TravTalk Middle East Online Magazine
After a successful virtual roadshow in Aug 2020, the STB will conduct its second virtual roadshow on February 3, 2021 with 15 partners from 10am to 4pm UAE time.
Shehara Rizly
Beverly Au Yong, Area Director – Middle East, Singapore Tourism Board, shared, “Through the virtual trade roadshow, Singapore Tourism Board in the Middle East is offering an opportunity to Singapore stakeholders to share reimagined initiatives and offers with the regional trade partners. Singapore Tourism Board will continue to engage its travel trade partners to provide support through these challenging times. The virtual roadshow provides an exclusive opportunity for the regional travel trade partners to virtually connect with multiple service providers in Singapore.
This platform allows our trade partners to deepen their ties, discuss business opportunity and get updates about the various services, offers and products available in Singapore, following the pandemic.”
Q Could you share a brief about the second virtual roadshow by STB?
This roadshow is the second edition of our virtual trade roadshow, with the first one being held in August last year. Through these roadshows we aim to connect local trade partners for business and networking opportunities with Singapore-based travel stakeholders. The virtual roadshows also give us an opportunity to stay top-of-mind and continue to build our associations with travel trade partners in the region.
The second STB Virtual trade roadshow will be held on February 3 between 10 am to 4 pm UAE time. During this time regional travel trade partners can register and book meetings to network with Singapore-based travel stakeholders.
The theme of the second edition of the STB Virtual trade roadshow is ‘Charting Our Pathways to Tourism Recovery’. The virtual tradeshow is part of STB’s regional B2B engagement efforts with the objective to provide GCC travel trade partners to engage with Singapore service providers for business opportunities.
In addition to destination updates, Singapore Tourism Board, ME will also share ‘SingapoReimagine’, the new global initiative to reimagine travel for Singapore and the rest of the world, by sparking conversations, stories and ideas to collectively shape the future of the travel sector.
Our travel partners from the Middle East can also expect some immersive virtual tour experiences from Singapore partners and service providers.
Q How many partners will attend the event?
In our first virtual trade roadshow, we organised meetings seamlessly between 14 Singapore tourism stakeholders and over 280 outbound travel agents/tour operators from the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar and Bahrain. In the second edition, we already have 15-16 Singapore service providers on board who are anticipating fruitful interactions with trade partners from GCC countries.
Q Who are your target audience for the second virtual roadshow?
The virtual roadshow will focus on leisure and M!CE outbound travel agents/tour operators from the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar and Bahrain.
Q How can one register for the event?
The registration will be open for travel trade stakeholders managing outbound travel services from the GCC countries on a first come first service basis. Interested agents will be able to register to interact with a selected set of Singapore service providers on the registration link published and promoted on TravTalk Middle East B2B platforms. The regional trade partners can choose to chat or have a face-to-face conversation with the Singapore service providers. Each agency is allowed a maximum of two attendees.
Partners @ STB’s Virtual Roadshow
Ashley Aw, Senior Assistant Director, Sales & Marketing, Gardens by the Bay
Gardens by the Bay is not merely a garden; it’s an immersive experience into the world of flora. Every customer to Singapore is a valued visitor and we do see more Middle Eastern visitors with a keen interest to explore our diverse plant life and our famed horticultural attractions. We are looking forward to re-connect with the trade partners and welcome them back when they are ready to visit us.
Clement Tan Chuon Wei, Assistant Vice President – Sales International Market South Asia & Middle East, Wildlife Reserves Singapore
We will share the latest update on Wildlife Reserves Singapore’s four operating parks – Singapore Zoo, River Safari, Night Safari, Jurong Bird Park and how we ensure the safety for every visitor and make it a memorable visit with us. The Middle East market is an important source market for premium offerings from our parks, it is essential to understand the need to curate the right offerings to capture the market.
Dominic Ong, Senior Vice President Sales, Tour East Singapore
Our strategy is simple – to continually improve and develop the best holiday programmes in the industry. With our vast experience in the GCC market, we know and understand consumer needs. We invite you to visit us with an open mind. We will be sharing our updated information and activities. The event would be of great help in building relationships in the near future.
Fawad Khan, Commercial Manager – Gulf and Middle East, Singapore Airlines
Travel industry partners from the region will have a good opportunity to hear the latest updates about Singapore Airlines, Singapore as destination and various DMCs joining in from Singapore. We expect a large number of trade partners registering for the roadshow. Despite the roadshow being virtual, trade partners will acquire information in a more focused and interactive manner.
Gaurav Choksi, Deputy Manager – International Sales, One Faber Group
As ME is an important market for One Faber Group, we have thoughtfully curated our product offerings to ensure our valuable target customers’ needs are met. Other than bridging meaningful connections, the sharing session is important for One Faber Group to create top of mind brand recall and increase awareness for our products and services among the key in-market travel agents.
Kathryn Loh, General Manager – Destination Management Inbound, SingExpress Travel DMC
Our newly implemented DMC Integrated Digital System (DMC IDS) specially caters to incentives, meetings, and leisure group travel. We have handled several successful incentive groups from Dubai, Israel, and Egypt between 2019 & 2020. We will share more information on our DMC Integrated Digital System and cultivate mutually beneficial partnerships at the roadshow.
Regina Koh, Sales and Marketing Manager, Fareast Hospitality Management
We will be showcasing our hotels in the Southern Island of Singapore, Sentosa, Village Hotel Sentosa, The Outpost Hotel & The Barracks Hotel. We will be promoting our hotels in the Middle East market. In terms of M!CE and leisure, our objective is to ensure that our hotels have more exposure in the Middle East market.
Serhan Bektas, Business Development Manager, Sea Wheel Travel
At the roadshow we will share a short brief about our company, who we are, what we did, what we are able to do? What are our plans for the future? What is our advantage and what are the benefits for our partners? The GCC market is very important as it is a stable market. We hope to understand the market and agent requirements. We hope to be well known as a local tour operator for Singapore in the GCC in the near future.
Yvonne Low, Executive Director, The Traveller DMC
We will be able to connect and engage with our agents/partners and meet them face-to-face through this virtual platform. We will also be sharing with them our new & novel experiences of many Singapore’s products offerings under Origin Journeys. Our new offerings such as Professional Congress Organiser will enable them conduct business meetings and conferences.
