TOURISM AWARDS BIGGER AND BRIGHTER IN THE NEW MILLENNIUM

The annual Tourism Awards, organised by the Singapore Tourism Board (STB), is

in its 15th year of inception this year. It has grown from the original six

categories of awards in 1985 to a comprehensive 22 this year. The expanded

list of awards will honour more individuals and organisations in the industry

ranging from shops, hotels, travel media, restaurants, and attractions to

guides who have gone that 'extra mile' to make Singapore an irresistible

destination. To signal a fresh start to the millennium, the awards have also

been given a new look.

New & Revised Categories

Two new categories have been added to recognise arts, entertainment and special

event organisers. The new categories, The Best Event Organiser (Arts and

Entertainment) and Best Event Organiser (Special Events) bring the total number

of awards to 22. Recognising the multimedia world we live in, the Best Travel

Story award category has been expanded beyond print media to include broadcast,

radio and internet.


The STB,s Chief Executive, Mr Yeo Khee Leng, said that the awards had come to

play an important role in the industry and it was important to keep the awards

constantly updated to reflect new trends and changes in the industry.


&In the last year, we have seen tremendous growth in the arts, entertainment

and events arena. Singapore has played host to a range of world-class events )

with everything ranging from pop performers like Mariah Carey, to the unique

entertainment of Cirque Du Soleil's Saltimbanco, WOMAD, and the acclaimed

Singapore Arts Festival,8 he said.

"Singapore now boasts an active and sophisticated arts and entertainment

calendar and has a proven track record in the staging of special events. It is

important that we recognise the event organisers as they help to make Singapore

more vibrant and happening." he said.

The Best Event Organiser (Arts and Entertainment) category seeks to recognise

organisers of visual and performing arts events, including theatre, concerts,

dance, festivals, popular entertainment, art exhibitions, fairs and auctions.


For the Best Event Organiser (Special Events) award category, special events

have been defined as having a festive spirit; or offering a unique, once-in-a

lifetime experience; or having significant cultural, traditional or community

roots.

Mr Yeo added that the inclusion of new media, like the Internet, firmly

positions the awards in the new Millennium and reflected the increasing use of

technology by the travelling public to gain information from the Internet.


New Logo

Signalling these changes is a new logo for the Tourism Awards which reflects

the feel of the new millennium.

Visually represented by a star, a universal symbol of achievement and

recognition, the logo is created by combining two search lights that lock

together to form the shape of a star. This rendition of a star underlines the

qualities of the elegance, prestige and celebration associated with the Tourism

Awards. It also emphasises the +star, quality of tourism by bringing all these

traits into the spotlight.

Public Nominations

Every year, there is an opportunity for visitors and members of the public to

vote for these individuals and organisations that have made that extra effort

in providing a special experience. With the help of a panel of judges, the

winners selected from 22 award categories will be honoured for their

outstanding contribution at the first Tourism Awards of the millennium to be

held in November 2000.

Members of the public are invited to cast their votes in 16 of the 22

categories. They are:

Tourism Host of the year (in the categories of retail, transport-taxi, tour

guiding, restaurant, hotel, travel agency, leisure attraction);

Hotel of the Year;

Best Dining Experience;

Leisure Attraction of the Year;

Nightspot of the Year;

Best Shopping Experience (retail outlet, shopping centre);

Travel Agency of the Year (inbound, outbound);

Most Innovative Linked regional Product.

Each public nomination will be automatically entered for a draw featuring a

prize of a free holiday for two, inclusive of return airfare and hotel

accommodation to either Singapore (if the winner is resident abroad) or another

Asia Pacific destination (if the winner is a Singapore resident).

Public nominations open today and close on 8 July 2000. Nominations can be

made via the STB website at https://www.stb.com.sg/services/taw/index.stm or

through nomination forms available at the Singapore Visitors Centres (SVC) and

Tourist Information Centre*, selected hotels, shopping centres, restaurants and

attractions.


TOURISM AWARDS 2000

Tourism Host of the Year ) Retail

A front-line employee of a department store or speciality shop who excels in

service, knowledge of merchandise and services, attitude, communication and

interpersonal skills, initiative and the ability to provide a memorable

shopping experience.

Tourism Host of the Year ) Transport (Taxi)

A licensed taxi driver who excels in driving skills, attitude, knowledge of

local roads, general knowledge and the ability to provide a memorable ride.

Tourism Host of the Year ) Tour Guiding

A STB-licensed tour guide who excels in tourism knowledge, the ability to

capture an audience,s interest, communication and interpersonal skills, tour

management skills, attitude, creativity and the ability to provide a memorable

tour experience.

Tourism Host of the Year ) Restaurant

A front-line employee of a restaurant or hotel food and beverage outlet, who

excels in service, knowledge of food and beverages being served, communication

and interpersonal skills, attitude and the ability to provide a memorable

dining experience.

Tourism Host of the Year ) Hotel

A front-line employee of a gazetted hotel who excels in service, communication

and interpersonal skills, product knowledge, and the ability to provide a

memorable experience.

Tourism Host of the Year ) Travel Agency

A front-line employee of a licensed travel agency who excels in service,

communication and interpersonal skills, product knowledge, and the ability to

provide a memorable experience.

Tourism Host of the Year ) Leisure Attraction

A front-line employee of a leisure attraction who excels in service,

communication and interpersonal skills, product knowledge, and the ability to

provide a memorable experience.

Hotel of the Year

A gazetted hotel which excels in service, the attitude and attentiveness of its

staff, value for money, availability of outstanding facilities and services,

ambience, innovation and the ability to provide visitors with a memorable stay.

Best Dining Experience

A restaurant which excels in service, food quality, its staff,s attitude and

knowledge of food and beverages served, ambience, value for money, innovation

and the ability to provide a memorable dining experience.

Leisure Attraction of the Year

A leisure attraction which excels in service, appeal, the attentiveness and

friendliness of its staff, maintenance and cleanliness, organisation and

management, imaginative promotional activities, product innovation and the

ability to provide a memorable total visitor experience.

Nightspot of the Year

A nightspot featuring quality entertainment, music or dancing and which excels

in service, appeal, the attentiveness and friendliness of its staff,

organisation and management, entertainment quality, value for money, ambience,

image, presentation, innovation and the ability to provide a memorable and

entertaining experience.

Best Shopping Experience ) Retail Outlet

A department store or speciality shop which excels in service, its staff,s

attitude and knowledge of merchandise and services, innovative marketing,

window and in-store displays, store concept, value for money and the ability to

provide a memorable shopping experience.

Best Shopping Experience ) Shopping Centre

A shopping centre which excels in staff service standards, the

user-friendliness of its infrastructure, concept innovation marketing

innovation, its tenant-management relationship and the ability to provide a

memorable shopping experience.

Travel Agency of the Year (Inbound)

A STB-licensed travel agency operating inbound tours to Singapore which excels

in service, product innovation, marketing, promotional activities, customer

service, the attitude of its staff, creativity, the uniqueness and variety of

packages offered, value for money and reliability.

Travel Agency of the Year (Outbound)

A STB-licensed travel agency operating outbound tours from Singapore which

excels in service, product innovation, marketing, promotional activities,

customer service, the attitude of its staff, creativity, the uniqueness and

variety of packages offered, value for money and reliability.

Most Innovative Linked Regional Product

A foreign or local travel agency, airline, hotel, attraction or other creator

of a package linking locally-owned properties in Singapore with other

Singapore-owned properties around the region which excels in innovation, the

quality of the tour experience, value for money and adoption of a seamless

travel pattern.