+2K Meetings in First Month of Singapore Tourism Board x Dragon Trail Virtual Roadshow

Preparing for the recovery of the international travel market and taking advantage of new innovations in tourism marketing, the Singapore Tourism Board partnered with Dragon Trail International to launch the SingapoReimagine China Virtual Travel Mart 2021 on March 30, 2021.

The event aims to help the travel industry to expand business relationships, share resources and updated information, and enhance confidence in resuming safe travel. Running through the end of June, the roadshow has already achieved impressive results, with 2,343 pre-scheduled appointments made during the first month, and a 96% meeting success rate.

Hosted on a WeChat Mini-Program, the SingapoReimagine China Virtual Travel Mart 2021 includes B2B matchmaking and meetings, weekly webinars, networking, and more

When Chinese outbound tourism reopens, Singapore seems particularly well positioned to be one of the first destinations to win back the Chinese market. Even with quarantine on return, Singapore’s unilateral travel fast-track for mainland Chinese citizens attracted more than 18,200 visitors between November 2020 and April 2021. Chinese travelers also ranked Singapore as the top country out of 12 global destinations in Dragon Trail’s latest consumer sentiment survey, with 77% saying they thought it was safe.

Anticipating strong demand from the Chinese market, more than 70 partners have joined the roadshow as exhibitors, including attractions, DMCs, hotels, cruise lines, and resorts. Nearly 800 Chinese buyers and visitors have joined as well, engaging in hundreds of one-on-one meetings each day through Dragon Trail’s TNTM virtual events platform.

In addition to the business meetings facilitated through the roadshow, another key feature is a weekly lineup of live webinars for the Chinese travel trade. A webinar called “Return to Sentosa” offered detailed activity and accommodation suggestions for different market segments – for example, honeymooners or families – with video content and a professional host who kept the audience engaged and entertained while they were learning.

The “Return to Sentosa” webinar on 13 April introduced Chinese travel agents to accommodation and attractions on the island, with helpful, visitor-specific suggestions

Wildlife Reserves Singapore offered a virtual FAM trip during their webinar, with video footage to introduce all of the COVID-19 safety protocols at the Singapore Zoo, and give viewers a first-hand look at the experience of visiting the attraction today. Dragon Trail is also joining the knowledge-sharing program, with travel market updates and the latest data to keep the industry informed on consumer sentiment, travel trends, and recovery prospects. Additional webinars have covered topics such as travel safety, MICE, and dining recommendations, with presenters including Royal Caribbean International, Changi Airport, Singapore Airlines, Marina Bay Sands, and The National Gallery Singapore.

Wildlife Reserves Singapore took webinar attendees on a virtual FAM trip of the Singapore Zoo to show the attraction’s current COVID-19 protocols

Buyers are incentivized to actively participate in the roadshow with a standout rewards program that corresponds to points accumulated for attending meetings and webinars. For every 400 points earned, buyers are awarded a RMB500 voucher for Singaporean brand Charles & Keith, with the 10 top buyers at the end of the event invited to a two-day event hosted by the Singaporean Tourism Board in China. Individual webinars also reward attendees with giveaways during the live broadcast.

“With the pandemic creating uncertainties and impacting tourism, we had to explore different channels and formats to encourage collaborations between tourism stakeholders and different countries. STB’s inaugural China Virtual B2B Travel Mart was launched to connect Singapore stakeholders with the Chinese travel trade and showcase how Singapore’s tourism industry has started to reimagine their offerings to capture growth when tourism returns. We are pleased to partner Dragon Trail who shares our vision and has provided strong resources to support our endeavor. We have introduced various interactive programs such as thematic webinars, quizzes on tourism topics, and breakout sessions. Through the platform, stakeholders have made good progress towards generating business leads to continue their journey of tourism recovery. We will continue to support our stakeholders, get ready for recovery and emerge stronger from this pandemic,” says Singapore Tourism Board’s Area Director, Western China, Ms. Toh Sork Lee.

With more than a month to go still, roadshow attendees are looking forward to upcoming webinars introducing local Singaporean fashion and beverage brands, and a virtual city FAM trip hosted by expert Singaporean tour guides, as well as a continued busy meeting schedule. Scan the QR code below to check out the event as a visitor, sign up for upcoming webinars, and watch prior broadcasts on demand.