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Thirty-two individuals and organisations honoured for pushing the boundaries to deliver extraordinary experiences

​​Singapore, 21 Oct, 2013 – The 2013 Singapore Experience Awards gala ceremony honoured outstanding individuals and organisations with top awards of the tourism industry. Held at the Singapore Marriot Hotel, the evening was graced by Guest-of-Honour President Tony Tan Keng Yam.

Into its fifth year, the Awards recognises those who exemplify holistic experience delivery, and have gone that extra mile to create and deliver business, product and service excellence.

Mr Lionel Yeo, Chief Executive of the Singapore Tourism Board shares, “Behind many great experiences are great teams and individuals whose attention to detail and commitment to provide the human touch make all the difference. This year's finalists and recipients are amongst the many whose passion and dedication have helped drive Singapore towards our goal of providing memorable experiences. Their work and dedication are truly an inspiration to the tourism sector.”

Four recipients for top awards

The Awards honoured four recipients with the evening’s top honours under the Special Recognition and Outstanding Contribution categories.

Mr Robert Khoo, the now retired CEO of the National Association of Travel Agents Singapore (NATAS) Group, was accorded the evening’s highest accolade, the Lifetime Achievement for Outstanding Contribution to Tourism. His vision and commitment to the tourism industry has been instrumental in raising the professionalism of travel agents and the image of Singapore’s travel trade overseas.

The year’s Tourism Entrepreneur of the Year was awarded to Mr Olivier Bendel, CEO of Deliciae Hospitality Management. His creative dining concepts at unique sites such as Sentosa Cove and heritage-rich Duxton Hill have refreshed Singapore’s dining scene, truly showcasing the vibrancy and dynamism of our city.

Dr Perry Shum, founding member of the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE) Photonics Society, was recognised as Business Event Ambassador for his strong advocacy of Singapore’s MICE industry and significant contributions in anchoring key global conferences in Singapore.

Taking home the Breakthrough Contribution to Tourism award was Gardens by the Bay, not only for bringing a whole new level of innovation to Singapore’s tourism offerings, but more significantly, cementing Singapore’s unique positioning as a City in a Garden.

Twenty-eight recognised as the tourism industry’s best

Spanning across four categories of Customer Service, Events, Experience and Marketing & Media, the Awards also recognised 28 of the tourism industry’s shining stars. Every recipient has demonstrated excellence in the creation and delivery of extraordinary experiences, be it through leveraging Singapore’s historical assets and heritage to create meaningful experiences, using technology and innovation to meet their customers’ needs, or simply going that extra mile in completely personalising their customers’ experience.

For the first time in the Awards’ history, two establishments were awarded with Best Travel Experience. Both Journeys and The Changi Museum’s Changi WWIITM – A Changi Museum War Trail and Wildlife Reserves Singapore’s Wild Discoverer Tour at the Singapore Zoo were recognised for their exceptional experience delivery.

Dr Yek Tiew Ming, Principal of ITE College West, shares his observations from his judging experience. “The nominees I have met during the judging process were all excellent in what they do; professional, passionate, knowledgeable and willing to go the extra mile in delivering their services. All of them are the shining ambassadors that I expected for Singapore. I firmly believe that tourism is an industry that needs to embrace meeting and interacting with people. Tonight’s finalists and winners have clearly done that, and wholeheartedly with passion.”

A full list of the award recipients and finalists o​f the 2013 Singapore Experience Awards is enclosed in Annex A. Citations for the Outstanding Contribution award category and the Special Recognition category can also be found in Annex B.

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About the Singapore Experience Awards

As the most prestigious awards platform in Singapore’s tourism industry, Singapore Experience Award recipients - individuals and organisations from sectors encompassing Attractions, Business Travel and MICE, Dining, Education, Entertainment, Healthcare, Hospitality and Retail - are judged to have shown they are the best in delivering a holistic customer experience – one that packages quality product and service delivery to create a distinctive and compelling experience. For more information, visit https://www.singaporetourismawards.gov.sg/.

About TravelRave

TravelRave, Asia’s most influential travel trade festival, will be back from 21 to 25 October 2013 with an exciting line up of eight quality events featuring thought-provoking content, influential speakers and the chance to network with some of the leading names in the travel and tourism industry. Set in a region primed for growth, last year’s events gathered more than 10,700 attendees from across the globe. Leveraging Asia’s growing potential, TravelRave 2013 provides a dynamic platform for business leaders and industry professionals to convene, share knowledge and insights, network and discover new business opportunities and celebrate Asian tourism at its best.

About the Singapore Tourism Board

The Singapore Tourism Board (STB) is a leading economic development agency in tourism, one of Singapore’s key service sectors. Known for partnership, innovation and excellence, STB champions tourism, making it a key economic driver for Singapore. We aim to differentiate and market Singapore as a must-visit destination offering a concentration of user-centric and enriching experiences through the “YourSingapore” brand. For more information, please visit www.stb.gov.sg.