Marina Bay Sands will be home to Asia’s leading urban wellness haven with the return of Glow Festival from February 4-12 next year. The festival aims to cater to the well-being needs of participants through its comprehensive programme.
The inaugural event in 2019 drew a crowd of 15,000 active participants to Sentosa.
Supported by the Singapore Tourism Board (STB) and Marina Bay Sands (MBS), Glow Festival 2023 will feature unique workshops designed and conducted by wellness experts, in-person and digital experiences, and a line-up of international celebrity fitness instructors.
Ong Ling Lee, executive director, sports and wellness, STB said: “We are proud to support homegrown wellness events such as the Glow Festival 2023, which showcase the wide range of innovative wellness offerings in Singapore, while making them accessible to both locals and visitors.
“Such events add vibrancy to Singapore’s calendar of events and support our ambition to become a leading urban wellness destination that prioritises holistic well-being”
Highlights of Glow Festival comprises curated workshops and wellness classes hosted by celebrity instructors, food items at selected MBS restaurants, and a dazzling closing party at MARQUEE Singapore.
The multi-sensory studio space by Kingsmen spans the size of four tennis courts and highlights humankind’s connection with nature – each session will be an immersive experience of sounds, smells, and sights of the natural world.
In addition, participants can use The Glow App from January 1 to February 12, 2023 to complete gamified fitness challenges island-wide. Titled LightEarn, the app experience is designed to amplify the connection between exercise and mental health, where runners, walkers, cyclists, and hikers can stand a chance to win up to S$25,000 (US$17,516) in cash prizes and more.
The Glow App will also be fundraising for Community Chest in support of its 40th anniversary in 2023. All of the funds raised will be channelled through Community Chest to the Samaritans of Singapore to support its essential work in mental health.
Martin Capstick, chief executive of Exceed Sports & Entertainment and founder of Glow Festival said: “Mental, physical, and emotional well-being are at the core of Glow Festival 2023’s messaging. We want to inspire festivalgoers to adopt new practices to live happier and healthier lives and present them with a truly unique opportunity to unwind.
“We also believe in the strong connection between improved mental well-being through exercise and the simple act of giving. To that end, we’re very proud to be supporting Community Chest and the hugely important work of the Samaritans of Singapore.”
She was most recently director – human resources and administration for G4S Security Services (Thailand), overseeing a total headcount of 20,000 employees.
Far East Hospitality (FEH) is planning to enter Indonesia with its Oasia and Quincy brands, with Bali, Jakarta and Surabaya as its initial target locations.
The plan is part of the strategic alliance which the Singapore-based company signed with Indonesia’s Artotel Group last year. Under the partnership both companies will collaborate across operations, cross-branding exposure and training as well supporting business growth across markets.
Speaking on the partnership at a media round-table in Jakarta recently, Arthur Kiong, CEO of FEH Management said: “Singapore and Indonesia are key inbound markets for our respective sector. As such we see strong synergies for both countries.”
To develop the business in Indonesia, Kiong said he needed Artotel’s expertise to accelerate the process.
“We don’t presume to come in here to do the job…by ourselves. Pak Erastus and his team are an ideal partner…as they understand the connection, have the network, and (speak) the language,” he explained.
On the other hand, Erastus Radjimin, founder and CEO of Artotel Group said: “We may be strong in Indonesia but we are nobody overseas, while FEH is huge. We have never run more than 50 hotels before, while they have.”
On the choice of hotels to enter Indonesia, Kiong said both hotel brands provide unique offerings in the market. He shared how Quincy was “designed for the non-conformist travellers – people who do not want to follow traditional hotel rules”, where guests have the freedom to check-in and out, and enjoy coffee tea and snacks at the lobby any time they want.
As for Oasia, Kiong said: “Indonesia has a reputation as a wellness destination and natural attractions (so) we want to bring our brand here. We want to be here to bring yet another differentiator (to the existing variety of wellness products) with a practical or very pragmatic delivery of wellness.”
Meanwhile, Artotel Group is aiming to flag its brand in the region while providing a platform for Indonesian talents to gain international experience and exposure through the collaboration with FEH.
Erastus said: “(With FEH assistance), we want to export our brands to Singapore as well as Japan, Malaysia and Vietnam – destinations where FEH has set to grow its business into.”