A Memorandum of Understanding was signed in
The agreement also opens up a possibility of a route from
The
He said the demand for air travel between the two countries had grown due to increased links in trade, investments, tourism and other economic ties.
There are currently 142 weekly passenger services between
The services sector is one of the fastest growing in
But even as the hotels and food and beverage industry are increasing manpower and working round the clock to cope with demand, they are already mapping out strategies to make sure they do not lose staff to the integrated resorts when they are up and running in two years.
For chef Lawrence Tay and his team at Orchard Hotel, customer satisfaction is uppermost in their minds during the festive season.
It's a 'never-say-no' policy even for last-minute challenging requests.
Ensuring there is sufficient manpower to meet demand during festive periods is something hotels start thinking about in the middle of each year,
while not forgetting about staff who have to celebrate the occasion with their families.
Ruprecht Schmitz, Executive Assistant Manager, Orchard Hotel, said: "The ones who had a day or the whole Christmas period off last year will work this year so that others who had worked last year will be able to take time off this year. In order to prepare successfully for this period - because it's a very strenuous period - you have to have a lot of staff around and attend to many more and different clientele that you have usually around the year. You have to plan a long time ahead."
The period from Christmas to Chinese New Year is also boom-time for part timers.
One key source of manpower for hotels during the festive period are students from the universities and educational institutions.
Industry sources say some of them could even command as much as two to three times more in salary compared to normal periods.
But the Food Drinks and Allied Workers Union - which represents nearly 35,000 workers from the services sector - believes more locals will join the industry, as hotels are now implementing the five-day work week.
All the more so, with some 30,000 jobs expected to be created when the two integrated resorts at
Tan Hock Soon, general-secretary for Food, Drinks and Allied Workers' Union (FDAWU), said: "We are coming up with a task force for manpower challenges, come the IR...We hope to see how we can work together with the hotels to see how we can tap on the housewives, the matured workers as well as the young, to see how we can attract them by changing the operating systems, like five-day work week and many other things, probably including better wages with a strong economy. The hotels are very fearful of manpower because IRs will be able to pay to attract the best employees to go over."
Meantime, the Singapore Hotel Association says it is optimistic that 2007 will be yet another good year for the industry's occupancy rates.
Gentlemen, start your engines.
Today has identified the two prominent
Neither businessmen would confirm or deny their involvement with the eagerly-anticipated race to bring the thrill of world-class motor racing to
However, insiders with intimate knowledge of the wheeling and dealing going on confirmed the involvement of Mr Ong and Mr Tay.
Mr Ong is one of
That plan was scrapped because of concerns at the time over costs and need to build a racetrack.
But this time, the 57-year-old local businessman has proposed a joint venture with Mr Ecclestone to co-manage and co-own the rights to the
Mr Ong's proposal would mean roping the Singapore Government into investing in the infrastructure to support such a race.
Analysts say this may not be such a far-fetched idea, given that when
But sources told Today that Mr Tay, a late entrant into the race, has made a more attractive offer to Mr Ecclestone, which has prompted a re-evaluation of Mr Ong's bid.
The 50-year-old Ferrari-driving chairman and managing director of SUTL Group, which operates a major lifestyle and leisure business, is believed to have proposed paying Mr Ecclestone's Formula One Management company an upfront hosting fee, believed to be in the region of US$35 million, and to then run the Singapore F1 race as an independent operator.
This is similar to the arrangement in other F1 race venues in
With millions of dollars at stake, sources told Today that talks are at a "critical" junction and all parties are bound by strict confidentiality and non-disclosure agreements. But the chequered flag is in sight. A decision is expected within weeks and the first race may be in September next year.
If the green light is given –
F1 drivers will also welcome a night race as they get to avoid the afternoon heat and humidity in other Asian venues such as Sepang in
It is understood that a September date is being considered so as not to clash with the F1 race in Sepang, which is usually in March or April.
Six Raffles properties have been listed in the Conde Nast Traveler’s Gold List 2007: Raffles Hotel Vier Jahreszeiten,
This recognition comes after Raffles Hotels & Resorts was ranked as one of the top hotel brands in the Conde Nast Traveler Business Travel Awards in October 2006.
The Gold List recognizes the best of the world’s top hotels, resorts and cruise lines. Hotels are ranked on six categories: Rooms, Service, Food, Location, Design and Activities.
“What finer way to start the new year than to have six of our hotels listed in the Conde Nast Traveler Gold List,” said Diana Ee Tan, Managing Director of Raffles Hotels & Resorts.
“The readers of Conde Nast are discerning travellers, so recognition from them is most gratifying. Our Raffles hotels are often appreciated as residential sanctuaries, where one can enjoy an enchanting fusion of comfort, timeless style, and heartfelt hospitality. This latest acclaim for our hotels is most encouraging as we seek to grow Raffles in many of the world’s most sought-after travel destinations.”
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About Sijori Resort Sentosa
Sijori Resort Sentosa consists of Colonial style architecture with that old world charm. Dining and leisure is a pleasant experience here where the choices for our guests are as diverse and as wide as
