ITB Asia Signs Three-Year Deal with Marina Bay Sands

Messe Berlin (Singapore), organiser of ITB Asia, has signed a strategic three-year partnership with integrated resort, Marina Bay Sands.

The deal which starts in 2014 means the next three editions of ITB Asia will take place at the Sands Expo and Convention Centre, Marina Bay Sands, Singapore, from 29 – 31 October 2014, 21 – 23 October 2015 and 19 – 21 October 2016.

Through this new agreement, Marina Bay Sands will also be ITB Asia’s official hotel partner hosting international buyers, the opening receptions, VIP C-suite lunches, as well as offering free Wi-Fi to all delegates.

“Marina Bay Sands offers ITB Asia a unique value proposition, including accommodation for attendees as official hotel partner and world-class conferencing facilities as official venue. The venue’s prominence together with ITB Asia’s reputation as a leading trade show will help to attract and grow leisure, MICE and corporate industry partnerships. This partnership also provides ITB Asia with the space we need to grow this industry platform over the next few years, and expand our exhibition and conference programme to reach out to more delegates and exhibitors worldwide,” said Nino Gruettke, Executive Director, ITB Asia.

The collaboration with ITB Asia will see Marina Bay Sands help grow the level of quality participants by inviting an additional 100 of their top worldwide buyers from leisure, corporate, and MICE (meetings, incentives, conventions and exhibitions), to the existing ITB Asia Hosted Buyers Programme.

ITB Asia will also increase its investment on the conference programme component to provide attendees with more quality content that address the opportunities, trends and potential issues faced by the industry.

“We have secured fresh funds for ITB Asia over the next three years and our aim is to take our conference sessions to new heights with more prominent speakers who will share powerful industry insights,” added Gruettke.

George Tanasijevich, President and Chief Executive Officer, Marina Bay Sands, said, “This three-year partnership with ITB Asia is a very powerful testament of our commitment to remain the number one business and leisure destination in Asia. With ITB Asia’s long standing reputation and extensive reach throughout the region, we are very confident that this partnership will solidify our leadership within the MICE industry. We are very privileged to be chosen as a partner and we look forward to delivering an exceptional Marina Bay Sands experience through ITB Asia.”

ITB Asia represents the full spectrum of tourism at all levels including the hospitality sector, tour operators or travel agencies, National Tourism Organisations, Convention and Visitors Bureaus, travel technology firms, MICE (meetings, incentives, conventions and exhibitions) and corporate travel representatives.

Each October, the trade show attracts over 8,000 participants, representing more than 90 countries.