SINGAPORE – The International Travel Expo (ITE HCMC 2009), to be held in Ho Chi Minh City from October 1-3, is expected to be popular with Singaporean companies hoping to cultivate and develop travel business opportunities in Vietnam.
Vietnamese tourist arrivals to Singapore have increased 30 percent in the first three months of 2009.
ITE HCMC 2009 recently held a road show at the St. Regis Singapore to announce the International Marketing Activities Programme (IMAP) subsidy scheme by International Enterprise Singapore (IE Singapore).
More than 40 companies attended the event from travel agencies, resort and property developers to attraction operators.
The IMAP scheme for ITE HCMC 2009 is in line with Singapore Tourism Board’s (STB) recently announced BOOST (Building On Opportunities to Strengthen Tourism) plan that recognizes Vietnam as the most important emerging market in the region.
Leading the Singapore Pavilion at the ITE HCMC 2009 is the Singapore Association of Convention and Exhibition Organisers and Suppliers (SACEOS).
“SACEOS have strong confidence in this event and we are pleased that Singapore-based companies participating at ITE HCMC 2009 within the Singapore Pavilion will receive up to 50 percent subsidy of total eligible costs in certain categories under the IMAP scheme,†said Elizabeth Chin, executive director of SACEOS.
“There is also an additional benefit on travel reimbursement up to 70 percent under the scheme,†she said.
Rosalind Ng, managing director (Asia), IIR Exhibitions, said, “More than 300 regional & international participating companies and 150 international buyers will meet to network and connect at ITE HCMC for both inbound and outbound opportunities in Vietnam.â€
IMAP will be awarded on a first-come-first-served basis, subject to participating companies meeting the criteria.
