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mr funny
13-03-07, 13:01
March 13, 2007

S'pore goes all out to impress at world's largest real estate fair

By Neo Hui Min, For The Straits Times


CANNES - SINGAPORE is going all out to trumpet its attractions as a city to invest, visit, work and live in at the world's largest annual real estate and city development fair here this week.

National Development Minister Mah Bow Tan will lead the Singaporean group, which includes a record number of government bodies and private companies keen to showcase the country's strengths.

The Marche International des Professionals de L'Immobilier, which starts today, is a four-day gathering of city planners, leading real estate developers, architects and investors.

A total of 25,000 delegates from 74 countries will be attending, with exhibitions covering almost 24,000 sq m.

While Singapore has had a presence at the show in previous years, this will mark its largest gathering of public and private bodies, all under a 200 sq m Singapore Pavilion.

Last year, for example, there were just three Singaporean entities. This year, there will be four private firms and three public bodies attending.

'We are diversifying our economy to drive our future economic growth,' said an Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) spokesman.

'Property is one of the key sectors we have identified,' she said, adding that a Singapore presence at the show is important to showcase investment opportunities to the world and increase interaction with foreign developers and investors.

The Singaporean real estate investment opportunities on offer include Marina Bay and city centre sites such as Outram Park, while the Singapore Tourism Board will highlight the 'vibrant tourism zones' of Orchard Road and the Southern Waterfront.

The URA spokesman said the HDB will also be there to 'enhance recognition of Singapore's excellent standards of public housing and contribute towards the aspiration to be a premier global city'.

The HDB will showcase the redevelopment of Clementi Town Centre, which it describes as an estate where housing, educational, recreational and transport facilities have been seamlessly integrated.

Private companies, including City Developments and Keppel Corp, will be showing off their iconic upcoming developments.

'We hope that by showcasing such exquisite properties, potential buyers will look at Singapore as a good place to invest,' said City Developments' group general manager Chia Ngiang Hong.

Meanwhile, Mr Mah will also join a panel discussion with the mayors of Montreal and Stuttgart on how cities can combine growth with a high quality of life.

And 30 key players from North America, Europe, Australia, Asia and the Middle East will be having dinner with the minister, as the Government seeks to 'establish new contacts, strengthen existing networks and share with these decision-makers the exciting development opportunities in Singapore'.

During his trip to Europe, Mr Mah will also lead URA officials on visits to Paris, Valencia and Madrid, to garner best practices from these cities.

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tamasick holdings
14-03-07, 02:34
Singapore woos investors at Cannes real estate fair

By Channel NewsAsia's Wong Siew Ying in Cannes | Posted: 13 March 2007 2254 hrs


CANNES, FRANCE: European investors get to know Singapore's property scene a little better, opening up possibilities for new business deals, at an international real estate conference in Cannes.

And it's hoped many will use Singapore to enter the Asian market.

Just an hour into the start of the MIPIM conference, hundreds of delegates swarmed the 200-square-metre Singapore Pavilion put up by the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA).

It is Singapore's largest display at the annual MIPIM Fair - a highlight on the real estate event calendar.

Singapore's pavilion showcases 7 private and public organisations including Keppel Land, City Development, Lend Lease, HDB and the Marina Bay Financial Centre.

URA also hopes to raise Singapore's profile and draw attention to investment opportunities in the country.

Mark Goh, Head of URA's Marina Bay Development Agency, said: "A few recent sales sites have seen joint-ventures between foreign investors and local developers, like the Marina Bay Financial Centre as well as Orchard Turn sales site. We've also seen foreign investors who've never participated in Singapore's real estate scene, for example Dubai Properties bidding for the Collyer Quay site."

A focus at this year's conference in Cannes is the booming Asian economies as the growth and increasing accessibility of China and India have made Asia a target for investment.

And property consultants noted that Asia, along with some European markets, experienced the most significant increases in activity last year.

Exhibitors said that most enquiries came from European investors interested in joint venture projects in Asia.

They also wanted to know more about Singapore's architectural design capabilities.

Property players in Singapore said that many European developers were looking at long-term investment in Asia but did not know where to start.

So the MIPIM conference in Cannes will be a way to reach out to them, as well as sell Singapore as a launch pad to higher-risk markets like China and India.

Ooi Eng Peng, CEO at Lend Lease Investment Management, said: "People here who haven't invested in Asia yet found that Singapore is an easier country to an extent, has a more stable economy, high protected growth forward and has experience globally. It's easier for us in Singapore in terms of risk returns. Most of the returns that investors expect in Singapore are value added returns which are anywhere between 15 to 18 percent."

Besides wooing investors to drive Singapore's next phase of growth, National Development Minister Mah Bow Tan, who is attending the MIPIM conference, will later hold a panel discussion on development in emerging cities. - CNA/ir

tamasick
14-03-07, 02:35
Where was Capitaland?