Singapore enjoys a distinct edge in exhibition infrastructure and logistics, despite having only two purpose-built exhibition and convention centres. However, in tough times, existing advantages alone may not sustain a destination, industry or company for long.

International conventions are usually one-off gatherings in different destinations each year, but exhibitions will frequently return to the same city and, often, the same venue. Currently, a number of companies are reviewing marketing programmes and budgets — a few regular exhibition participants say they dropped out of trade shows earlier this year; others may quit in 2009.

“Exhibitions have been important to our regional network, but we now have a more targeted approach and organise our own events in key markets,” says a manufacturer of thermal ceramic products.

Exhibition standards
In May this year, the publication of the Singapore Standard for the exhibition industry, SS539:2008, was an opportunity to forge ahead – or shore up defences. However, its authors do not seem to have capitalised on it.

An exhibition industry group led by government agency, Spring Singapore, prepared the 33-page document, which states that “standardisation within the exhibition management services (EMS) industry could help achieve a higher level of trade professionalism and enhance operational efficiency. In addition, it could provide a fair basis of comparison for information so as to enable the quality of exhibitions to be audited, reduce wastage and enhance safety and operational standards.”

All of which sounds good, but how many in the trade are putting it into practice?

Safety guidelines
Although it is neither mandatory nor an ISO certification, SS539 provides guidelines on safety, health and environmental issues from build-up through to tear-down. With safety constantly featuring in newspaper headlines, industry support could take Singapore’s standing a notch higher.

Industry awareness
In short, Singapore Standards keeps the industry abreast of technological changes and developments. Yet several companies polled by CEI were unaware of SS539 or its contents. The lack of promotion of the new standard is apparently also tied to the completion of the new ISO-linked Exhibition Terminology, due in the first quarter of 2009.

However, that project has been a work-in-progress for more than two years. Lindy Wee, Singapore Association of Convention and Exhibition Organisers and Suppliers media relations subcommittee chairperson, says that as a best-practice document, many items in SS539 could already be in exhibition organisers’ exhibitor manuals.

“Many items in this document are practices already adopted by the industry. It is not new. Prior to SS539:2008, the exhibition industry did not have an official document for referencing, hence the need to compile one,” says Wee.

Beyond safety or terminology, it would be even better for exhibitions to be audited on consistent criteria, as is common in other developed markets. The Singapore exhibition industry will then not only strengthen its roots, but also show its overall leadership in this area.