Welcome to “YourSingapore”. We are extremely excited about the evolution of Singapore’s destination brand – from “Uniquely Singapore” to “YourSingapore”.

There is no lull in sight with an exciting calendar of events taking place in Singapore in the coming months.

And what a happy new year it is for Singapore tourism. This is the year we've all been waiting for – the opening of our two new Integrated Resorts that will transform our industry.

As we enter the last month of the first decade of a new century, it is worth taking time to reflect on the year that has been. It has certainly been fraught with challenges, but filled with invaluable lessons as well.

Over the years, Singapore’s evolving tourism landscape has delivered unique and memorable visitor experiences – experiences that have kept visitors coming back

The Singapore Tourism Board celebrates its 45th birthday this year and as we reflect on this journey, longer than even that of Singapore as a nation, it tells a story not just of our history, but that of Singapore tourism.

I knew last year’s inaugural FORMULA ONE race was going to a hard act to beat; but this year’s event was clearly and consistently better.

It seems the year has just whizzed by and the 2009 FORMULA 1 SINGTEL SINGAPORE GRAND PRIX has already arrived.

Going by astrology, Singapore, which celebrates its 44th birthday on August 9, would be a Leo - appropriate given we are the Lion City and that, as a destination, we share traditional Leo traits such as being generous, warmhearted, creative and enthusiastic.

The changes in Seoul are astounding. What I find most interesting is how tech-savvy the country is - Seoul has one of the highest Internet broadband connections among Asian cities and the Koreans love their gadgets, almost as much as we do in Singapore.

I was fortunate to catch the gala opening performance of the Singapore Arts Festival. "Sutra", a collaboration between Shaolin monks and Western dance, was the hot ticket item and it lived up to - no, it exceeded - expectations.

I had the opportunity to attend "An evening with Surreal Gourmet Bob Blumer" during the World Gourmet Summit. The definition of "surreal" is "very strange or dreamlike; bizarre" and must say I enjoyed his dreamy creations.

ITB Berlin is always a good place to pick up on the latest travel trends and buzz. The STB and our industry partners were out in force to ensure Singapore remains top-of-mind in these competitive times.

When the going gets tough, the tough go marketing and that is what we have done.

The Year of the Ox is upon us as Chinese all over the world celebrate the Lunar New Year. In Singapore, Chun Jie celebrations started with a bang literally at Chinatown. Have you been there lately? If not, you must. The precinct is alive with colour and festivity.

2008 ended on a good note, with the news of Singapore's ranking as fourth in Euromonitor's International's Top City Destinations Ranking 2007.

So where did the year go? It wasn't too long ago that we were welcoming 2008 with much anticipation and excitement and now, at the tail end, looking forward to 2009 with some uncertainty.

So the inaugural ITB Asia has come and gone, exceeding everyone's expectations and adding another successful event to our treasure chest. The event showed that amidst the current economic situation, industry players still see potential in Singapore and the region - which is indeed a heartening sign.

What an adrenaline-filled month it's been.

My heart is racing, just thinking of all the events that are taking place this month.

American author, narrator and lecturer, David C. McCullough said, "History is who we are and why we are the way we are."

Singapore's tourism industry has done well with 51 months of uninterrupted growth in visitor arrivals since March 2004. However, the road ahead is not without challenges. Global inflation brought by rising fuel prices, food and commodity shortages, as well as a weakening American economy are creating some degree of uncertainty among travellers.

I was reading the papers the other day about two visitors who had flown in from Kuala Lumpur just to shop during the Great Singapore Sale. They were really happy with their purchases and the prices. Even with the currency difference, they felt they got great value.

Last month, I was at one of the World Gourmet Summit dinners featuring Curtis Stone, the Take Home Chef, and I was pleased when he said how impressed he was with Singapore and its food offerings.

Going to ITB Berlin every year is an eye-opener. It keeps you abreast of new trends and issues that are unfolding in the travel marketplace, and it opens your eyes to what the competition is also doing.

In our universe, where would we be without stars to give us light in the dark of the night? They make us wonder what’s out there, they make us dream of endless possibilities. And which child has not sung about them?

Could it get even more exciting? Singapore to host the inaugural Summer Youth Olympic Games (YOG) in 2010!

Picking out the brightest stars in our tourism universe is not an easy task but on 4 March 2008, we will celebrate the best and brightest among us during the Tourism Awards 2008. Mark that date on your calendar.

In February 2008, the Singapore Flyer is scheduled to take flight. Work continues on our two integrated resorts as we stay on track to have The Marina Bay Sands™ ready in 2009 and Resorts World at Sentosa in 2010.

Even as I write this, we at the STB are counting the days till we welcome the arrival of our 10th millionth visitor this month.

I have just returned from Beijing and Shanghai where I was involved in the Singapore Season, a multi-government agency effort to raise the creative and artistic profile of Singapore amongst the Chinese people.

If you live in Singapore, you would have seen it taking shape before your very eyes.

We all need a little motivation and recognition in life, to make us feel good and to do even better.

We've had an incredible first half of the year and our tourism performance looks set to continue. For the first time, our average hotel rates have breached the S$200 mark - I am sure our hotel partners must be celebrating.

Moshie Safdie, the architect behind Marina Bay Sands, shares his vision behind what will surely become Singapore's most iconic attraction.

If you missed the news last month, you were probably in outer space. Yes, Formula 1 is coming to town. And not just any Formula 1 race, but a night race at that, which will make history.

This month we take a closer look at Business Travel and MICE (Meetings, Incentive travel, Conventions and Exhibitions) and tell you how we'll honour our valuable partners in the BTMICE industry with the Business Events Awards - the first of its kind in Singapore.

Welcome to this special edition of P@SSPORT, starring our tourism heroes, the ones who make the Uniquely Singapore experience come alive.

It was great to be at ITB once again with our industry partners. Our booth was 'red-hot' with its attractive Uniquely Singapore look and outstanding video wall display. Singapore as a destination was abuzz, business was good with a never-ending flow of visitors for our partners, and we captured the attention of many journalists and media.

As I write this, we are still in the middle of Chinese New Year festivities - it stretches for 15 days, after all. Chinatown's been all lit up for the celebrations and the biggest and best Chingay Parade yet took to Orchard Road mid-way through the festival, which ended 4 March.

Not long after we wrapped up the Christmas/New Year celebrations, we went right into preparations for the Chinese New Year festival. Chinatown is all lit up for the Year of the Golden Pig, and the Chingay Parade will be the biggest ever.

We kick off the new year with a bit of trend spotting as we ask industry leaders from around the region to look into their crystal ball and share their insights into what will be the top trends driving travel in 2007.

Tis the season not only to be jolly, but also romantic and, perhaps,
even a little futuristic.

We take you into the skies for a glimpse at Singapore Airlines' wish to add more romance to travel. Then we plunge you into world of online travel, cruise passengers and medical tourism, showing you the trends shaping the next wave...

This month's P@SSPORT looks at the hottest trend in the travel market - the move towards luxury travel.

There is a growing band of travellers who now have more time and money to spend on living out their travel dreams and are scouring the world for exclusive experiences.

We are embarking on this journey because we believe this is the most important communications tool with our most important partners, the travel trade.

This month marks the fourth year our chief, Mr Lim Neo Chian, has been with the Singapore Tourism Board. In a wide-ranging interview in this issue, he tells us some of the biggest changes he's seen in our business.