Straits Times 7 Mar 09;
IF YOU build it, they will come.
So goes the line from the hit movie Field Of Dreams. Singapore has already built the pieces that will allow it to become a big tourism draw - from the upcoming integrated resorts to the Gardens by the Bay. There is even a brand-new international cruise terminal in the works.
What the country needs to do next is to shout this out to the world, the new head of the Singapore Tourism Board (STB), Ms Aw Kah Peng, said yesterday.
There are many people out there who are not aware of the transformation Singapore has undergone, said Ms Aw, who took over the top post from Mr Lim Neo Chian in January.
This lack of awareness is an important area that needs to be addressed in a time of falling tourist arrivals, she said.
In her first interview since taking over, the 41-year-old said that despite the downturn, people still want to travel. Singapore is well-placed to take advantage of this because it offers travellers experiences they cannot find elsewhere, she said.
Take dining, said Ms Aw, who pointed out that there is something for everyone here, from cheap local food to expensive high-end cuisine.
On the switch in her portfolios, the former assistant managing director of industry at the Economic Development Board (EDB) said there is little difference in her work. At the end of the day, whether she is at STB or EDB, her job is 'still a business'.
'It is still about creating something different so that people will want to buy it or visit it.'
Apart from advertising Singapore's charms to the rest of the world, Ms Aw said another important part of her job is to find ways to add 'more buzz' to the city.
This, she said, does not always have to involve the building of new projects. Sometimes, even little things count.
For instance, she said, keeping stores on Orchard Road open till 2am or making it a pedestrian-only area on weekends would add excitement to the city.
She said: 'We are not such a big country, so we have to take advantage of all that we have.'
