The Singapore Tourism Awards 2024 was bestowed upon 27 individuals and organisations for delivering exceptional experiences and enterprise excellence in the tourism sector. Organised by the Singapore Tourism Board (STB), the ceremony was held at Raffles City Convention Centre on June 28. Prime Minister and Minister for Finance Lawrence Wong attended the event.
Highlighting Singapore’s growth in the world of tourism, PM Wong said it didn’t happen by chance. “We invested in key infrastructure like Changi Airport. We revamped and improved our attractions—the Zoo and Bird Park are now part of a cluster of nature-themed attractions in Mandai. We strengthened our art and cultural offerings through the Esplanade, our museums,” he said.
“We brought in world-class amenities and facilities, including the Integrated Resorts. We curated a more vibrant calendar of lifestyle events throughout the year. Importantly, we worked together to make sure that the entire visitors experience is a good one – from smooth immigration clearance at the airport to having clean, green, and safe streets where visitors can enjoy themselves,” the Prime Minister added.
We've come a long way in developing Singapore as a tourist destination. It took decades of hard work and careful planning to build what we have today. Thank you to our Singapore Tourism Board officers and pioneers, as well as partners in the tourism industry. pic.twitter.com/OBvf7cVPz6
— Lawrence Wong (@LawrenceWongST) June 28, 2024
STB honoured seven recipients for the Top Awards, while 20 recipients were selected from 83 finalists nominated for the categories of Experience Excellence (Leisure/MICE), Enterprise Excellence and Customer Service Excellence. “The Awards aim to raise the sector’s competitiveness by motivating individuals and organisations to create compelling experiences and adopt best practices, so as to deliver exceptional experience and service to visitors,” an official news release stated.
Congratulating the recipients and finalists, STB Chief Executive Melissa Ow said, “Their contributions and dedication to tourism are an inspiration to others. 2024 marks Singapore Tourism Board’s 60th anniversary, and their achievements exemplify the remarkable passion and commitment of our people who have shaped Singapore’s dynamic tourism sector over the past six decades. Their success inspires new benchmarks for excellence.”
7 recipients for Top Awards
Five individuals and two organisations were honoured under the Top Awards categories.
Pamelia Lee, a pioneering figure in Singapore’s tourism scene since 1978, was conferred the Awards’ highest accolade, Lifetime Achievement for Outstanding Contribution to Tourism, in recognition of her enduring legacy. Throughout her illustrious career, spanning several decades, Lee demonstrated unparalleled vision and ambition in shaping Singapore’s tourism landscape.
During her tenure with STB, she spearheaded the development of groundbreaking projects, including the first tourism masterplan in the 1980s – ranging from the conservation of key heritage buildings like CHIJMES and Raffles Hotel, the historic Civic District and cultural precincts such as Chinatown, Little India and Kampong Gelam, to the relocation of the iconic Merlion, leaving an indelible mark on retaining Singapore’s heritage.
Ron Tan, Executive Chairman & Group Chief Executive Officer of NEON Group, was awarded Outstanding Tourism Entrepreneur for his leadership in pioneering immersive experiences through successful partnerships with renowned international studios such as Disney, Marvel, and Warner Bros.
His visionary leadership not only enhanced Singapore’s global brand positioning but also introduced a series of world-class leisure events to our tourism offerings – including Avatar: The Experience, the upcoming Impressions of Monet, and Harry Potter: Visions of Magic – further strengthening Singapore’s appeal as an attractive destination for our visitors.
Lynette Tan, CEO and Chairwoman of Space Faculty Asia, was awarded the Best Business Event Champion for her advocacy of Asia’s deep-tech sector. Her passion for science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM), and vision for building future global leaders, led to partnerships unlocking access to top business congresses, and her successful bid for the World Robot Olympiad International Finals 2025, put Singapore on the world stage. As a member of STB’s Conference Ambassador Programme, Tan actively promotes Singapore’s strengths internationally through her extensive network.
Additionally, four recipients were each honoured with the Special Recognition award for their outstanding creativity, innovative best practices, and significant contributions to the tourism sector.
Kung Teong Wah, General Manager of PARKROYAL COLLECTION Pickering, Singapore, is a dedicated advocate for digital transformation within the hospitality industry. He actively seeks out and pilots new technologies, securing hotel owners’ buy-in to implement personalised, data-driven initiatives aimed at enhancing guest experiences. He has also spearheaded collaborations with start-ups to explore AI marketing initiatives and improve guest navigation within and around the hotel.
Widely recognised as the “grandfather of Singapore’s heritage cuisine”, Damian D’Silva, chef and owner of Rempapa, is a passionate advocate for Singapore’s food heritage, tradition, and culture. In addition to serving on the judging panel of the reality competition show MasterChef Singapore since 2018, Chef Damian has contributed to various productions and projects that showcase Singapore’s rich culinary heritage.
Changi Airport Group (CAG) played a pivotal role in facilitating the strong rebound in tourist arrivals. CAG swiftly resumed operations in all its four terminals in 2022 to accommodate the surge in travel demand. It rapidly restored its links and flight capacity to other cities, while launching a Global Recovery Campaign with STB and Singapore Airlines. In addition, CAG has consistently demonstrated excellence and dedication in innovation, service, operational efficiency and infrastructure development, including the revamp of Terminal 2, to introduce new experiences for passengers and visitors, enhancing the destination attractiveness of Singapore.
The Singapore Airlines (SIA) Group, including SIA, Scoot, Pelago and Kris+, is recognised for its exceptional contributions to Singapore’s strong tourism recovery. The SIA Group was among the first to resume services and ramp up capacity, capturing pent-up demand as air travel returned. It also worked closely with the tourism sector to raise awareness of Singapore as an attractive destination and drive exploration of all it has to offer. Additionally, the SIA Group has consistently exemplified mastery and commitment in innovation, cabin products development, service and operational efficiency, raising the profile of Singapore globally.
Recognising the best in tourism
20 individuals and organisations were also honoured for their outstanding achievements and dedication across the Experience Excellence (Leisure/MICE), Enterprise Excellence and Customer Service Excellence categories.
The Sundowner Nature Experience Centre’s flagship tour, the Rooftop Farm Experience, was named Outstanding Tour Experience for its refreshing “farm-to-table” concept. A hidden gem nestled in the eclectic Siglap neighbourhood, the tour seamlessly integrates organic gardening, close encounters with honeybees and critters, curated honey tastings, and heartfelt conversations over handpicked herb drinks.
XIU Nature Connections received the Outstanding Wellness Experience award for the second consecutive year, this time for its Morning Forest Bathing experience in Bird Paradise – an innovative partnership that contributes to Singapore’s vision as a leading urban wellness haven. The unique wellness journey allowed participants to connect with nature through an immersive session, concluding with a signature forest tea sharing amidst birds and trees.
Constellar Exhibitions Pte Ltd received the Outstanding Event Organiser (MICE) award for its orchestration of the Agri-Food Tech Expo Asia (AFTEA) and the Singapore FinTech Festival (SFF) in 2023. Its innovative initiatives and focus on local produce provided distinctive experiences for delegates, leading to significant growth for AFTEA and record participation at SFF. A strong supporter of the Meetings, Incentives, Conventions and Exhibitions (MICE) industry in Singapore’s post-pandemic recovery, Constellar reinforces our position as the ‘World’s Best MICE City’ with the quality events they brought in. It has also been conferred the Exceptional Achievement award for achieving the Outstanding Event Organiser three years in a row (2022, 2023, 2024).
Mandai Wildlife Group’s ‘Take Off to Paradise’ campaign was recognised with Outstanding Marketing Idea, for showcasing excellence from conceptualisation to execution. The campaign effectively established the newly opened Bird Paradise as a must-visit attraction for both locals and visitors through innovative and diverse use of media channels, delivering increased visitor attendance and high net promoter scores.