Project off Raffles Boulevard will take 9 months to complete
By SAMUEL EE
(SINGAPORE) The first infrastructure project for next year’s Formula One race was flagged off yesterday by Minister for Trade and Industry Lim Hng Kiang, at a groundbreaking ceremony.
Sporting milestone: Artist’s impression of the 350-metre-long F1 pit building. The 3-storey structure will house the 36 garages for the 12 F1 teams, race control facilities, winners’ podium and hospitality lounges for 4,000 guests.
The pit building for the inaugural Singapore F1 Grand Prix on Sept 28, 2008, will cost $33 million and take nine months to complete.
The three-storey building will house the 36 garages for the 12 F1 teams, race control facilities, winners’ podium and hospitality lounges for 4,000 guests.
It is situated off Raffles Boulevard, close to the Singapore Flyer ferris wheel.
Race promoter Singapore GP Pte Ltd is developing the 350-metre-long building, which will have a gross floor area of about 18,000 sq m.
At yesterday’s groundbreaking ceremony, Mr Lim called F1 the world’s third most-watched event after the Olympics and the World Cup.
The race promoter and government agencies ‘face the daunting task of building 20 per cent of the circuit and this pit building from ground up’, he said. ‘But Singapore is a city of possibilities, so I have full confidence we will be ready for the Sept 28, 2008, race date.’
The pit building is described as having a ’simple yet modern’ design that is environmentally sustainable and meets the Building and Construction Authority’s Green Mark standard.
The world governing body for motorsports, FIA, is expected to confirm the final circuit layout of Singapore’s 5.1 km track this month, Singapore Tourism Board chief executive Lim Neo Chian said yesterday.
When that happens, the Land Transport Authority will start work on constructing and widening roads that will form the street circuit.
‘FIA will also confirm soon whether Singapore will stage a race at night, and in so doing, become the first venue in the F1 calendar to do so,’ said STB’s Mr Lim.
Mr Lim Hng Kiang and STB’s Mr Lim took part in the groundbreaking with Minister of State for Trade and Industry S Iswaran and race promoter and property tycoon Ong Beng Seng.
‘The pit building that will rise from this piece of land we now stand on will be one significant milestone that all will watch closely,’ said Mr Lim Hng Kiang.
‘But besides the infrastructure, what will also be watched closely will be the softer aspects - how Singapore plays host to this international event.’
F1 is part of the government’s efforts to grow tourism into a significant contributor to the economy, he said.
Visitor arrival figures are already breaking records every month. In July there were 951,000 visitors - an increase of 4 per cent from a year earlier.
‘This is the highest number of visitors we have ever received in any single month,’ the minister said. ‘From January to July, a total of 5.883 million people visited Singapore - a 5 per cent increase over the same period last year.’
Source : Business Times - 01 sept 2007
Showing posts with label Singapore Tourism Board. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Singapore Tourism Board. Show all posts
Saturday, September 1, 2007
951,000 visitors - the most in a month, beating the previous high of last July by four per cent.
951,000 visitors - the most in a month, beating the previous high of last July by four per cent.
They stayed longer too - 3.6 million days in all, 11 per cent more than last July’s record.
Travellers from the United States, Australia and Vietnam set records of their own for arrivals from the three countries.
Plus $168.3 million in hotel room revenue - 27.5 per cent over last July.
Trade and Industry Minister Lim Hng Kiang is confident that the industry will continue to grow.
‘The tourism sector has been riding a new wave in the last few years,’ he said during the ground-breaking of the Pit Building for next year’s Formula 1 Singapore Grand Prix.
With 5,883,000 tourists visiting Singapore shores in seven months, the industry is well on its way to its ‘10.2 million visitors’ target for the year which, if fulfilled, will be another record.
July has traditionally been a strong month for tourism, said National Association of Travel Agents Singapore (Natas) chief executive Robert Khoo.
Australian tourists head here during their winter season while Americans and Europeans arrive on summer holiday.
Another lure: the Great Singapore Sale.
Visitors from Down Under made a strong showing in July, with their 76,000 visitors making them Singapore’s third largest group of tourists, after Indonesians (192,000) and Chinese nationals (109,000).
Natas’ chairman of the inbound committee Allen Tsang noted that several business events added to visitor numbers.
In July, the likes of Herbalife Asia Pacific Extravaganza 2007, the World Glaucoma Congress 2007 and the 18th Wonca World Conference on Family Medicine were held in Singapore.
Such business events drew close to 25,000 visitors and contributed at least $40 million in tourism receipts.
Whether tourist or business traveller, it did not matter for hotels here.
A spokesman for the Grand Copthorne Waterfront said: ‘The back to back conventions in July contributed to the increase of revenue.
‘We had to turn more than 3,100 room nights away. We also had to stop taking reservations as early as one month before the peak period.’
Hotel cashiers were working overtime, going by the latest Singapore Tourism Board numbers. Nine in 10 hotel rooms were booked up and average room rates hit $185 per night - a record for the month of July.
Just two years ago, room rates were averaging $136.
It was also a bumper month for Changi Airport. In July, 3.16 million passengers passed through Changi’s aerobridges, the highest ever in a single month this year and 3.5 per cent more compared to the same month last year.
While hoteliers and retailers enjoyed the boom, travel agents have raised the alarm about Singapore literally running out of rooms. Natas’ Mr Tsang said the pace at which new hotels are being opened is not keeping up with the growth in visitor arrivals.
And more tourists are expected with Changi Airport’s Terminal 3 opening its doors in January, especially given new attractions next year like the Formula 1 and the Singapore Flyer ferris wheel in the Marina Bay area.
The F1 alone is anticipated to bring in 80,000 tourists.
Weighing in on the issue yesterday, Minister Lim said: ‘We recognise that our demand is greater than supply. We have not been building sufficient hotel rooms during the difficult years from 1998 to 2003 partly because hotel rates were low and hotel developers and investors did not see the yield and the returns to hotel investments.’
In fact, Singapore will need to double the number of rooms here given that it had ‘practically doubled visitor arrivals’, he added.
There are 36,000 rooms here now and Mr Khoo estimates that 5,000 more rooms will be available by 2010, with the integrated resorts contributing half of the total.
The industry is also exploring novel accommodation ideas such as floating hotels, homestays and converting existing buildings to hotels to ease the tight room supply.
Mr Lim said that the Government is releasing many sites to put up new hotels and the ball is now in the developers’ court.
Since August last year, contracts for nine hotel sites, which should yield about 3,100 rooms, have been awarded. Another 10 sites are available, with eight on the reserve list.
He said: ‘They know hotel rates have gone up and will continue to go up at a measured pace.
‘We hope they will tender sensibly for the land price and be in the position to build the supply that we need.’
Source : Straits Times - 01 sept 2007
They stayed longer too - 3.6 million days in all, 11 per cent more than last July’s record.
Travellers from the United States, Australia and Vietnam set records of their own for arrivals from the three countries.
Plus $168.3 million in hotel room revenue - 27.5 per cent over last July.
Trade and Industry Minister Lim Hng Kiang is confident that the industry will continue to grow.
‘The tourism sector has been riding a new wave in the last few years,’ he said during the ground-breaking of the Pit Building for next year’s Formula 1 Singapore Grand Prix.
With 5,883,000 tourists visiting Singapore shores in seven months, the industry is well on its way to its ‘10.2 million visitors’ target for the year which, if fulfilled, will be another record.
July has traditionally been a strong month for tourism, said National Association of Travel Agents Singapore (Natas) chief executive Robert Khoo.
Australian tourists head here during their winter season while Americans and Europeans arrive on summer holiday.
Another lure: the Great Singapore Sale.
Visitors from Down Under made a strong showing in July, with their 76,000 visitors making them Singapore’s third largest group of tourists, after Indonesians (192,000) and Chinese nationals (109,000).
Natas’ chairman of the inbound committee Allen Tsang noted that several business events added to visitor numbers.
In July, the likes of Herbalife Asia Pacific Extravaganza 2007, the World Glaucoma Congress 2007 and the 18th Wonca World Conference on Family Medicine were held in Singapore.
Such business events drew close to 25,000 visitors and contributed at least $40 million in tourism receipts.
Whether tourist or business traveller, it did not matter for hotels here.
A spokesman for the Grand Copthorne Waterfront said: ‘The back to back conventions in July contributed to the increase of revenue.
‘We had to turn more than 3,100 room nights away. We also had to stop taking reservations as early as one month before the peak period.’
Hotel cashiers were working overtime, going by the latest Singapore Tourism Board numbers. Nine in 10 hotel rooms were booked up and average room rates hit $185 per night - a record for the month of July.
Just two years ago, room rates were averaging $136.
It was also a bumper month for Changi Airport. In July, 3.16 million passengers passed through Changi’s aerobridges, the highest ever in a single month this year and 3.5 per cent more compared to the same month last year.
While hoteliers and retailers enjoyed the boom, travel agents have raised the alarm about Singapore literally running out of rooms. Natas’ Mr Tsang said the pace at which new hotels are being opened is not keeping up with the growth in visitor arrivals.
And more tourists are expected with Changi Airport’s Terminal 3 opening its doors in January, especially given new attractions next year like the Formula 1 and the Singapore Flyer ferris wheel in the Marina Bay area.
The F1 alone is anticipated to bring in 80,000 tourists.
Weighing in on the issue yesterday, Minister Lim said: ‘We recognise that our demand is greater than supply. We have not been building sufficient hotel rooms during the difficult years from 1998 to 2003 partly because hotel rates were low and hotel developers and investors did not see the yield and the returns to hotel investments.’
In fact, Singapore will need to double the number of rooms here given that it had ‘practically doubled visitor arrivals’, he added.
There are 36,000 rooms here now and Mr Khoo estimates that 5,000 more rooms will be available by 2010, with the integrated resorts contributing half of the total.
The industry is also exploring novel accommodation ideas such as floating hotels, homestays and converting existing buildings to hotels to ease the tight room supply.
Mr Lim said that the Government is releasing many sites to put up new hotels and the ball is now in the developers’ court.
Since August last year, contracts for nine hotel sites, which should yield about 3,100 rooms, have been awarded. Another 10 sites are available, with eight on the reserve list.
He said: ‘They know hotel rates have gone up and will continue to go up at a measured pace.
‘We hope they will tender sensibly for the land price and be in the position to build the supply that we need.’
Source : Straits Times - 01 sept 2007
Singapore’s bid to host Formula One’s first night race has entered the final straight, with only a few more obstacles to be overcome.
Singapore’s bid to host Formula One’s first night race has entered the final straight, with only a few more obstacles to be overcome.
Recent trials of night-time racing in France were a success, and two more all-important trials - one in Singapore and one overseas - are expected to be held soon.
Approval for a night race must be given from motorsports’ governing body, the Federation Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA).
A decision is expected to be taken after the trials, which are to be held within the next few weeks.
Yesterday, Trade and Industry Minister Lim Hng Kiang expressed optimism that the green light will be given soon.
‘The various tests and various assessments have been going on track, so we’re fairly confident,’ he said at a ground-breaking ceremony for the pit building - where the cars will be refuelled and have their tyres changed during the race - along Raffles Boulevard.
F1 boss Bernie Ecclestone is pushing for several night races on the calendar - especially in Asia - to increase television viewership figures in North America and Europe.
But teams and drivers have given mixed responses to the idea.
Many are apprehensive about the safety aspects. Race cars, which can hit speeds of more than 300kmh, cannot be fitted with headlights - they affect aerodynamics, which are all-important in a sport where a tenth of a second makes a major difference.
They also add weight to cars, slowing them down.
Track lighting, therefore, will have to replicate daytime conditions, and this is difficult and costly to do.
But Mr Lim added that the Republic would go all out to assure the FIA and drivers that a night event would be safe.
‘We’re very committed to the idea of a night race and we will do whatever is in our powers to facilitate it,’ he said.
Singapore’s first F1 race will be held at the Marina Bay area on Sept 28 next year. Testing and qualifying is expected to begin on Sept 26.
The race - along with several new attractions, such as the Singapore Flyer - is expected to further boost tourism in Singapore, which hit record levels in July.
Yesterday, Mr Lim revealed that 951,000 visitors arrived in Singapore that month, an increase of 103,000 over June.
Many were drawn by a new tourism programme that started on July 23 to draw visitors here on weekends.
On the F1 front, Singapore Tourism Board (STB) deputy chairman and chief executive Lim Neo Chian said the country hit a ‘milestone’ yesterday with the ground-breaking ceremony for the pit building, which will be the nerve centre for the race.
The three-storey, $33 million facility, parallel to the Marina Bay waterfront, will house key infrastructure such as the exclusive Paddock Club and 36 garages for the 12 F1 teams.
The building’s glass facade will also offer high-end guests views of the track’s starting straight and pit-lane action.
It will also house race-control facilities, commentary booths, a media centre, the winners’ podium and a rooftop terrace.
In non-race months, it is likely to be used for hosting corporate functions. Its environmentally-sustainable design also meets Green Mark certification.
Said STB’s Mr Lim: ‘Over the next few months, more pieces will gradually come together as we plan the biggest leisure event Singapore has ever hosted.
‘There is still a lot more work to be done.
‘But we can all look forward with some excitement that, in a little over a year, we can come back to this same spot to witness the crowning of the Singapore GP’s first champion.’
Source : Straits Times - 01 sept 2007
Recent trials of night-time racing in France were a success, and two more all-important trials - one in Singapore and one overseas - are expected to be held soon.
Approval for a night race must be given from motorsports’ governing body, the Federation Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA).
A decision is expected to be taken after the trials, which are to be held within the next few weeks.
Yesterday, Trade and Industry Minister Lim Hng Kiang expressed optimism that the green light will be given soon.
‘The various tests and various assessments have been going on track, so we’re fairly confident,’ he said at a ground-breaking ceremony for the pit building - where the cars will be refuelled and have their tyres changed during the race - along Raffles Boulevard.
F1 boss Bernie Ecclestone is pushing for several night races on the calendar - especially in Asia - to increase television viewership figures in North America and Europe.
But teams and drivers have given mixed responses to the idea.
Many are apprehensive about the safety aspects. Race cars, which can hit speeds of more than 300kmh, cannot be fitted with headlights - they affect aerodynamics, which are all-important in a sport where a tenth of a second makes a major difference.
They also add weight to cars, slowing them down.
Track lighting, therefore, will have to replicate daytime conditions, and this is difficult and costly to do.
But Mr Lim added that the Republic would go all out to assure the FIA and drivers that a night event would be safe.
‘We’re very committed to the idea of a night race and we will do whatever is in our powers to facilitate it,’ he said.
Singapore’s first F1 race will be held at the Marina Bay area on Sept 28 next year. Testing and qualifying is expected to begin on Sept 26.
The race - along with several new attractions, such as the Singapore Flyer - is expected to further boost tourism in Singapore, which hit record levels in July.
Yesterday, Mr Lim revealed that 951,000 visitors arrived in Singapore that month, an increase of 103,000 over June.
Many were drawn by a new tourism programme that started on July 23 to draw visitors here on weekends.
On the F1 front, Singapore Tourism Board (STB) deputy chairman and chief executive Lim Neo Chian said the country hit a ‘milestone’ yesterday with the ground-breaking ceremony for the pit building, which will be the nerve centre for the race.
The three-storey, $33 million facility, parallel to the Marina Bay waterfront, will house key infrastructure such as the exclusive Paddock Club and 36 garages for the 12 F1 teams.
The building’s glass facade will also offer high-end guests views of the track’s starting straight and pit-lane action.
It will also house race-control facilities, commentary booths, a media centre, the winners’ podium and a rooftop terrace.
In non-race months, it is likely to be used for hosting corporate functions. Its environmentally-sustainable design also meets Green Mark certification.
Said STB’s Mr Lim: ‘Over the next few months, more pieces will gradually come together as we plan the biggest leisure event Singapore has ever hosted.
‘There is still a lot more work to be done.
‘But we can all look forward with some excitement that, in a little over a year, we can come back to this same spot to witness the crowning of the Singapore GP’s first champion.’
Source : Straits Times - 01 sept 2007
Wednesday, May 2, 2007
Former swindler warns Asia's casinos they can't beat cheats
Former swindler warns Asia's casinos they can't beat cheats
by Bernice Han
Send by e-mail Save Print Casinos in Asia, take heed: There is no such thing as a foolproof hi-tech system for catching professional cheats.
That's the warning from former swindler Richard Marcus, who says he ripped off 20 million US dollars from the world's gaming tables over more than two decades.
Marcus, 50, is now a consultant to the casinos he used to cheat.
He was never caught despite the array of surveillance gear installed by gaming operators in Las Vegas, Monte Carlo, Macau and Australia, he told AFP in a recent interview.
"I was the most wanted casino cheater ever in the history of the world. They just could never catch me," Marcus said, his face beaming with pride at his 25-year track record.
He says he remained at large partly because casinos are too reliant on technology to catch the conmen.
Asia's gaming industry is undergoing an unprecedented expansion and will face the same problem, said Marcus, an American now living in Paris.
"There is never a foolproof system because it depends on people. Never 100 percent," he said on the sidelines of a regional gaming conference in Singapore.
"No matter how many millions of dollars they invest in surveillance systems, if you don't have the people, if the people are not smart, they are going to get beat anyway and that's the problem."
Even Asian casinos run by Las Vegas Sands and other heavyweights of the industry are ill-equipped to handle professional cheats because their local staff lack experience, Marcus said.
Sands spearheaded the expansion of gaming in the southern Chinese enclave of Macau, a former Portuguese colony, when Sands Macau opened in 2004.
Las Vegas Sands is also developing one of Singapore's two multi-billion-dollar gaming complexes. Malaysia's Genting International has broken ground on the city-state's other gaming and entertainment development.
Early in April, Macau said it had overtaken the Las Vegas Strip as the world's biggest casino draw, saying it raked in more than seven billion US dollars in 2006, five years after the sector was liberalised there.
"All the cheating teams, especially the ones that are good, they are going to converge in Macau more and more because you have big, brand new casinos with inexperienced people," Marcus said.
"So they are going to get killed," he said.
Marcus also foresees a similar "big problem" in Singapore when the Sands and Genting-run complexes open by 2010.
"Big problem because it's a brand new area and it's going to be loads of inexperienced people, especially the dealers," he explained. "They are going to get destroyed."
He said casino operators can limit the financial damage from professional cheats by following his advice and placing more emphasis on training staff to detect deft moves at the gaming tables.
"I teach them certain moves to look for," Marcus said.
He also trains casino surveillance teams. But security is not just their responsibility -- no one from the dealers to the one monitoring the video cameras can afford to relax, he said.
"The problem with casinos is the people on the floor. They feel so secure because of the cameras that they don't really do their jobs," said Marcus.
"The casinos are big now and in order for them to really protect their games, everybody has to be on guard."
Marcus said he quit cheating in 2000 because he had made enough money, and it is "almost like a natural crossover" to go from casino swindler to consultant.
"I do it mainly because I need to be doing something to keep my mind going," he said.
He has written five books about gambling cheats, including "American Roulette," a memoir of his own experiences as a jet-setting casino swindler.
"People love scam stories where the small guys make all the money and nobody really gets hurt," he said. "I never hurt anybody."
by Bernice Han
Send by e-mail Save Print Casinos in Asia, take heed: There is no such thing as a foolproof hi-tech system for catching professional cheats.
That's the warning from former swindler Richard Marcus, who says he ripped off 20 million US dollars from the world's gaming tables over more than two decades.
Marcus, 50, is now a consultant to the casinos he used to cheat.
He was never caught despite the array of surveillance gear installed by gaming operators in Las Vegas, Monte Carlo, Macau and Australia, he told AFP in a recent interview.
"I was the most wanted casino cheater ever in the history of the world. They just could never catch me," Marcus said, his face beaming with pride at his 25-year track record.
He says he remained at large partly because casinos are too reliant on technology to catch the conmen.
Asia's gaming industry is undergoing an unprecedented expansion and will face the same problem, said Marcus, an American now living in Paris.
"There is never a foolproof system because it depends on people. Never 100 percent," he said on the sidelines of a regional gaming conference in Singapore.
"No matter how many millions of dollars they invest in surveillance systems, if you don't have the people, if the people are not smart, they are going to get beat anyway and that's the problem."
Even Asian casinos run by Las Vegas Sands and other heavyweights of the industry are ill-equipped to handle professional cheats because their local staff lack experience, Marcus said.
Sands spearheaded the expansion of gaming in the southern Chinese enclave of Macau, a former Portuguese colony, when Sands Macau opened in 2004.
Las Vegas Sands is also developing one of Singapore's two multi-billion-dollar gaming complexes. Malaysia's Genting International has broken ground on the city-state's other gaming and entertainment development.
Early in April, Macau said it had overtaken the Las Vegas Strip as the world's biggest casino draw, saying it raked in more than seven billion US dollars in 2006, five years after the sector was liberalised there.
"All the cheating teams, especially the ones that are good, they are going to converge in Macau more and more because you have big, brand new casinos with inexperienced people," Marcus said.
"So they are going to get killed," he said.
Marcus also foresees a similar "big problem" in Singapore when the Sands and Genting-run complexes open by 2010.
"Big problem because it's a brand new area and it's going to be loads of inexperienced people, especially the dealers," he explained. "They are going to get destroyed."
He said casino operators can limit the financial damage from professional cheats by following his advice and placing more emphasis on training staff to detect deft moves at the gaming tables.
"I teach them certain moves to look for," Marcus said.
He also trains casino surveillance teams. But security is not just their responsibility -- no one from the dealers to the one monitoring the video cameras can afford to relax, he said.
"The problem with casinos is the people on the floor. They feel so secure because of the cameras that they don't really do their jobs," said Marcus.
"The casinos are big now and in order for them to really protect their games, everybody has to be on guard."
Marcus said he quit cheating in 2000 because he had made enough money, and it is "almost like a natural crossover" to go from casino swindler to consultant.
"I do it mainly because I need to be doing something to keep my mind going," he said.
He has written five books about gambling cheats, including "American Roulette," a memoir of his own experiences as a jet-setting casino swindler.
"People love scam stories where the small guys make all the money and nobody really gets hurt," he said. "I never hurt anybody."
Tuesday, April 17, 2007
Daily tourist arrivals to surge when IRs operational in 2010
Daily tourist arrivals to surge when IRs operational in 2010
By Wong Siew Ying, Channel NewsAsia | Posted: 16 April 2007 1947 hrs
SINGAPORE: Singapore can expect a surge in tourist arrivals, with the daily number set to jump by some 55 per cent when the two integrated resorts are operational in 2010.
Trade and Industry Minister Lim Hng Kiang announced this at the ground breaking ceremony for Singapore's second integrated resort at Sentosa.
He said the tourism outlook remains positive and hoped businesses can exploit the new opportunities created.
The $5.2 billion Resorts World at Sentosa will feature a Universal Studio theme park, the world's largest oceanarium, and six world-class hotels.
It is slated to be fully operational by mid-2010.
Together with the Marina Bay Sands project, the resorts are projected to add another 2 to 3 million visitors, bringing the total tourist arrivals to 14 million in 3 years.
"Going by the current growth rate, this will represent a significant 25 per cent increase over the 11 million visitors that we are projecting for the year 2009. Combined with the expected increase in the length of stay from 3.4 days in 2006 to 3.6 days in 2010, this means that the number of visitors per day will increase significantly by 55 percent - from about 90,000 in 2006 to nearly 140,000 in 2010," said Minister Lim.
There will also be a buzz for other sectors.
Resorts World has some $508 million worth of projects to be tendered for over the next few weeks, with most of them expected to go to Singapore companies in the form of sub-contracts.
Among the projects are: an 8-hectare land reclamation project in front of the old ferry terminal, re-routing traffic and excavation works.
All in, Resorts World will offer some S$3 billion worth of construction and development contracts leading up to 2010.
Business deals aside, a hot topic at the ground-breaking ceremony was whether Genting had cleared the necessary checks to obtain the licence to operate the casino at the integrated resort.
"The Ministry of Home Affairs just put out a statement to reiterate our stand on probity checks. Resorts World at Sentosa understands our need to maintain this probity checks and there is no issue now. We are only looking at our jurisdiction, who the partners and shareholders participating in Resorts World Sentosa," said Mr Lim.
Genting acknowledged that it is still early days yet to apply for the licence.
Under the rules, an application can only be made after half of the investment amount and gross floor area of the project have been completed.
But Genting is making good progress in its move to distance itself from business tie-ups with Macau's gaming tycoon Stanley Ho.
Lim Kok Thay, Chairman of Genting International, said: "The disposal of the Macau investment by Genting International has already been concluded. What is outstanding is the disposal of the outstanding purchase of 25 per cent in Sentosa by GIL to StarCruises. That's waiting for shareholders' approval."
On the manpower front, the two new resorts are expected to add up to 60,000 jobs to the economy.
The Singapore Tourism Board will also launch a 3-year campaign - starting this year - to prepare the workforce for careers in the hospitality sector.
Resorts World, which is set to create over 10,000 jobs, says it will not rule out hiring mature workers, the disabled or ex-offenders. - CNA/ir
By Wong Siew Ying, Channel NewsAsia | Posted: 16 April 2007 1947 hrs
SINGAPORE: Singapore can expect a surge in tourist arrivals, with the daily number set to jump by some 55 per cent when the two integrated resorts are operational in 2010.
Trade and Industry Minister Lim Hng Kiang announced this at the ground breaking ceremony for Singapore's second integrated resort at Sentosa.
He said the tourism outlook remains positive and hoped businesses can exploit the new opportunities created.
The $5.2 billion Resorts World at Sentosa will feature a Universal Studio theme park, the world's largest oceanarium, and six world-class hotels.
It is slated to be fully operational by mid-2010.
Together with the Marina Bay Sands project, the resorts are projected to add another 2 to 3 million visitors, bringing the total tourist arrivals to 14 million in 3 years.
"Going by the current growth rate, this will represent a significant 25 per cent increase over the 11 million visitors that we are projecting for the year 2009. Combined with the expected increase in the length of stay from 3.4 days in 2006 to 3.6 days in 2010, this means that the number of visitors per day will increase significantly by 55 percent - from about 90,000 in 2006 to nearly 140,000 in 2010," said Minister Lim.
There will also be a buzz for other sectors.
Resorts World has some $508 million worth of projects to be tendered for over the next few weeks, with most of them expected to go to Singapore companies in the form of sub-contracts.
Among the projects are: an 8-hectare land reclamation project in front of the old ferry terminal, re-routing traffic and excavation works.
All in, Resorts World will offer some S$3 billion worth of construction and development contracts leading up to 2010.
Business deals aside, a hot topic at the ground-breaking ceremony was whether Genting had cleared the necessary checks to obtain the licence to operate the casino at the integrated resort.
"The Ministry of Home Affairs just put out a statement to reiterate our stand on probity checks. Resorts World at Sentosa understands our need to maintain this probity checks and there is no issue now. We are only looking at our jurisdiction, who the partners and shareholders participating in Resorts World Sentosa," said Mr Lim.
Genting acknowledged that it is still early days yet to apply for the licence.
Under the rules, an application can only be made after half of the investment amount and gross floor area of the project have been completed.
But Genting is making good progress in its move to distance itself from business tie-ups with Macau's gaming tycoon Stanley Ho.
Lim Kok Thay, Chairman of Genting International, said: "The disposal of the Macau investment by Genting International has already been concluded. What is outstanding is the disposal of the outstanding purchase of 25 per cent in Sentosa by GIL to StarCruises. That's waiting for shareholders' approval."
On the manpower front, the two new resorts are expected to add up to 60,000 jobs to the economy.
The Singapore Tourism Board will also launch a 3-year campaign - starting this year - to prepare the workforce for careers in the hospitality sector.
Resorts World, which is set to create over 10,000 jobs, says it will not rule out hiring mature workers, the disabled or ex-offenders. - CNA/ir
Sunday, April 1, 2007
Cruise terminal in Marina South ready in 6 years
With the cruise business in Asia heating up, the snail’s crawl so far to develop a cruise terminal at Marina South looks to have been finally given the nod by the authorities — but it may take up to six years before its docks are ready for operations.
A representative from the Singapore Tourism Board (STB) had said that “the cruise terminal in Marina South would be ready (by) 2012, 2013″ during a trade event two weeks ago in Miami, the Singapore Cruise Centre’s (SCC) president Cheong Teow Cheng told Today. He was also a participant at the same four-day event, called the Seatrade Cruise Shipping Convention.
The SCC, which has been “unwavering” in its interest in this new terminal ever since the site was earmarked more than six years ago, will be keen to participate in this development, Mr Cheong added.
In fact, in 2003, the Urban Redevelopment Authority’s Public Spaces and Urban Waterfront Master Plan identified the proposed cruise terminal alonsgside other passenger and ferry terminals to form the Maritime Hub at Marina South.
A preliminary site study conducted in Marina South in the second half of last year on tidal movement and how passing vessels can affect cruise vessels docked at the site have wrapped up. It is believed to be the first such study the STB has carried out in the area.
When contacted, the tourism board’s director (Sightseeing and cruise) Dayne Lim would only say that “we are planning and in discussion with the related government agencies and cruise industry partners toward the development of the new cruise terminal at Marina South over the next five years”.
Yesterday, the SCC and iCell Network rolled out the free wireless programme, Wireless@SG, for passengers at three terminals that the former operates: the international passenger terminal and regional ferry terminal at HarbourFront, and the Tanah Merah regional ferry terminal.
This move makes the SCC’s terminals the first entry points in Singapore, as well as the first cruise and ferry terminals in the region, to provide free Internet connectivity to its passengers.
In the pipeline are VOIP services that will allow users to make low-cost international calls in the second half of this year, as well as a digital concierge service for users to customise the information they wish to receive on WiFi-enabled devices such as like laptops and mobile phones. These initiatives — along with other systems upgrading at the SCC terminals — add up to some $2.5 million, Mr Cheong said.
“The SCC recognises the challenges and IT demands of tomorrow and is taking pro-active steps to not just stay relevant, but also to stay ahead of the needs of the future.”
Source: Today, 30 March 2007
A representative from the Singapore Tourism Board (STB) had said that “the cruise terminal in Marina South would be ready (by) 2012, 2013″ during a trade event two weeks ago in Miami, the Singapore Cruise Centre’s (SCC) president Cheong Teow Cheng told Today. He was also a participant at the same four-day event, called the Seatrade Cruise Shipping Convention.
The SCC, which has been “unwavering” in its interest in this new terminal ever since the site was earmarked more than six years ago, will be keen to participate in this development, Mr Cheong added.
In fact, in 2003, the Urban Redevelopment Authority’s Public Spaces and Urban Waterfront Master Plan identified the proposed cruise terminal alonsgside other passenger and ferry terminals to form the Maritime Hub at Marina South.
A preliminary site study conducted in Marina South in the second half of last year on tidal movement and how passing vessels can affect cruise vessels docked at the site have wrapped up. It is believed to be the first such study the STB has carried out in the area.
When contacted, the tourism board’s director (Sightseeing and cruise) Dayne Lim would only say that “we are planning and in discussion with the related government agencies and cruise industry partners toward the development of the new cruise terminal at Marina South over the next five years”.
Yesterday, the SCC and iCell Network rolled out the free wireless programme, Wireless@SG, for passengers at three terminals that the former operates: the international passenger terminal and regional ferry terminal at HarbourFront, and the Tanah Merah regional ferry terminal.
This move makes the SCC’s terminals the first entry points in Singapore, as well as the first cruise and ferry terminals in the region, to provide free Internet connectivity to its passengers.
In the pipeline are VOIP services that will allow users to make low-cost international calls in the second half of this year, as well as a digital concierge service for users to customise the information they wish to receive on WiFi-enabled devices such as like laptops and mobile phones. These initiatives — along with other systems upgrading at the SCC terminals — add up to some $2.5 million, Mr Cheong said.
“The SCC recognises the challenges and IT demands of tomorrow and is taking pro-active steps to not just stay relevant, but also to stay ahead of the needs of the future.”
Source: Today, 30 March 2007
Thursday, July 13, 2006
Singapore: One of Most Transparent Markets
Jones Lang LaSalle’s (JLL) latest Real Estate Transparency Index has listed Singapore under Tier 1 (Highly Transparent), up from Tier 2 (Transparent) in the last survey in 2004. The survey of 56 markets shows property markets around the world have become more transparent over the past two years, driven by the rise of cross-border investment opportunities and multinational occupiers.
JLL also highlighted the fact that real estate investment trusts (Reits) have enhanced the need for greater transparency wherever they are introduced in the Asia-Pacific region.Besides Singapore, the only other country in the Asia-Pacific to make it to Tier 1 in the latest survey is Hong Kong, which was also previously in Tier 2.
The two joined Australia and New Zealand, which were already in Tier 1 in the 2004 study.On a global basis, Australia, US, New Zealand, Canada and UK took the top spots as the most transparent countries this year.
Although Singapore has moved to a higher transparency band, its numerical ranking in the survey of 56 countries slipped a notch from ninth position in 2004 to 10th this year. France, which had been ranked 11th two years ago, moved up to ninth spot.
The five-tier transparency ranking system ranges from Tier 1 (Highly Transparent) to Tier 5 (Opaque). Vietnam, Venezuela and Egypt emerged as the least transparent markets.
Ranking for the study was based on five attributes of real estate transparency - availability of investment performance indices, availability of market fundamentals data, listed vehicle financial disclosure and governance, regulatory and legal factors, and professional and ethical standards.
‘Overall, two-thirds of the countries ranked in our 2004 study exhibited some or significant improvement,’ said Dr Jacques Gordon, global investment strategist at LaSalle Investment Management, JLL’s fund management arm.
‘Some 14 countries moved up a full tier in our five-tier transparency ranking system and none slipped back. Additionally, many more countries earned higher transparency scores while remaining in the same tier.’
Source: The Business Times, July 13, 2006
JLL also highlighted the fact that real estate investment trusts (Reits) have enhanced the need for greater transparency wherever they are introduced in the Asia-Pacific region.Besides Singapore, the only other country in the Asia-Pacific to make it to Tier 1 in the latest survey is Hong Kong, which was also previously in Tier 2.
The two joined Australia and New Zealand, which were already in Tier 1 in the 2004 study.On a global basis, Australia, US, New Zealand, Canada and UK took the top spots as the most transparent countries this year.
Although Singapore has moved to a higher transparency band, its numerical ranking in the survey of 56 countries slipped a notch from ninth position in 2004 to 10th this year. France, which had been ranked 11th two years ago, moved up to ninth spot.
The five-tier transparency ranking system ranges from Tier 1 (Highly Transparent) to Tier 5 (Opaque). Vietnam, Venezuela and Egypt emerged as the least transparent markets.
Ranking for the study was based on five attributes of real estate transparency - availability of investment performance indices, availability of market fundamentals data, listed vehicle financial disclosure and governance, regulatory and legal factors, and professional and ethical standards.
‘Overall, two-thirds of the countries ranked in our 2004 study exhibited some or significant improvement,’ said Dr Jacques Gordon, global investment strategist at LaSalle Investment Management, JLL’s fund management arm.
‘Some 14 countries moved up a full tier in our five-tier transparency ranking system and none slipped back. Additionally, many more countries earned higher transparency scores while remaining in the same tier.’
Source: The Business Times, July 13, 2006
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