These supportive interactions and discussions among agents made people realize why VTAA was formed and how forming such an association is a boon.

Wong Ruoqi, better known as Chris, emerged at the top of the Singapore National Barista Championship. Representing Santino as their Head of Coffee, Chris will represent Singapore in the World Barista Championship to be held in Milan, Italy, in October 2025. The competition challenged participants on the ability to fiddle around with new and innovative espresso-based beverages.

Elysia Tan, Director of Home ground Coffee Roasters and champion in the event previously, once again walked away with the Singapore National Brewers Cup. She will represent Singapore in the World Brewers Cup in Jakarta, Indonesia, in May 2025. This competition focuses on the skill of manually brewing filtered coffee.

The Populus’s Tan Jia Min won the Singapore National Latte Art Championship and takes her journey to Geneva, Switzerland, in June 2025 – where the strongest competitors create complicated designs in their lattes, but all by using milk. “The Singapore National Barista Championship sponsored by Santino is a very technical category, and I am very happy that all my preparation and hard work paid off. “Representing Singapore on the world stage would end up being nothing short of an amazing honour, I’m certain. Could hardly wait for the trip to Italy next year in order to demonstrate our creativity and passion in the local coffee community,” Wong Ruoqi (Chris), Singapore National Barista Champion.

Starbucks Coffee Singapore barista Tan Yi Xin won the title of Singapore Cup Tasters Champion. In June 2025 she will represent her country in the World Cup Tasters Championship, also held in Geneva. In this category, competitors have to taste the subtle differences between coffee flavours. “This is indeed a great achievement on a national level because this competition is all about brewing the perfect cup.”. “Yeah, the coffee scene really has picked up in Singapore since the past few years. This win goes to all the impressive jobs that baristas are doing every single day—making those beans into something beautiful. I’m really determined to work harder and improve my craft so I can compete at the highest level,” shared a smiling Elysia Tan, Singapore National Brewers Cup Champion.

The SCTA and SNCC join in glorifying and celebrating the energetic coffee scene in Singapore, which places national talent on the global platform. During the SCTA, there is a great variety of equipment and products of specialty coffee from local and international brands, such as TIMEMORE, DASHER Singapore, and Allpress Espresso. “This was a lot of fun but a bit nerve-wracking, so I’m very elated to be crowned the Champion of Latte Art for Singapore.”. “I would definitely be proud to be able to represent Singapore at that kind of a competition on the world stage in Switzerland next year, and, of course, being able to showcase the best of what I have at a latte art and creativity level,” added Tan Jia Min, Singapore National Latte Art Champion.

Along with the fifth edition of Restaurant Asia and associated shows, the SIGEP Asia Stakeholder Exposition alone attracted more than 11,000 trade visitors and had over 320 brands from over 30 countries. This massive event will be, by circumstances, a beacon for both the world F&B and hospitality sectors: expositions, leadership symposiums, seminars, and master classes on technological innovation and sustainability of the industry by and large from this platform. “Becoming a Singapore Cup Tasters Champion feels almost surreal. After a throat infection throughout, I decided to let my tongue do the talking and trust my taste buds. I’m really looking forward to the World Coffee Championships in Geneva, where I am excited to push my palate to the limit and see how it holds up against elites.”. “I would like to thank the Singapore Coffee Association, my team from Starbucks Coffee Singapore, as well as fellow competitors for this exhilarating experience,” says Tan Yi Xin, Singapore Cup Tasters Champion.

“This year’s SNCC has gathered an amazing quality of talents. Not just technical competence reigning in the work of each competitor, you can actually feel the passion for coffee. Very admirable—that is—and we believe that they will represent Singapore well in the upcoming World Coffee Championships.”. ‘I’d like to thank our judges, who had flown in from Singapore, Australia, China, Malaysia, New Zealand, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Philippines, South Korea, Taiwan, and Thailand, for sharing their time and expertise, and my team at SCA for organising the event and ensuring the four competitions ran smoothly,” said Victor Mah, President of the Singapore Coffee Association.

“It has been exciting to hold the SNCC at SCTA as part of our inaugural SIGEP Asia edition, opening Singapore talent up to the world and showcasing the passion of the F&B industry in Singapore to the masses worldwide. We are proud to offer that platform where exceptional talent can shine and inspire others.”. “This indeed is what the SIGEP stands for – world Expo of food service excellence, and we look forward to bridging more communities across continents,” said Ilaria Cicero, IEG Asia CEO in charge of organizing such events.

Mr. Slater noted that “NAIDOC Week provides a significant platform for acknowledging ICC Sydney’s ongoing commitment to reconciliation. The support from ICC Sydney and its Legacy Program has been instrumental, with over 90% of our KARI Singers’ bookings being for events hosted at the venue.”
Geoff Donaghy, CEO of ICC Sydney and Group Director – Convention Centres for ASM Global (APAC), felt this collaboration would expand ICC Sydney’s work in Corporate Social Responsibility by heightening knowledge of Aboriginal cultural practices by both attendees and venue staff to facilitate a more enriching experience in all aspects.

As said by Mr Donaghy, “In alignment with this year’s NAIDOC Week theme, our goal is to sustain the momentum for reconciliation by fostering meaningful connections between our clients, attendees, team members, and First Nations community partners like KARI.”

Samantha Glass, ICC Sydney’s Director of Corporate Affairs, Communication, and Sustainability, firmly reiterated her commitment to continuing to drive a reconciled, inclusive, and just society far into the future. She expressed thanks for the strong partnership with KARI, which advances cultural appreciation through bespoke event experiences while supporting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and young people in Sydney.

This year, ICC Sydney received an award for its long-term partnership with KARI, which has continued for five years through fundraising, volunteering, and projects further connecting the First Nations people with business events. The venue was also named the 2023 KARI Fundraiser of the Year and previously took home the 2019 KARI Partner of the Year Award.

This initiative is a part of Moscow MICE Ambassadors online certification project to strengthen ties between Moscow and India and to promote the Russian capital as a premier host city for MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions) events.

Scheduled to unfold from June 3 to November 1, 2024, this online project promises to be a transformative experience for all participants. Representatives from India’s MICE industry can register for the program via the RUSSPASS portal.

The Moscow MICE Ambassadors pilot course, initiated last year in partnership with the Indian MICE Agents Association (NIMA), saw 50 members receiving the inaugural certificates. Building on this success, the program is poised to bestow certification upon 200 professionals from India’s MICE industry this year.

Commenting on the results, Mr. Evgeny Kozlov, Chairman of The Moscow City Tourism said: “The Moscow MICE Ambassadors program is focused on India as it is our priority region. Our objective extends beyond simply boosting the influx of business travelers from India to Moscow; we aim to elevate the standard of services we provide and effectively exhibit our capabilities. To achieve this, we acquaint Indian MICE experts with the nuances of organizing corporate events in Moscow and offer support in customizing business agendas to suit the Indian market”.

“Our training modules are designed with a long-term perspective in mind. I am confident that all MICE specialists who will receive certificates this year and, in the years, to come, will be able to create business programs in Moscow that meet the needs of even the most demanding of clients,” added Mr. Kozlov.

This year, the program has been refined to include practical information on planning and organizing events in Moscow, offering tips tailored to Indian corporate clients. Participants will learn about key business districts, conference facilities, accommodation options, transportation services, and networking opportunities in Moscow. They will also gain firsthand insights into The Moscow City Tourism Committee’s exciting plans and receive insider tips to help promote Moscow and assist in the bidding process for MICE events.

The certification program for Moscow MICE Ambassadors consists of five in-depth modules designed to introduce participants systematically to the city’s MICE potential, highlighting its unique cultural beauty, centuries-old history, and rich architectural heritage. Each module comprises a video lecture and downloadable resources for self-study, providing valuable tools for participants’ future undertakings. Upon successful completion of all modules and assessments, participants will receive the Moscow MICE Ambassador certificate, showcasing their proficiency in the program.

India consistently emerges as one of the leading nations in terms of tourist influx to Moscow, with business travel being a key driver for Indian visitors. In 2023, Moscow welcomed 3.7 million business travelers, marking a 7% increase from the previous year.

In April 2024, the Moscow City Tourism Committee organized the Shaping MICE Future conference in Delhi, bringing together over 100 representatives from the MICE industry in India and Moscow. The event featured panel discussions and thematic sessions, offering Indian MICE stakeholders’ insights into the benefits of organizing business events in Moscow and opportunities for effective cooperation.

About The Мoscow City Tourism Committee:

The Moscow City Tourism Committee is a sectoral executive body of the Russian capital that implements city policy on the development and regulation of tourism and hospitality. With a strategic focus on branding Moscow as a premier tourist destination both domestically and globally, the Committee is dedicated to enhancing the city’s allure. In 2023, Moscow attracted 2.3 million foreign tourists, predominantly from key markets like India, China, CIS countries, and the Middle East. To strengthen international ties, the Russian capital organizes business missions, showcases its tourism potential at industry exhibitions, launches legislative initiatives, events and image projects aimed at foreign tourists, such as the Moscow MICE Ambassadors programme in India.