in meeting packages. 

Overlooking the National Orchid Garden, Burkill Hall is a restored Anglo Malayan plantation house available to hire for corporate functions. Blending rich history with exciting modernity, the National Gallery’s spaces are ideal for hosting conferences, product launches, and cocktail events.

Exciting Team Bonding Adventures

There are several team building options both free and paid in Singapore, depending on your team building needs. 

For a breath of fresh air away from the hustle and bustle of the city, organise a light hiking trip through one of the many national parks scattered across the island. Some of the best hiking trails include The Rail Corridor covering 24km of lush natural landscapes; the MacRitchie Reservoir with a HSBC TreeTop Walk, a suspension bridge offering panoramic views 25m above the forest floor; and the Southern Ridges, a 10km stretch combining Mount Faber Park, Telok Blangah Hill Park, HortPark, Kent Ridge Park and Labrador Nature Reserve, offering panoramic views of the harbour and Southern islands.

To enjoy a unique way of sightseeing, book a Vespa sidecar experience for your team and take them on a heritage tour around Singapore accompanied by an experienced guide. Some of the must-sees include the black & white colonial houses that were once residences of the British army, the civic district and the key heritage areas such as Kampong Glam, Little India, and Chinatown covered in the Singapore In a Nutshell tour.

For a more fun and competitive team bonding experience with some sightseeing along the way, book the Heritage Race programme. In the race, participants will be assigned to teams for a hunt around Singapore’s heritage sites, with eight different trails to choose from. With a challenging array of photo hunt stations and activity stations related to Singapore’s colourful history, teams are expected to complete special station activities planned for that specific landmark and solve clues to find their next destination.

If you want your team to enjoy a truly unique team-building experience, book a dragon boat racing session for adrenaline-pumping fun. Dragon boating is a watercraft dating back 2000 years to Southern China. It began as a modern international sport in Hong Kong in 1976 and was introduced to Singapore in 1978 when Hong Kong invited Singapore to participate in their annual dragon boat races. It’s now a part of Singapore Chinese culture. 

Conclusion

Despite Covid restrictions, Singapore is still one of the best countries for corporate events as the Singapore Tourism Board has taken reasonable safety measures for MICE events to ensure the health and safety of business travellers. The MICE-friendly offerings from hotels make event planning a breeze while the fun adventures business travellers can go on will be eye-opening experiences of Singapore’s diversity.

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