Singapore leads in creating international exhibition terminology standard

Singapore - Singapore will lead in the establishment of a new international standard for the exhibition industry, a first International Organisation for Standardisation (ISO) standard for the exhibition industry, announced by the Spring Singapore and the Singapore Tourism Board (STB) today.

"The initiation of a new area of international standardisation at ISO by a Singapore industry comprising mainly SMEs, helps to show other local enterprises that they too can make a difference to their industry internationally," said Loh Khum Yean, Chief Executive, SPRING Singapore, in a statement. "We're delighted that our SMEs are reaching out globally to influence international standards which are predominantly the domain of the larger companies -- we look forward to enabling our industries to develop world-class standards to enhance their competitiveness."

"As Asia accelerates its pace of economic development, trade fairs will become an increasingly important business platform for MNCs and SMEs, to seek new opportunities and to grow existing business," said Lim Neo Chian, Deputy Chairman and Chief Executive, STB. "It is a privilege and honour for Singapore to be given the responsibility to take the lead in formulating a new international ISO standard for the global exhibition industry."

Singapore's leadership in this project was due to the local exhibition industry's efforts to develop its own first national standard in the world -- the Singapore Standard on Exhibition Terminology and Audit Procedures, and this Standard was accepted by the ISO as the basis for the development of the international standard. The new standard will help enhance and raise service and operational standards in the Exhibition Management Services (EMS) industry, and allow for greater transparent decision-making by exhibitors. 

The ISO working group is led by Stephen Tan, Chief Executive of Singapore Exhibition Services and Dilys Yong, President of the Singapore Association of Convention and Exhibition Organisers and Suppliers (SACEOS) and Group President for HQ Link. Other members include representatives from 14 countries such as Germany, USA, France and Italy, as well as prominent international exhibition associations, The Global Association of the Exhibition Industry (UFI) and International Association for Exhibition Management (IAEM).