Singapore, 9 May 2019 – 30 individuals and organisations were recognised tonight at the Singapore Tourism Awards 2019 for their exceptional achievements in delivering experience and enterprise excellence. Organised by the Singapore Tourism Board (STB) and held at The Ritz Carlton Millennia Singapore, the Singapore Tourism Awards presentation ceremony was graced by Minister for Trade and Industry Mr Chan Chun Sing.
STB Chief Executive Mr Keith Tan said, “The Singapore Tourism Awards recognises the efforts of our industry partners to make Singapore an attractive and vibrant city with a diverse range of experiences and attractions for visitors and locals. I am very encouraged by the strong competition and the impressive line-up of recipients and finalists, which underscores the industry’s continual push to excel and provide outstanding experiences, and I am confident that we will see even better and more innovative offerings in the future.”
Five recipients for Top Awards and Special Recognition
Two individuals, two organisations and one event were conferred top honours under the Top Awards and Special Recognition award categories.
Top Awards
· The highest accolade, Lifetime Achievement for Outstanding Contribution to Tourism, was awarded to Ms Violet Oon. Violet’s dedication to promoting and profiling Singapore’s unique food heritage and culture over many years has established her as Singapore’s doyenne of local heritage food, with a particular focus on Peranakan[1] cuisine.
· Genting Cruise Lines was recognised for its Breakthrough Contribution to Tourism, having played an instrumental role in the development of Singapore as a global cruise hub. It has contributed to the vibrancy of Singapore’s cruise offerings with its various cruise ships, and pioneered Asia’s first Fly-Cruise service with CAG and SATS in 2011. Since 2018, Genting Cruise Lines also introduced new sailings from Singapore to other regional destinations, boosting the appeal of Southeast Asia as a region for cruise holidays.
Special Recognition
· Mr Loh Lik Peng was conferred a Special Recognition award for his role as the Chairman of the Singapore Hotel Association’s Hotel Innovation Committee, where he drove important initiatives to transform Singapore’s hotel industry, such as the Hotel Innovation Pitch. Through this Pitch, hotels can crowdsource solutions for increased productivity and enhanced guest experiences. Lik Peng has also played a key role in developing future generations of hospitality talent in his capacity as the Chairman of Singapore Hotel and Tourism Education Centre (SHATEC).
· Southeast Asia’s largest and most established food and hospitality MICE event, Food&HotelAsia (FHA) by UBM Singapore, was awarded a Special Recognition award for strengthening Singapore’s position as a global business hub and marketplace. In 2018, Singapore hosted FHA’s largest event ever, with over 80,000 participants from 105 countries.
· Chinatown Food Street (CFS) by Select Group was also awarded a Special Recognition award for contributing to the attractiveness and vibrancy of Chinatown through events such as The 50 Cents Fest, last held in July 2018. Besides themed events and live street performances, CFS also engaged MICE visitors through targeted marketing efforts and created unique experiences for these visitors.
Twenty-five recognised as the best in the tourism sector
Singapore Tourism Awards 2019 also lauded 25 other individuals and organisations for outstanding service delivery, across three award categories of Customer Service Excellence, Experience Excellence and Enterprise Excellence.
Ms Amy Lim, Director of Events, Asia Pacific at Herbalife Nutrition was commended as the Best Business Event Champion under the Experience Excellence (MICE) award for her strong advocacy of Singapore as a MICE destination. She played a vital role in anchoring Herbalife Honors 2019, as well as Herbalife South East Asia Extravaganza which has been held in Singapore five times over the past decade with over 10,000 attendees each time.
Addition of Best Shopping Mall Experience and Best Retail Store Experience awards
The Best Shopping Mall Experience and Best Retail Store Experience awards made their debut at the 2019 Singapore Tourism Awards, where they were clinched by The Shoppes at Marina Bay Sands and TANGS respectively. The creation of these two new awards recognises the diversity of Singapore’s retail scene, where different industry players provide memorable shopping experiences for visitors and locals alike.
Please refer to Annex A for the full list of award recipients and finalists of the Singapore Tourism Awards 2019, and Annex B for Citations for Top Award and Special Recognition Recipients.
Photo highlights from the award nights will be available here from 9 May, 2200h. Please credit the images to Singapore Tourism Board.
[1] Peranakan refers to the Straits-born people of Chinese and Malay/Indonesia heritage.
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About the Singapore Tourism Awards
Organised by the Singapore Tourism Board (STB), the Singapore Tourism Awards brings together Singapore's tourism sector to celebrate individuals and organisations that best deliver exceptional experiences and achieve enterprise excellence. The Awards is an integral part of STB's efforts to raise the Singapore tourism sector's competitiveness by motivating organisations and individuals to create compelling experiences or adopt best practices. For more information, visit www.singaporetourismawards.com.
About the Singapore Tourism Board
The Singapore Tourism Board (STB) is the lead development agency for tourism, one of Singapore’s key economic sectors. Together with industry partners and the community, we shape a dynamic Singapore tourism landscape. We bring the Passion Made Possible brand to life by differentiating Singapore as a vibrant destination that inspires people to share and deepen their passions. More: www.stb.gov.sg or www.visitsingapore.com