Northstar

Feature COVER STORY 26 JAN-FEB 2019 MEETINGS & CONVENTIONS MCMAG-ASIA.COM SAFETY AND SECURITY The last two years have seen terrorism threats on the rise, be it domestic or foreign. As event sizes are expected to increase, delegates and planners will naturally be concerned about security and how they can be protected against intruders and external threats. Cyber attacks aimed at collecting sensitive information are also becoming increasingly rampant and organisers need to shield themselves and their clients from these threats. "Safety and security will continue to be important considerations. Singapore has been known for being a safe country, and Sentosa has further proven itself with the successful hosting of high-stature events like the DPRK-USA Singapore Summit. SDC has its own Joint Command Centre and security team. We also conduct regular drills with state agencies and partners as part of our island resilience framework." (pictured above) – Lynette Ang, Sentosa Development Corporation "Safety and security will be a very high priority issue for our clients in 2019 because of potential liabilities and the perception of safety for participants. The Middle East and Europe are the two most active areas that we pay close attention to however, given events in Las Vegas in 2017 and other cities in the US, we always try to monitor any issues that could be potential safety or security issues." (pictured left) – Jerry Vaughn, president of CEALS – Meetings and Incentive Programs, a premium leisure travel company based in the US "While physical security continues to be high on our planning agenda, cyber security will become increasingly important. We no longer collect any passport copies or sensitive information via emails, for instance, to better protect our clients' data." (pictured left) – Eeling Koh, World Express "Beyond physical safety, safety and security also extends to areas of health, food, cybersecurity and more. Marina Bay Sands is privileged to be located in Singapore, which is known for its political stability, low crime rate and low risk of natural disasters. However, this is not to be taken for granted – which is why we have to stay abreast of best practices and security threats on a global scale. We also work closely with local authorities and emergency service organisations to run coordinated table-top exercises to improve our ability to anticipate and react to potential risks and threats." – Mike Lee, Marina Bay Sands "While the threat of terrorist attacks often dominate media coverage, meetings and events are more likely to be aected by less headline-grabbing concerns such as travel disruption due to bad weather, strikes or outbreaks of food poisoning. Clients are increasingly asking about emergency procedures in what have traditionally been perceived as being 'low risk' destinations such as North America and Western Europe. Cyber security is also an issue – particularly when the venue is oering a free Wi-Fi service, which may be on an unsecured network...The days of just hoping the venue will sort things out are long gone." – Sam Lay, CWT Meetings & Events PHOTO CREDIT: GETTY IMAGES

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