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19th Tourism Awards Honours the Best in the Tourism Industry

2005-03-13T01:53:00.000-08:00

Singapore, 1 March 2005 - The Singapore Tourism Board’s (STB) 19th Tourism Awards presentation ceremony was held today at The Esplanade Concert Hall to honour individuals and organisations that have made significant contributions to the tourism industry through their service excellence, innovation, creativity and commitment in creating unique Singapore experiences for visitors.

The awards ceremony was graced by the President of Singapore, His Excellency S R Nathan and Mrs Nathan. Over 1,000 Singapore and overseas members from the travel and tourism industry attended the event.

Twenty-six awards were presented to the hotel, BTMICE, leisure attraction, food and beverage, entertainment, spa, retail sectors, as well as foreign and local travel agencies. Overseas visitors, the public and tourism industry members nominated individuals and organisations for 22 of these awards.

Mr Simon Israel, Chairman of STB, said: “Today, we pay tribute to the best of the tourism industry for their commitment, innovation and creativity as well as for their effort to add that extra touch in creating unique experiences for our visitors. These are all so vital in ensuring that Singapore remains a top destination for visitors worldwide. By recognising excellence in tourism industry with the Tourism Awards, we hope it will help raise the bar in the quality of experiences for our visitors and that the industry will continue to find innovative ways for Singapore to stay competitive.”

For the first time, the number of finalists has been increased from three to a maximum of five for 11 award categories with many deserving nominees. In addition, only finalists and winners will be presented with Tourism Awards decals that endorse their status as the best in their respective sectors. These decals will also serve as a mark of excellence for visitors and locals.

This year's Outstanding Contribution to Tourism award went to the Japan Tourist Bureau (JTB) Corporation for their tireless efforts in promoting and marketing Singapore to the Japanese market and for achieving success in being the largest tour wholesaler and top producer of Japanese visitor arrivals to Singapore for more than a decade. JTB has been instrumental in Singapore’s growth in Japan’s travel trade.

Special Recognition Awards were presented to Mr Pakir Singh, Chief Executive, Singapore Hotel Association; Mr Otto Weibel, President, Singapore Chefs Association and Mr Masaru Yanagisawa, Chairman, Hakodate Singapore Society & Honorary Tourism Consul, Singapore Tourism Board.

Mr Pakir has played a leading role in developing and growing the hospitality industry through the Singapore Hotel Association (SHA) and Singapore Hotel and Tourism Education Centre (SHATEC). Under Mr Pakir’s stewardship, SHA and SHATEC have played key roles in supporting tourism growth through marketing, product development and manpower training for the hospitality sector. Today, SHA and SHATEC are well-recognised by the public sector, as well as local and international tourism and business community.

As the longest serving President of the Singapore Chefs Association (SCA), Mr Weibel has helped raise the profiles and standards of local chefs to a global level and created a reputation for Singapore as a strong culinary contender in many international competitions. This has helped to bolster Singapore’s reputation as a unique and irresistible food destination.

Mr Yanagisawa from Hakodate in Hokkaido, northern Japan is the founder of the Hakodate Singapore Society which plays an active role in promoting Singapore’s many appeals, such as the nation’s culture, lifestyles and food to the residents of Hokkaido. Mr Yanagisawa also orchestrated the establishment of a sister relationship between the Hakodate International Tourism and Convention Association (HITCA) and the STB, enabling the exchange of ideas and best practices between Japan and Singapore. For the past eight years, Mr Yanagisawa has been the gracious host to the winners of the Tourism Host of the Year categories of Tourism Awards.

Mr Lincoln Cheng, Chairman & Managing Director, Zouk Management Pte Ltd clinched the Tourism Entrepreneur of the Year award. In an industry known for its volatility, Mr Cheng has created an enduring and instantly recognisable brand among the trend conscious and discerning clubbing fraternities worldwide that has drawn curious visitors to our shores, clamouring for a taste of the Zouk Experience.

For the first time, two New Tourism Entrepreneur of the Year awards were presented in recognition of the increasing number of new entrants in the tourism industry who have made a significant impact on visitors’ experiences in Singapore.

The winners were two individuals who have introduced new ideas to the hospitalty sector and in creating a vibrant visual arts scene - Mr Loh Lik Peng, Director, Hotel 1929 Pte Ltd and Ms Helina Chan, Director, iPreciation Pte Ltd. Mr Loh’s innovativeness resulted in the transformation of a shophouse to a hip boutique hotel, which showcases Singapore’s heritage through the hotel’s unique architecture. Under Ms Chan’s leadership, iPreciation has brought several renowned art exhibits to Singapore that helped generate global awareness of Singapore’s visual arts scene.

Four of the winners tonight have won in previous years. Takashimaya Shopping Centre and the Night Safari have clinched the Best Shopping Experience – Shopping Centre category and the Best Leisure Experience award respectively for the sixth time. The Spa Botanica has won the Best Spa Experience for two consecutive years while The Ritz Carlton, Millenia made a comeback this year as the winner for Best Accomodation Experience award, having won twice before.

Ryanair in $4bn Boeing plane deal

2005-02-25T08:19:00.000-08:00

Competition is fierce in the low-cost airline market

Competition is fierce in the low-cost airline marketBudget airline Ryanair has placed an order for 70 Boeing 737-800 planes, in a deal valued at $4bn (£2.1bn) which should lead to 2,500 new Ryanair jobs.

It also has an option for a further 70 aircraft, a move which brings the Ryanair/Boeing order book up to 225 firm orders and options on 193 more.

Ryanair said the new planes would help it to cut operating costs further.
The carrier reported a drop in quarterly profit earlier this year after it was hit by higher fuel costs.

However, when it reported the results, the airline was upbeat about prospects for 2005, despite tough competition in the budget airline market.

Saving cash

Ryanair chairman David Bonderman said that the 737-800 had "significantly reduced our unit operating costs and allowed us to reduce air fares each year for the last five years".

Check Ryanair's share price
"With this new order and new pricing in place, Ryanair expects that unit operating costs (excluding fuel) will continue to fall each year for the next five years," he added.

At the end of this year, Ryanair will have taken delivery of about 100 new planes, while the 70 new orders are due for delivery between 2008 and 2012.

The airline said that when all these planes have been delivered, it will be able to carry more than 70 million passengers a year, making it Europe's largest airline. About 2,500 new jobs should be created in the next seven years, it added.

The order can be seen as good news for Boeing, which in recent years has been overtaken by European plane maker Airbus as the world's biggest-selling plane maker.

China urges more Taiwan flights

2005-02-25T08:01:00.000-08:00

Direct flights cut travel time by several hours

Direct flights cut travel time by several hoursChina has encouraged Taiwan to consider more direct flights between the two countries, after an experiment over the Lunar New Year.
Limited direct commercial flights resumed between the historic foes for the first time in 55 years. The flights could be repeated for the Chinese tomb sweeping day on 5 April, suggested Tang Yi, of China's Taiwan Affairs Office.

People could then cross the Taiwan Strait to tend family graves, he said.
"As long as things benefit Taiwan compatriots, benefit the promotion of cross-Strait exchanges, benefit the maintenance of peace in the Taiwan Strait region and benefit the development of cross-Strait relations and peaceful unification, we will exert our greatest efforts," Mr Tang told a news conference.

Change planes

Taiwan is keen to expand the number of flights, including direct cargo services - something China is also pushing for.
Until this year, Taiwan banned flights to mainland China for more than half a century for what it called security reasons.

Usually, passengers have to change planes at a third airport, often in Hong Kong, greatly extending the duration of the flight.
There are thought to be at least 300,000 taishang, or Taiwanese businesspeople living and working on the mainland.

The New Year flights, which took place between 29 January and 20 February, were greeted by dancing lions and dragons on their arrival.

Tensions

The BBC's Louisa Lim in Beijing says some in Taiwan's pro-independence camp are opposing the direct flights, fearing it might encourage Taiwanese businessmen to base themselves on the mainland.

The resumption of the service marks a rare agreement across the Taiwan Strait, but underlying tensions between the two governments still remain. Taiwan and China remain political foes. Beijing sees Taiwan as a breakaway province, and it will not deal with the government of President Chen Shui-bian, who is traditionally seen as pro-independence.

However, economic ties are booming. Bilateral trade rose to $70bn (£36bn) in 2004, up by more than 34% from 2003.