And now, presenting the Tourism "Oscars"
On 2 March, Singapore recognised the stars in its tourism industry in a glittering ceremony where the STB handed out its annual Tourism Awards.

Created in 1985 to elevate service standards and encourage the industry to innovate and create unique Singapore experiences and distinctive service elements to enhance Singapore's competitiveness, the programme has seen a four-fold increase in the number of awards presented – from seven then to 30 this year.

Recognised as the “Oscars” of the service industry, the awards pay special tribute to individuals and organisations who, through their dedication, have made outstanding contributions to enhance Singapore’s image as a premier tourist destination.

“Over the years, the Tourism Awards has constantly enhanced and improved itself to keep in step with the changing needs of the service industry by placing greater emphasis on innovation, creativity and experiential factors. This has helped to encourage the tourism industry to create unique experiences and distinctive service elements to ensure Singapore’s competitiveness,” said Sulian Tan Wijaya, STB’s Director for Service Quality.

The awards are only one aspect of the STB’s commitment to service excellence. The Service Quality Division, set up three years ago, runs several schemes designed to elevate service standards across the industry and works closely with industry partners to identify and implement service quality initiatives through incentive schemes.

Last November, it launched a series of free Service Leadership Talks which were open to the industry. Invited speakers are Singapore-based and well-known ‘icons' of service excellence, and the seminars are aimed at inspiring employers and managers of service-oriented companies to make service excellence an integral part of their business. 

For the 20th Tourism Awards, there are 30 awards, of which 26 are open to public nominations. There are five new categories this year - Best Singapore Travel Story (Print), Best Singapore Travel Story (Broadcast), Best Singapore Education Partner (Overseas School Trips), Best New Retail Concept and Tourism Host of the Year – Spa. 

In the next issue, we will hear more from the award winners as they share their experiences!  Click here for a quick peek at the winners.