Explore new markets and create unique events, urge IACT

Top tourism minds gathered late last month to discuss how Singapore can achieve its Tourism 2015 targets.

Look beyond traditional markets, explore emerging sources, pursue the high-end market and create a unique annual event like the Nobel prize or the Oscars.

These were some of the recommendations put forward at the seventh meeting of STB’s International Advisory Council for Tourism held in Singapore late last month.

The council, which met over two days, recommended to the board to explore markets such as India, China and Russia, build up its reputation for the “rich and discerning” and position itself as a premier city in Asia for business travel and meetings, incentives, conventions and exhibitions by building on its strengths and improving its infrastructure and services.

Council member Lim Kok Thay, chairman of the Genting Group, Malaysia, cited the following qualities that Singapore should focus on to capitalize on its global reputation – leadership, neutrality, long-term thinking and excellence in the pursuit of knowledge. 

He added that “the STB should consider developing through the MICE market an annual signature event modeled on the Nobel Prize in Stockholm and the Oscars in Hollywood that Singapore can uniquely call its own”.

Chairman of STB, Mr Simon Israel, called the IACT meeting “timely”.

Singapore, he said, “is at the cusp of transformational changes in the tourism landscape as we move into the implementation phase of Tourism 2015”.

Tourism 2015 sets to increase tourism receipts to S$30 billion and visitor arrivals to 17 million, as well as to create 100,000 new jobs for the tourism sector by 2015.

“To compete for the tourism dollar, we need to transform the tourism sector, while building on our current strengths. We will need to upgrade existing tourism products, develop new ones and entice visitors with more exciting and unique experiences,” said Mr Israel.

He said STB welcomed the Council’s “new ideas and perspectives to make Singapore a destination of choice, a vibrant tourism hub attracting visitors, business and talent from across the world by 2015”.

The 15-member Council, set up in 1999, comprises prominent leaders of international tourism organisations from diverse sectors around the world.

This year, the STB welcomed to IACT its new Chairperson, Ms Jennie Chua, President and Chief Executive Officer, Raffles Holdings Ltd, as well as four new members.

They are Mr Mohamed Ali Alabbar, Director General, Department of Economic Development, Government of Dubai and Chairman, for Emmar Properties, Mr Stelios Haji-Ioannou, Founder & Chairman, EasyGroup (UK) Ltd, Mr Carl Ruderman, Chairman, Universal Media, and Mr Barrett Wissman, Chairman, IMG Artists.