Victoria Jen, Channel NewsAsia 5 Sep 08;
SINGAPORE : Sentosa is aiming to bring in the crowds with a number of new tourist attractions next year.
Among the new attractions that will be open in the first quarter of next year is a water sports centre, with a fleet of charter boats.
Also in the pipeline is a S$15 million simulated wave surfing facility, where surfers can ride a 10-foot barrelling wave.
Indoor sky diving will be offered in the second quarter.
Sentosa Leisure Group's new CEO, Mike Barclay, expects the new attractions and the opening of the integrated resort to double the number of visitors annually.
He said: "In terms of the number of guests we have coming to the island, we are currently about 6.1 million, 6.2 million a year. We see that increasing to as high as 15 million by the year 2015.
"The Resorts World at Sentosa is coming on line at 2010 and we will be progressively opening, and that itself is going to attract 9 million, 10 million (visitors) a year." - CNA/ms
Sentosa to review transport links in time for IR
New chief also plans to create fresh masterplan and ensure smooth opening for attractions
Lim Wei Chean, Straits Times 6 Sep 08;
THE new chief of Sentosa said the resort island is evaluating its transport network to make sure it can handle the hordes of visitors expected to accompany the opening of its integrated resort (IR) in 2010.
Mr Mike Barclay said the island's cable cars, buses, skytrains and roads would be examined to ensure they can accommodate up to 15 million people a year.
He said: 'The opening of the IR will bring many challenges for areas like infrastructure. We must make sure we can handle the capacity.'
Mr Barclay, who became Sentosa's chief last month, was speaking for the first time about his outlook for the island. Along with re-evaluating the transport grid, Mr Barclay hopes to create a new 10-year masterplan and see several new beach attractions open next year.
When it opens in the first quarter of 2010, Resorts World at Sentosa is expected to more than double the six million people who visit the area annually. It will include attractions such as Asia's first Universal Studio and a Marine Life Park with whale sharks.
Two weeks into the job, the 41-year-old said he is unable to give more concrete plans on what he intends to do. He took over from Mr Darrell Metzger, who quit last April.
However, Mr Barclay said he wants to 'enrich a very good model that we have here'.
His short-term goal is to make sure four new attractions slated to open on Siloso Beach by next year do so smoothly.
The beach will have a new zipline, a sky diving simulator and a machine that creates waves up to 3m high for surfers. It is also expected to feature a watersports centre that will have food and beverage outlets as well as various sea sports.
Mr Barclay is also working on a new 10-year masterplan for the development of the island after the last masterplan spearheaded by his predecessor was completed earlier this year. Mr Metzger was credited with turning around the island's fortunes, reviving lagging visitor numbers and lacklustre attractions.
The new masterplan is expected to be up by the end of the year. Mr Barclay said: 'It is an exciting time ahead for us.'
However, one hotel project that was supposed to have opened on the island this year has stalled. The $45 million Palawan Beach Resort by NTUC Club is back on the drawing board amid rocketing land construction costs.
The 200-room resort was announced three years ago as a high-end hotel for the working class.
A NTUC Club spokesman said it is 'reviewing the concept and plans of the resort' to ensure that it will 'serve our social mission to provide an affordable social and recreational facility for our members and the masses'.
All the island’s a stage
And there’s a spot for everyone, CEO assures, despite IR andnew developments
Teo Xuanwei, Today Online 6 Sep 08;
SHORTLY after stepping into his new job as chief executive of Sentosa Development Corporation (SDC) two weeks ago, Mike Barclay was fined $2 by his staff.
His offence? Referring to visitors to Sentosa as “customers” instead of “guests”.
He has also had a “hectic” period so far: Picking up new skills such as balloon sculpting, magic tricks, and greeting visitors in five different languages, and making time to meet each and every staff working under him — including those manning the entry gantries.
This organisational culture is something refreshing to Mr Barclay, 41, who took the reins on Aug 25 after serving as the International Air Transport Association’s regional vice-president for a year, and earlier stints at SilkAir and Singapore Airlines.
But he’s relishing it. Already, he has set the short-term focus for the island resort as ensuring that service quality remains intimate and friendly.
“We train each and every staff to treat the island like it’s a show, like we’re on stage all the time,” said Mr Barclay when he met reporters on Friday.
But with additions such as luxury homes with private yacht berths, a new watersports centre, a wind tunnel for windsurfing nuts and the integrated resort moving in within the next two years, what will his long-term vision be?
Will the changing visitor demographics — a higher-end crowd — transform the essence of Sentosa, long the laid-back getaway for families and students?
What of some concerns that parts of the island might be set aside for access only by the rich andprivileged, when Resorts World opens its doors?
Mr Barclay gave his assurance that the only thing that will change is the look of the place, not the feel.
He also said that SDC will engage all stakeholders in discussions before any developments are built, adding that he has arranged to meet residents of Sentosa Cove next week.
New facilities, such as the plethora of retail and food and beverage outlets, have been added, and more will come — including a causeway parallel to the existing gateway to enhance accessibility, as Sentosa gears up for visitorship to rise from about 6 million now to 15 million by 2015.
But Mr Barclay stressed that Sentosa will remain a place with a spot for everyone.
Various corners of the island will be differentiated with their own distinct character, he added, to cater to the needs of different people. “There will be focused areas for play, like the beaches; some areas will be relatively untouched and unspoilt; and others will be quieter and more contemplative,” he said.
For instance, the amount of greenery on the island will not be disturbed. Sentosa has also started a programme involving nine primary schools, where students come in to learn about nature and help with conservation efforts.
Asked if new attractions would be introduced to replace those with ailing visitorship, Mr Barclay said there have been no firm plans so far.
He added, however, that Sentosa will continue to “evolve to complement Singapore’s tourism efforts”. And when “the right players with the right fit” come along, he will be open to exploring such opportunities.
By the time he fielded every question put to him, it was almost 5 pm, and Mr Barclay had spent over two hours chatting with reporters.
But his day was not over yet. The next item on the boss’s packed schedule: A Sentosa staff’s marriage solemnisation ceremony, held — of course — on the island.
Related links
More background on Sentosa on the wild shores of singapore blog.
