Tax Free World Association (TFWA) invited as first client to experience bespoke event design for their flagship event

Event design methodology enables planners to create a prototype for their event with optimised outcomes

Event design has always been a priority at Marina Bay Sands, with the integrated resort teaming up with Event Design Collective (EDC) to train and certify its Sales & MICE team in this field over the years. The event design methodology has been introduced to Marina Bay Sands’ clients across the world, from Las Vegas, Los Angeles and Sydney, to Frankfurt, London and Zurich.

This year, the Tax Free World Association (TFWA) was invited to be the first Marina Bay Sands' client to journey through the event design methodology and apply it to their flagship exhibition and conference in May, as part of Marina Bay Sands’ support for long-term clients. TFWA has held their annual Asia Pacific event at Marina Bay Sands Expo & Convention Centre since 2013.

The bespoke experience provides a more personable and tailored event design process, increasing the value of client engagement at the Expo & Convention Centre. 

Following a kickoff briefing with TFWA’s Managing Director Franck Waechter on 7 February, a Marina Bay Sands' sales representative leading the TFWA account and EDC’s co-founders Ruud Janssen and Roel Frissen flew to TFWA’s headquarters in Paris to helm a two-day ‘Event Design Sprint’ workshop from 10 to 11 February.

The intent was to create a brand-new multifunctional venue to provide delegates and industry players with a dedicated space to foster and facilitate exchanges. This central space can be used to house a continuous stream of activities throughout the conference to better engage delegates and foster interaction.

Throughout March, the team focused on creating a case study and doing a visual recap of their past discussions to wrap up the project.

Genevieve Lim, Executive Director of MICE Management at Marina Bay Sands, said: “This enhancement allows Marina Bay Sands to provide even greater value to our clients, tailoring the way clients identify and resolve their pain points and specific needs while ensuring greater optimisation for their next event. It reflects our drive for innovation and maintaining our position as a game changer in elevating event experiences.”

Myriem Chalabi, TFWA’s Exhibitions Director, added: “When I first heard about the EDC methodology two years ago, my team and I were interested in it. Today, we are grateful to Marina Bay Sands for inviting us to experience this enhancement. It gives us perspective on what we have always been doing – event organisation– from another angle. It has been helpful for the team as we worked around a common objective. EDC is relevant in terms of its efficiency, and more importantly, fosters a culture of people centredness and teamwork.”