Business events a stepping stone for destination development: ITB Asia panel
Business events have evolved far beyond simple knowledge-sharing gatherings to become powerful economic engines that shape destinations, catalyse infrastructure development, and transform local communities.
During the Asia on the Global Stage: Attracting the Next Generation of Business Events panel discussion at ITB Asia, convention bureaus from Singapore, Sri Lanka, Perth, and Uganda discussed how the sector drives economic progress.
For established hubs like Singapore, the business events sector generates record-breaking tourism receipts, and as such, the government continues to invest in infrastructure – such as the upcoming Downtown MICE Hub and the expansion of Changi Airport’s Terminal 5 – to meet growing demand.
As Poh Chi Chuan, executive director, exhibitions & conferences, industry development group, Singapore Tourism Board, pointed out: “According to a recent UFI study, Asia-Pacific’s amount of exhibition and conference space has overtaken that of Europe… (it shows that) the entire centre of gravity is now moving eastwards.”
To ensure sustainable growth in a competitive environment, Poh stressed the importance of careful curation, noting that a destination must attract shows that have regional significance and local relevance.
Yet, when contrasted against emerging destinations like Uganda – which only established its convention bureau in 2018 – the sector highlights different stages of national transformation. While Singapore builds on decades of legacy, Uganda is working from the ground up to uplift local livelihoods and drive national economic growth.
Mellon Tukeikiriza, head of the Uganda Convention Bureau, emphasised: “Tourism is one of the sectors that we are looking at as an economic engine… That excites me because that changes the people of Uganda. It contributes to their livelihood.”
Similar to Singapore, Uganda’s momentum is also backed by strong government funding. This includes being home to East Africa’s largest convention centre (Speke Resort Convention Centre opened in 2024), upcoming hotel brands like Marriott and Hilton, and high-impact events like the Future Hospitality Summit in February 2027.
Meanwhile, Sri Lanka is experiencing a resurgence, successfully doubling its business event arrivals as it continues to actively engage local industries. Dheera Hettiarachchi, chairman of the Sri Lanka Convention Bureau, highlighted how the destination is aggressively growing business events through targeted initiatives like the recently-concluded Sri Lanka MICE Expo, post fam trips, and its ambassador programme.
Over in Australia, Gareth Martin, CEO, Business Events Perth, spoke about how the Perth Convention and Exhibition Centre was named Australia’s Best Convention Centre at the 2026 World MICE Awards despite facing stiff competition from newer facilities both within Australia and New Zealand.
“Despite competition from newer, more modern centres across Australia, it really comes down to the people who deliver these events so well. That is the core ethos behind what the centre does,” he said.
Martin added: “Technology is essential and important, but it’s the people that deliver wonderful real experiences, and that’s where the future lies.”
Source:ttgmice
