SINGAPORE TOURISM BOARD IS TOP INNOVATOR

Singapore Tourism Board (STB) is the Top Innovator among national tourist organisations in the Asia-Pacific. This was the opinion of a selection panel of 20 experts in the first ever Innovators Awards by TravelWeekly East a Singapore based publication by Reed Travel and Meetings Asia.

The STB also won top place in the category for Innovation in Environment/Heritage work, for its efforts in the exemplary Changi Chapel relocation and preservation project.

TravelWeekly East's Innovator Awards seek to recognise specific innovations in the Asia-Pacific tourism industry.

Yeoh Siew Hoon, TWE's editorial director, said: "Innovators Awards recognise companies and individuals who have lifted the bar in the existing market they are in or changed the rules of the game or taken a simple idea and executed it well. The Singapore Tourism Board has certainly excelled in these categories."

The panel of experts comprised decision makers from the Asia-Pacific. They included Luzi Matzig, Group Managing Director of Asian Trails Ltd, Sue Biggs, Managing Director of Kuoni UK, Michael Molloy, Assistant Vice President of Credit Suisse First Boston and Andrew Butcher, Publisher, TIME magazine.

Each panelist was asked to nominate top three choices in each of the 13 award categories, for individuals or companies which had set themselves apart by applying "cutting edge management techniques". The panelists took into consideration such criteria as innovation in product, human resource, technology, marketing, crisis management or sales and distribution.

STB notched it to the top spot as the most innovative national tourist organisation for a number of its initiatives. These included the current Live it up! marketing campaign, which the panelists say have "positioned Singapore as a happening, fun city". Live it up! was also praised as an effective international advertising campaign, which "promotes Singapore as a place where people can have their dream holiday."

STB's efforts in promoting regional tourism and in product development also earned kudos. Citations from the panel were "the most aggressive tourist board in forging real partnerships with neighbours such as Thailand, Indonesia and Malaysia" and "a leading role in the re-development of projects such as Changi Chapel, Chinatown and the waterfront areas".

Recognition was given to STB's industrial relations where panelists said: "STB works closely with the various industry partners to strategise on how best to sell Singapore and increase arrivals. They also play a big part in determining future demand and effecting when additional hotels will be built so as not to saturate the market."

Human resource development was another area where STB impressed the panelists, who cited: "The STB participated in a major human resource initiative to attract and nurture talents and future leaders to help drive Singapore's economic development."

Yeo Khee Leng, STB's Chief Executive, who received the awards from TWE, said: "All of us at the STB thank the panelists and TWE for this recognition of our efforts. It gives us great encouragement that what we do and how we do it is seen by the industry as innovative.

"The STB has often gone beyond the perimeters of an NTO in our pursuit to make Singapore highly visible. More than marketeers, we are change managers, and we fervently believe in making an impact. That is why we take bold steps and partner the industry to bring about the changes that elevate the industry and give Singapore the leading edge."

These bold steps included the most ambitious 15-month worldwide marketing campaign the MilleniaMania - which ran from June 1999 to September 2000. An innovative feature was the Once-in-a-Millennium (OIM) draw for which each day of the 15 months saw a lucky visitor to Singapore win a free vacation back by simply completing a questionnaire. From the pool of entries submitted one winner was picked at the end of the 15 months for the grand OIM prize of 21 SIA business class tickets, luxury hotel accommodation, hosted banquets and a two-night cruise.

The STB has also made an impact in the area of arts in Singapore. Working with the National Arts Council, the National Heritage Board and the Ministry of Information and the Arts, the STB has been steadily elevating Singapore's status as a regional arts centre.

The STB's heritage efforts have seen a conscientious push to preserve some of Singapore's historical landmarks. The Changi Chapel relocation project was among the most ambitious. A replica of the chapel - a sanctuary for prisoners-of-war during the Japanese Occupation years -was sited within the Changi Prison grounds. The expansion of the prison complex necessitated the chapel to be relocated.

The STB, with support from the Ministry of Information and the Arts and the National Archives of Singapore, guided the chapel's relocation and the development of the Changi Museum. Today, this stands on a site just five minutes' drive from the prison grounds, as a World War II Memorial in tribute to the many PoWs who were interned in Changi.

The Top Innovator awards are among a growing list of international accolades for the STB. Earlier this year, STB was voted Best NTO by readers of Travel Asia and TTG Asia. STB has also won the International Festivals and Events Association's awards for the Singapore Food Festival and World Gourmet Summit.