SINGAPORE BOOSTS BETTER SERVICE WITH TOURISM AWARDS

Tourism Awards winners will be unveiled for the 16th time on 1 November 2001. This year's award ceremony will be held at the Stamford Ballroom of the Westin Stamford and Westin Plaza with President S R Nathan as the Guest-of-Honour. A total of 400 finalists and prominent industry representatives are expected to attend this gala event.

The Tourism Awards forms part of a bigger strategy of the Singapore Tourism Board to upgrade service standards by recognising exemplary individuals and companies in the tourism industry.

At the same time, this year's award ceremony will also be instrumental in lifting the morale of an industry battered by the international crisis.

Mr Yeo Khee Leng, STB's Chief Executive said: "It is an honour that the President of Singapore will be gracing the Tourism Awards. The tourism industry is currently facing a very challenging time. The Tourism Awards may not solve the current problems, but the evening will bring us all together and reinforce the camaraderie for which this industry is known. The STB firmly believes that there is no other time than now for all in the tourism industry to pull together and work towards recovery."

Bigger goals are still in focus. The need to elevate service standards in Singapore will continue to be a priority for the industry that still has job vacancies to fill.

Mr Yeo commented: "We recognise that levels of service in Singapore leave much to be desired. That is why the winners of the annual Tourism Awards are so special because they understand the Art of Service, and they always deliver service as an art form. We hope many more workers in the industry will also want to demonstrate this special quality and take Singapore to the league of tourism capitals of the world."

The number of public nominations received this year increased 12 per cent to more than 23,000. Of these, 41 per cent were from foreign visitors a record, which represents an increase of 30 per cent over last year.

Nominations from Singapore residents, however, showed a marginal increase of 2 per cent.

This year's Awards will see finalists vying for 19 categories. A regular category, the Best Dining Experience, will now form a part of the World Gourmet Summit Awards of Excellence.

List of Finalists for Tourism Awards 2001

Best Event Organiser (Arts & Entertainment)

IMG Singapore Pte Ltd (Chicago, Riverdance ? The Show)

Singapore Dance Theatre Ltd (Romeo & Juliet, Ballet Under the Stars)

Singapore Symphonia Company Ltd (7th International Piano Festival, International Music Series)

Best Event Organiser (Special Events)

Gwyndara International (Singapore River Buskers' Festival 2000)

Peter Knipp Holdings Pte Ltd (World Gourmet Summit 2000)

Sentosa Development Corporation (Sentosa Black Moon Party, Sentosa

Sandsation 2000, Sentosa Countdown 2001, Sentosa Hell 'O' Ween)

Best Shopping Experience Retail Outlet

escentials

Giordano Originals (S) Pte Ltd

Robinson & Co. (S) Pte Ltd

Best Shopping Experience Shopping Centre

Raffles City Shopping Centre

Suntec City Mall

Takashimaya Shopping Centre

Best Travel Story (English)

"Singapore Slings Old Image and Hops into Hip" by Ms Helen Musa, Australia

"Singapore Swing" by Mr John Powers, USA

TV Segment ? "Singapore Food Festival", Carlton Food Network, UK

Best Travel Story (Non-English)

"A Green Tour of Singapore" by Ms You Hui-Ling, Taiwan

"Experience a Whole New Singapore (Part Two)" by Ms Chang Hui-Er, Taiwan

"Singapur: La Nueva Puerta de Asia (Singapore: New Gateway to Asia)" by Ms

Elena del Amo, Spain

Hotel of the Year

Four Seasons Hotel Singapore

The Fullerton Singapore

The Ritz-Carlton, Millenia Singapore

Leisure Attraction of the Year

Singapore Art Museum

Singapore Zoological Gardens

The Night Safari

Most Innovative Linked Regional Product

Grand Hotel d'Angkor, Raffles International Ltd

"New Asia Premier Vacations", Tour East Singapore (1996) Pte Ltd

"Singapore - Bintan Honeymooners Tour", Kepin Travel Pte Ltd

Nightspot of the Year

Bar None

IndoChine Bar (Bar Sa Vanh)

Zouk

Travel Agency of the Year (Inbound)

P&O Travel (Singapore) Pte Ltd

Pacific World Singapore

Travel Agency of the Year (Outbound)

Ananda Travel (S) Pte Ltd

Chan Brothers International Pte Ltd

Sino-America (UIC) Tours Corporation Pte Ltd

Tourism Host of the Year Hotel

Mr Mohd Ismail Bin Mohd Basir (Sheraton Towers Singapore)

Ms Sharmini Heer (The Ritz-Carlton, Millenia Singapore)

Tourism Host of the Year Leisure Attraction

Mr Chandran A/L VP Kunhikannan (The Night Safari)

Mr Krishnan s/o Vellasamy (Singapore Zoological Gardens)

Mr Jimmy Liew Chee Heng (Singapore Botanic Gardens)

Tourism Host of the Year Restaurant

Ms Jocelyn Tay Kai Lin (Outback Steakhouse)

Mr Letchumanan A/L Shanmugam (Orchard Hotel Singapore)

Mr Maheswaran A/L Suppiah @ Bala (Royal Plaza on Scotts)

Tourism Host of the Year Retail

Mr Alan Tan Boo Jiak (G2000 Apparel (S) Pte Ltd)

Ms Samantha Chan Sok Lye (Larry Jewelry (S) Pte Ltd)

Ms Victoria Ho Fong Kin (Robinson & Co. (S) Pte Ltd)

Tourism Host of the Year Transport (Taxi)

Mr Albert Tan Kian Min (Yellow-Top Cab Pte Ltd)

Mr Raymond Mah Kwai Heen (CityCab Pte Ltd)

Mr Sunny Ho Choon Hwa (CityCab Pte Ltd)

Tourism Host of the Year Tour Guiding

Mr Clinton Chong Hin Leong

Mr Garry Koh

Mr Lawrence Hoe Seng Teck

Tourism Host of the Year Travel Agency

Ms Cindy Yeap Chin Lian (Anglo-French Travel Pte Ltd)

Mr Fong Onn Wai (Chan Brothers Travel Pte Ltd)

Mr Keith Ng Kian Boon (Sino-America (UIC) Tours Corporation Pte Ltd)