Asia's leading travel distribution, marketing and technology event, WIT-Web In Travel 2007 has won the "Most Innovative Marketing Initiative" at the Singapore Business Events Awards held last night at the Shangri-La Hotel, Singapore.

WIT 2007 was shortlisted along with two other finalists in this category in the annual awards organised by the Singapore Tourism Board (STB) to recognise players for their outstanding contribution to the Singapore business events industry in 2007.

WIT's producer, Yeoh Siew Hoon, who received the award said that it was an honour for a small, independent event to be recognised by the STB and the panel of judges, which comprised leading names in the business events industry worldwide. 

"Necessity is the mother of creativity and because we did not have big budgets, we had no choice but to be creative about how we marketed and programmed our event," she said. 

"I want to thank my event manager, Vera Lye, our web agency Spoon Creative as well as our event organizer, Ace Daytons, for marketing and delivering WIT 2007 in such a fun and successful manner to our delegates. This award gives us even more motivation to deliver an even better experience at WIT 2008."

WIT's award was based on its 2007 event whose theme was "The Future Consumer". The citation from the STB read: "The objective was to put across the message that the future consumer is fast changing with rapid advancements in technology. A new social dialogue is emerging and smart travel marketers have to become more creative in their use of social and digital media to communicate and engage with their customers. 

"WIT 2007 weaved aspects of this element in the marketing of the event as well as throughout the two-day conference programme. It engaged its customers at every level before, during and after the actual event.

"It leveraged heavily on strategic partnerships and was innovative in its use of technology and digital media to communicate with its customers. A variety of online tools was used – from e-marketing through its website, polls, blogs, a WIT community on Facebook and an online auction site where delegates could bid for tickets. On- site, it ensured full audience participation by facilitating questions and voting by short message service, or SMS."

Added Siew Hoon: "Putting together a conference is like putting together a theatrical play. You have the producer, storyteller and script writer; speakers – the actors, who have to be challenged to deliver their best roles; delegates – the audience, who have to be engaged and fully involved; and of course, the crew from venue to event management – who makes it all happen. One story, one execution – that is what makes a winning event."

There were seven winners in total at this year's Singapore Business Events Awards. Nominations were judged by a distinguished panel of 19 international judges, who included Eric Bello, Vice President, Sales, The Venetian Resort-Hotel-Casino, Professor Amy Chan, Honorary Professor of the School of Hotel and Tourism Management, Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Patrizia Semprebene Buongiorno, President, International Association of Professional Congress Organisers (IAPCO), Anthony Kang, President, Dentsu Singapore;  Manohar Khiatani, Assistant Managing Director, Industry Development, Economic Development Board (EDB); Frank Koo, Managing Director, Oracle Corporation Singapore; Png Cheong Boon, Chief Executive, SPRING Singapore; Ted Tan, Deputy CEO, International Enterprise (IE) Singapore and Simon Pangrazio, President and CEO, Burson-Marsteller, Asia Pacific, among others. 

The Singapore Business Events Awards were launched last year. In its second year, the Awards aim to highlight exemplary business events, organisations and individuals who have raised the industry's profile and demonstrated excellence in creativity, innovation, business and service excellence in the preceding year.

Speaking at the SBEA ceremony, Senior Minister of State for Trade and Industry, Mr S Iswaran announced that Singapore was recently ranked the world's Top International Meeting City for the first time by the Union of International Associations (UIA). This is a historic milestone and a testament that the public-private-people partnership to enhance the MICE industry's professionalism and business excellence is bearing fruit. Singapore was also ranked Asia's top city for meetings for the 25th consecutive year and Asia's top country for meetings in the same report.