ACCOMMODATION - Trend in luxury hotels to continue upward climb: industry experts

eTN, Dec 26, 2007

There may be worries about the world economy – especially with the ongoing subprime crisis and rising standards of living – but that hasn't stopped interest in luxury hotels from making a steady comeback.
With the recent entry of a new player in Singapore's luxury hotel industry, the exclusive St Regis, competition looks set to heat up.
St Regis opened the Saturday before Christmas, but even before it officially commenced business, the hotel has already sold out almost all its year-end dinner parties.
Singapore's hospitality sector is experiencing one of its strongest recoveries in over a decade despite the US subprime setback.
In November, the average room rate (ARR) set a new milestone of S$226 per night, the highest ever in any month and up 29.8 per cent over last year, according to figures from the Singapore Tourism Board (STB).

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SINGAPORE - New Tourist Pass offers Unlimited Rides on Singapore’s Public Transport System

Asiatraveltips.com, 13 December 2007

The Singapore Land Transport Authority and the Singapore Tourism Board have launched the Singapore Tourist Pass (STP) and a Public Transport Guide for Tourists (The “Travel with Ease” Guide) – two new initiatives aimed at enhancing the visitors’ experience when commuting on Singapore’s public transport system.
The Singapore Tourist Pass, produced by EZ-Link in collaboration with LTA and STB, is the only pass in Singapore that offers tourists unlimited rides on Singapore’s public transport system with the option of a 1-Day, 2-Day or 3-Day pass for just Sin$8 per day. With the STP, travelling on Singapore’s MRT, LRT and basic bus services becomes a cost-effective and convenient way for tourists to explore Singapore and enjoy the best the city has to offer.

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SINGAPORE - Changi Airport Terminal 3 gears up for opening

stbpassport.com, Dec 7th 2007

Come 9 January 2008, Changi Airport, consistently rated one of the world's best airports, will have its brand new Terminal 3 open for operations.
At a cost of S$1.75 billion, the Terminal 3 will add a capacity of 22 million passengers a year, bringing the total capacity of Changi Airport to 70 million passengers.
From 12 November to 9 December 2007, the public is being given a sneak preview of the terminal with some shops already open and offering discounts to entice visitors.
Meanwhile, the Civil Administration Authority of Singapore (CAAS) announced recently that four more airlines, in addition to Singapore Airlines, will operate from the new terminal. They are China Eastern Airlines, Jet Airways, Qatar Airways and United Airlines.

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SINGAPORE - Mandai to be transformed into nature-based destination

stbpassport.com, Dec 7th 2007

Plans are afoot to transform the Mandai area,where the Singapore Zoo and Night Safari are located, into one of Asia's top family destinations.
Leveraging on these two internationally acclaimed world-class attractions, Mandai is envisioned to be transformed into a unique animal and nature-themed experience comprising quality nature-themed attractions, accommodation and lifestyle offerings that embrace the rich biodiversity of the area, and encourage longer-term conservation of the natural environment in Mandai.

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SINGAPORE - Vietnamese tourists keen on Singapore

eTN, Dec 3 2007

The city-state is fast becoming the destination of choice for Vietnamese tourists drawn by its reputation as a safe, cosmopolitan city, published data said on Sunday.
Vietnam charted the highest visitor-arrival growth in September with 16,000 visitors, a 24.3 per cent hike over the corresponding period a year earlier.
The absolute number is small given the overall figure of 766,000 visitors for that month, according to the Singapore Tourism Board (STB) data in The Sunday Times.
Most were from Indonesia, China, Australia, India, and Japan.
"Vietnamese visitors are becoming more travel-savvy," Chang Chee Pey, the STB's regional director for the Association of South-East Asian Nations (Asean) was quoted as saying.

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SINGAPORE - to double park visitor numbers through 'quality real life experience' of nature

eTN Asia/Pacific, 27 Nov 2007

Singapore Tourism plans to transform its newly planned 30-hectare nature reserve park into Asia's top nature park.
The Singapore Tourism Board (STB) has said it is planning to transform a 30-hectare site in the Mandai region into Asia's top nature spot to add to its present world-renowned Night Safari Park and Singapore Zoo.Admitting Singapore's land-locked size cannot offer what some of its neighbors can offer in the region, Singaporean Trade and Industry Minister S. Iswaran, Minister said Singapore is instead offering an immersive experience. "We have to compete on the quality and nature of the experience," he said. "If you are looking for an immersive experience, tropical rainforest in a natural setting, I think we can do quite a bit."

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AVIATION - Get ready for cheap S’pore-KL flights

Traveldailyasia.com, 11/26/2007

Finally, the cost of air travel between the capitals of Singapore and Malaysia are to become more affordable – and reasonable – as low-cost carriers were given the green light to launch limited flights on the route. From February 1 next year, the 30-year monopoly on the route held by the national carriers of both countries - Singapore Airlines and Malaysian Airlines – end.
LCCs would be allowed to operate four flights daily - two from each side – initially but by December 1 next year, there will be full liberalisation, allowing airlines to operate as many services as they want. “It will also bring both countries closer to ASEAN’s goal to remove all restrictions on passenger flights between ASEAN capitals by December 2008,” a statement from Singapore’s transport ministry said at the end of two-day talks between air transport officials from both sides.

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AVIATION - A deregulated Singapore-Malaysia skies opens fierce debate

TTGasia.com, Nov 2 - 8, 2007

Malaysian outbound agents find the prospects of dirt-cheap air fares between Singapore and Kuala Lumpur (KL) scary, while Singapore agents who work with budget carriers cannot wait for them to crack the route finally.Twice daily services by AirAsia and a Singapore low-cost carrier (LCC) on the Singapore-KL route could begin as early as December if Singapore agrees. Malaysia’s government gave its in-principle nod last week.This route has been monopolised by Singapore Airlines (SIA) and Malaysia Airlines (MAS), resulting in one of, if not the highest, fares in the region in relation to distance flown. Its deregulation is a real breakthrough and will have various implications for various sectors.Malaysian outbound agents argue business at Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) will suffer, likewise, tourism in Johor, Malaysia’s southern gateway.

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SINGAPORE - Sin$ 40 Million Rejuvenation for Orchard Road

Asiatraveltips.com, 30 October 2007

Singapore's world-famous Orchard Road is set to undergo a Sin$40 million rejuvenation that will result in a more attractive destination for locals and visitors to this vibrant city. With the planned landscape and infrastructural enhancements, Singapore’s premier shopping street will have state of the art lighting highlighting its lush tree-lined boulevard, new creative spaces for staging events and a more integrated and engaging pedestrian mall.
The Orchard Road rejuvenation plans were unveiled Monday ahead of a tender for the main mall enhancement construction works, which will be called in early November 2007. The announcement follows the sale of three prime sites by the Urban Redevelopment Authority last year, targeted to increase the number of shopping venues and diversity of retail concepts and options to Orchard Road.

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SINGAPORE - set for tourism record-breaking year

Channel NewsAsia 25 October 2007

Singapore is on target to achieve another record breaking year in the tourism industry. Manpower Minister Ng Eng Hen said the sector is set to achieve 10.2 million visitor arrivals and some S$13.6 billion in tourism receipts this year. According to the Singapore Tourism Board (STB), this is the first time double-digit growth is being achieved for the sector in Singapore. Singapore is also getting ready for the spike in manpower demand in the tourism industry, especially with the development of the two integrated resorts and several signature events which Singapore will be hosting to attract the international tourist dollar. So, the government is investing S$360 million over the next three years in manpower development to train and prepare some 74,000 workers for the growth in the tourism sector.

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INDIA - promises to link Thailand and Singapore to the Andamans

AFP, Sep 8, 2007

India on Saturday said it will try to link Singapore and Thailand to the Andamans by air by March 2008 but added the archipelago needed a makeover to sell itself to tourists.
The announcement comes amid an unprecedented increase in the number of arrivals by low-budget domestic tourists to the Andamans, where most of the 36 inhabited islands are now partially open to visitors.
Civil Aviation Minister Praful Patel said the Indian Ocean archipelago, mauled by the tsunami in 2004, could outshine destinations in Thailand and Singapore if it were refurbished.
"There is not much difference between Phuket, Bangkok and the Andamans but more tourism-related facilities are needed here," Patel said in capital Port Blair, which upgraded its airport to international standards six months ago.
Most European tourists to India avoid the island chain because of its remote location and due to the stifling presence of the Indian military.
"We now intend to link Andamans to Singapore, Bangkok and Phuket in Thailand within six months by air and we are certain we can match their tourism industries," Patel said.

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SINGAPORE -Works Begin on Sin$33 million Pit Building for Formula 1

Asiatraveltips.com, 4 September 2007

Works on the Pit Building for the Formula 1 Singapore Grand Prix officially started last week. Measuring some 350 metres long, the Pit Building is a key piece of infrastructure for the F1 Singapore Grand Prix, which will debut on 28 September 2008.
Located along the waterfront, it will house key race infrastructure. Taking up most of the ground floor is space for 36 garages for the 12 teams. The second floor houses the Media Centre, hospitality lounges, the race control centre and the winners’ podium while the third floor features a modern and aerodynamic structure housing more hospitality facilities and a roof terrace offering more viewing opportunities of the race.

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SINGAPORE - hotels start new round of upgrades

TTGasia.com, Jun 29 - Jul 5, 2007

Another round of hotel refurbishments begins in Singapore just as several properties emerge from under the dust sheets. The 20-year-old Pan Pacific Singapore has started its S$14 million (US$9 million) refurbishment, scheduled for completion in January 2008.Main works include refitting all 775 rooms and suites with new furnishings, interior fixtures and flatscreen TVs.Two floors of deluxe rooms will be converted to Executive Business Floors, increasing the inventory from 126 to 171 Executive Business rooms and suites. Hotel Royal at Queens began a 15-month refurbishment in June. When completed, there will be 223 rooms, up from 215. All rooms will have flatscreen TVs and new furnishings. The refurbishment will be done floor by floor, with about 20 rooms taken off the inventory at any one time.Director of sales and marketing, Mr George Lim, said: “Not only will the integrated resorts be coming up but there are also new hotels opening in the next few years.”

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SINGAPORE - STB’s pipe dream

TTGasia.com, Jun 15-21, 2007

INBOUND agents in Singapore are faced with a conundrum. During the recent industry conference, the Singapore Tourism Board (STB) signalled they should move away from mass market visitors to target more high-yield travellers in response to the room crunch (TTG Asia, May 25-31, 2007).However, agents said rapidly rising rates and tight supply were driving even these desired visitors away from Singapore.Tour East group vice-president sales and marketing, Ms Judy Lum, said: “We have had to turn away a number of high-yield business opportunities as the hotels were not willing to allocate rooms to a committed rate because the rooms can be sold at much higher prices to walk-in corporate clients. For 2008/09, most hotels in Singapore are gunning for 30 to 80 per cent increases in their rates. Even a high-yield leisure market will find it (rate increases) hard to comprehend.”

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MARKETS - Muslim travel grows

TTGasia.com, Jun 15-21, 2007

The growing affluence of Malay Muslims in Singapore and their thirst to venture beyond South-east Asian destinations for leisure travel have made them an attractive market for Chinese agents who have not traditionally handled the segment. Deks Air (Singapore) is one such agency. It launched its first Muslim tour in April. The new south Vietnam packages range from S$609 (US$395) per person for a three-day FIT package to S$668 per person for a four-day group package, inclusive of accommodation at Amara Saigon and air fare on Vietnam Airlines. The country was chosen as Islam has had a presence there for the past 1,000 years. There are about 65,000 Vietnamese Muslims in southern Vietnam, with 15 mosques in Ho Chi Minh City.

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REGIONAL DEVELOPMENTS - Mega plan to fill mega space

TTGasia.com, Jun 15-21, 2007

THIS summer, the 3,000-suite The Venetian Macao-Resort-Hotel on the 80.8-hectare Cotai Strip will not only rewrite the history of the enclave, but of the region when it opens as Asia’s first largest fully-integrated resort. Agents will get an idea of what that phrase really means when it opens; be it in terms of number of rooms, size of meeting space, entertainment areas, spa facilities or retail outlets, The Venetian Macao-Resort-Hotel will have the biggest of each, all under one roof.
The Venetian Macao-Resort-Hotel will recruit 11,000 staff to man its 3,000 rooms, 20 restaurants and the 100,000m2 convention centre.

Construction for Marina Bay Sands in Singapore enters its fourth month.

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SINGAPORE - sizzling economy threatens competitiveness

CNN.com, June 18, 2007

Singapore's sizzling economy, set to expand as much as 7 percent this year, could prove a headache for the government as the city-state risks becoming less competitive than rival business centers such as Hong Kong.
The labor market is tight, with demand for top bankers far outstripping supply, while property prices, a topic that dominates headlines and dinner parties, have gone crazy.
A penthouse at the luxurious St Regis Residences -- butler optional -- was recently resold for S$28 million ($18 million), up a whopping 84 percent from its initial price in August, the Straits Times reported. Prospective buyers queue up overnight for new property projects, while rents are up 30-70 percent.
"Demand is high not only for private bankers, but for all private-banking-related jobs," said Michel Longhini, regional head of BNP Paribas Private Bank in Asia.
"Costs in Singapore are definitely going up. With such high inflation -- particularly in real estate -- the cost of relocating staff is going up."

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SINGAPORE - Make twinning hot again

TTGasia.com, Jun 8-14, 2007

THE Lion City seems to be succeeding at transforming itself from a stopover to visit into a hip and happening destination. It seems to have shaken off its dull, strait-laced personality, and in its place a more confident, sexy and worldly destination is taking shape. Singapore is now giving cities such as Hong Kong and Shanghai a run for their money.Of late, Singapore has been grabbing the headlines and overshadowing many of its neighbours and competitors. It is ready to play in the big league with more exciting nightlife and entertainment scene, more culinary options, more art and culture, more new high-end and boutique hotel choices, the upcoming integrated resorts, the first F1 night race, etc.

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SINGAPORE - Island resort showdown

TTGasia.com, Jun 8-14, 2007

Recent developments on nearby Bintan island may turn it from the complementary destination it now is to a fierce competitor Singapore may lose tourists to in time, and Singapore agents are divided in how to react.The discussion arose in response to a spate of new tourism developments on the Indonesian island, which is under an hour’s ferry ride from Singapore. It was fuelled by speculation a casino might be built there, possibly in Lagoi Bay, to rival Singapore’s two upcoming integrated resorts at Marina Bay and Sentosa. Lagoi Bay developer, Bintan Resort Cakrawala, told TTG Asia: “As a master planner and resort developer, our focus remains firmly on property development and planning for the resort. “However, if any company purchasing land from us possesses the relevant licence to legally operate a casino business in Bintan, they would be welcome to do so.” The 1,300-hectare Lagoi Bay development in the north of the island was launched in April this year.

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MEDICAL TOURISM - ‘Rope in the agents’

TTGasia.com, Jun 1 - 7, 2007

Medical tourism was identified in the late-1990s as a potential growth segment to improve the Malaysian economy due to the economic downturn. The government recognised the importance of this segment because health tourists spend an average four times more than recreational tourists. In 1998, the then Health Minister, Datuk Chua Jui Meng, called on the Ministry of External Trade and Industry (MATRADE) and the then Ministry of Culture, Arts and Tourism to look into medical tourism. But it was not until 2003 that medical tourism took off. Private hospitals worked with the Health Ministry, MATRADE, the then Ministry of Culture, Arts and Tourism, and the Association of Private Hospitals of Malaysia (APHM) to promote health tourism.

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