Singapore as a Global Marketplace

Singapore Expo (Chinese: 新加坡博览中心)is the largest Meetings, Incentives, Conferencing and Exhibitions venue in Singapore and is one of the largest and most completely equipped centre in the whole of Asia. There are ten large multipurpose halls, each being 10,000 sqm in size, giving a total floor space of over 100,000 sqm. All available space is interconnected and on ground level and column free. It was officially opened on March 4, 1999.

With the exhibition space at the World Trade Centre slated for demolition, a replacement venue which could exceed the 34,000 square metres of indoor space was greatly needed. Construction on the building's first phase therefore commenced in 1997, and was officially opened on March 4, 1999, even though the effects of the Asian financial crisis has started to bite on the economy during that period. Critics predict that the halls will be under-utilized, and further worsened by its relatively remote location compared to the old World Trade Centre, or the Singapore International Convention and Exhibition Centre (now known as the Suntec Singapore International Convention and Exhibition Centre) which had opened only a few years earlier in 1995.

The Singapore Airshow , among the world's Top 3 aviation events, is the largest aerospace and defence event in Asia. More details at the Singapore Airshow 2012 website.

Singapore Airshow serves as a global marketplace and networking powerhouse for the world’s aviation community and has always been greeted with tremendous support from industry players, solidly maintaining its position as Asia’s largest and top three aerospace and defence events in the world.

It continues to be the only event of its kind that brings together heads of the international aviation community, including key political and military leaders. For 2010, the Airshow again closed on a high note with deals and announcements worth about US$10 billion in spite of a recovering economy.

Sky-high Thrills For The Weekend

In its full glory, the Singapore Airshow is not all business and no play. The final weekend of the 6-day event will be open to public. Young and old, aviation enthusiasts and anyone who enjoys a day of adrenaline-pumping revelry under the sun will make it a must-watch. From masterful aerobatic flying displays to the excitement of fun fairground attractions, food, and collectables, the Singapore Airshow has the makings of a new calendar highlight that will give families and friends a weekend of fun.

Sir Stamford Raffles founded Singapore in 1819 with the farsighted vision as a strategic geographical location for entrepot trade.

Today, Singapore is a "global marketplace" with its successful international Meetings, Incentives, Conferencing and Exhibitions (MICE) venue to be held all-year round. With professional events management agencies supported with the infrastructure for mass media publicity, communication, transport, hotels and available human resources available.

Looking back to Singapore over 50 years ago, please join us on "Blog to Express" on the current "Ways Done in the Past" series with mini-blogs categorised by the bite-sized portions of blog titles for us to reminisce with our elders to see how much have changed in half a century in Singapore.

For nostalgic memories of Singapore as a trading marketplace then and now, please checkout the blogs and are welcome to irememberSG to revive your memories. Thank you.