Collaboration, product innovation continue to be key to Singapore’s hospitality industry recovery: opinion leaders

Tales of collaboration with government agencies, travel, tourism and hospitality trade associations, organisations from other sectors and even competitors have dominated panel discussions throughout the two-day SG Tourism United Forum online event on December 8 and 9.

The second day of SG Tourism United Forum featured (top row from left) TTG Asia Media’s Karen Yue, Singapore Airlines’ Royston Lim, Restaurant Association of Singapore’s Edwin Fong; (second row from left) Singapore Association of Convention & Exhibition Organisers & Suppliers’ Dylan Sharma, Singapore Retailers Association’s Rose Tong, Singapore River One’s Michelle Koh, and (bottom row) PATA’s Wong Soon Hwa

The event, presented by PATA Singapore Chapter with event partner, TTG Asia Media, featured top level executives representing the country’s most important trade associations in the industry: Singapore Hotel Association, National Association of Travel Agents Singapore, Singapore Association of Convention & Exhibition Organisers & Suppliers, Singapore Retailers Association, Restaurant Association of Singapore, Orchard Road Business Association, Association of Singapore Attractions, and Singapore River One.

They were joined by representatives of Singapore Tourism Board who detailed trade support efforts; Changi Airport Group, Singapore Airlines and Dream Cruises who presented a snapshot of how their organisations reimagined operations to remain sustainable and to continue to deliver quality customer support and experiences throughout the unusual circumstances presented by the Covid-19 pandemic.

Tough issues facing the industry were also discussed. Panellist inputs and audience polls conducted during the discussion identified that Singapore’s Vaccinated Travel Lanes, while critical for travel recovery, have not resulted in equal impact for the various sectors of the travel, tourism and hospitality industry, and that sustained recovery hinges on many factors such as a coordinated reopening across Asia, certainty in governments’ border restrictions, and relaxation of social restrictions. At the same time, rising operating costs and loss of industry talents are causing concern among industry players

However, organisations such as the Singapore Hotel Association, Changi Airport Group and Singapore Airlines are seeing an improved hiring landscape in the destination, with recruitment activities intensifying over the past few months.

The recordings can be reviewed now on TTG Asia Media’s YouTube channel.

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