Singapore sets up segregated travel lane, dedicated hosting facilities, for business travellers

A rendering of the boardroom at Connect@Changi separated with air-tight, floor-to-ceiling windows. (Photo: Connect@Changi)

Singapore will launch a new segregated travel lane, as well as set up several segregated facilities, for business travellers on short-term stays.

The travel lane, or the Connect@Singapore initiative, will be open to a limited number of business, official and high economic value travellers from all countries who are staying in Singapore for up to 14 days.

A rendering of the boardroom at Connect@Changi separated with air-tight, floor-to-ceiling windows. (Photo: Connect@Changi)

Applications for the segregated travel lane will open in the middle of January 2021, with the first travellers expected to arrive from the second half of January.

Travellers who use the segregated travel lane will be housed within dedicated facilities for the duration of their stay, undergo regular testing and observe all prevailing safe management measures.

Travellers will have to stay within their pre-declared travel group of up to five within the segregated facility, and are not allowed to mingle with others. They will also have to abide by all prevailing national safe management measures, and use Trace Together and Safe Entry.

At the segregated facilities, travellers will be able to conduct meetings with local visitors and other traveller groups with safe management measures in place. For instance, there will be floor-to-ceiling dividers separating travellers from locals in the boardrooms.

Travellers will also have to present a valid negative Covid-19 polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test before leaving their home country, and take another PCR test after arriving in Singapore. While in Singapore, they will take antigen rapid tests on days 3, 5, 7 and 11 after their arrival.

Elsewhere, Temasek announced the development of a short-stay facility that would facilitate business exchanges between international travellers and Singapore residents.

Located at Singapore EXPO Halls 7 and 8, the first phase of the Connect@Changi pilot short-stay facility will launch in 1Q2021.

The first phase will see more than 670 guestrooms and about 170 meeting rooms that can accommodate meetings of about four to 22 attendees. When fully constructed in mid-2021, the facility will have more than 1,300 guestrooms and about 340 meeting rooms.

Connect@Changi is developed by a Singapore consortium led by Temasek, made up of The Ascott Limited, Changi Airport Group, Sheares Healthcare Group, SingEx and Surbana Jurong.

Stringent protocols and procedures will be in place to ensure the safety of guests and employees. Contact between guests and frontline staff will be minimised, with self-service meeting rooms and no-contact meal delivery.

Entrances, exits and ventilation systems for both guests and Singapore-based visitors will also be separated, and travellers can meet Singapore-based individuals and travellers from other groups in meeting rooms outfitted with air-tight glass panels.

Room charges at Connect@Changi for a stay under three days start from about S$390 per night (US$292) for an Executive room and S$430 per night for a Premier room. This includes the cost of testing, three meals per day and transfer to and from the airport.

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