The Singapore Tourism Board (STB) wants to revolutionise the hotel sector with the launch of an industry roadmap yesterday by S Iswaran, Singapore’s minister for trade and industry (industry).
Named the Hotel Industry Transformation Map (Hotel ITM), the initiative’s goal is to help hospitality businesses in Singapore achieve sustainable growth.
To that end, four strategies have been identified: to build manpower-lean business models; develop new solutions through innovation; grow businesses through internationalisation; and to build a strong pipeline of quality talent.
An example highlighted by STB is the Shangri-La Hotel Singapore, which is currently undergoing renovation works. It is the first hotel retrofitting project being supported by the national agency under this scheme to boost the property’s productivity.
The hotel is doing so by centralising its kitchen and lounge work processes to replace less efficient legacy infrastructure. Through this, it expects to save up to 45 per cent in man hours in its service and culinary functions, according to STB.
A further 16 hotels are expected to build up lean operation and measurement capabilities through STB’s programme early next year.
On the talent front, a campaign to build greater awareness of hotel careers is slated to start in the first quarter of next year, complementing current initiatives such as the Professional Conversion Programme for Professional Executives (Hotel Industry), the Skills Future Earn and Learn Programme, and the SkillsFuture Study Awards for the hotel industry.
“The Hotel ITM is key to ensuring that Singapore’s hotel industry stays abreast of consumers’ changing needs and sustainably thrives amid our manpower-constrained landscape,” said Lionel Yeo, chief executive of STB.
“It is also an example of how the government, industry and its stakeholders can achieve more when we work together. We strongly encourage the industry to participate in the initiatives under the ITM.”
