Singapore puts sustainability first Country looks to meet next-generation traveller demand for authentic, smart and planet-friendly destinations
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esponsible destinations with a clear-cut sustainability vision will succeed in attracting the next-generation traveller. That was a key message put forward by the Singapore Tourism Board (STB) at the Singapore Reimagine Global Conversations (SRI GC) series at Expo 2020 Dubai. Designed to spearhead top-level discussions among industry gamechangers on the revival and reimagination of the global tourism sector and at the same time, showcase how Singapore has reimagined itself through fresh and innovative experiences, the event shed the light on opportunities to reshape travel according to new trends and traveller behaviours. “For example, based on findings from a report shared by WGSN, our data partner for SRI GC, there is a rise in travellers known as the ‘Mindful Explorers’ – those who are conscious of the environment and seek sustainable choices during their travel journeys”, explains Beverly Au Yong, Area Director Middle East, STB. “Sustainability is now a top-of-mind concern for many travellers and as a responsible destination, Singapore is incorporating its sustainability vision into its tourism offerings to achieve its vision of becoming a City in Nature.”
The Singapore Green Plan 2030
STB has developed a destination sustainability strategy and roadmap for the tourism sector in line with the Singapore Green Plan 2030 (SGP30), with a focus on environmental sustainability and sustainable management. Technology and urban design play a crucial role, according to Au Yong. STB and its partners have already launched initiatives encompassing this ethos. For example, the Singapore Hotel Association set up a Hotels Sustainability Committee to drive industry-wide JUNE 2022
adoption of sustainability practices and as a result, new and existing properties are minimising their environmental footprint across design, construction, and operations, while enriching guest experiences with concepts such as farm-to-table dining and preserving their natural environment. Meanwhile, Singapore’s resort island, Sentosa, aims to set new benchmarks as a globally recognised, certified sustainable tourism destination that is carbonneutral by 2030. “STB will also work towards positioning Singapore as a choice location for companies seeking to launch Singapore is stepping up is sustainability efforts
Millennium & Copthorne International Limited reduce food waste and lower costs through its solution, which combines AI, data analytics and image recognition software. “Through these efforts, we hope to work towards making Singapore a sustainable urban destination, providing opportunities for companies to testbed their sustainable tourism solutions. The sustainability journey is a two-way conversation, where we will take into consideration feedback from the industry and learnings from destinations that have successfully implemented their sustainability strategies,” says Au Yong. Sustainability is Singapore’s future
sustainable products and experiences, or to test-bed sustainable tourism solutions,” explains Au Yong. “The smart use of technology is crucial to our efforts,” she adds, highlighting the STB’s Tourism Transformation Index (TXI) initiative – “a self-diagnostic tool for companies to understand where they are in their transformation efforts, providing targeted advice to companies to help them become future ready”. The STB’s Singapore Tourism Accelerator programme has also helped to match good tech and sustainability solutions with tourism businesses. For example, local start-up Lumitics helped
Singapore businesses are also becoming “more innovative in incorporating sustainability into product development”, which improves the city’s reputation as a sustainable, responsible travel destination. Stand-out examples include Pan Pacific Orchard being redeveloped into Pan Pacific Hotel Group’s first zero-waste hotel, with a rainwater harvesting system, a recyclable water system, and a compactor that turns food waste into compost to fertilise its sky gardens. “More than just a bustling metropolis, Singapore also boasts local farms providing sustainable food and produce, and restaurants offering farm-totable dishes,” says Au Yong. For example, SCALED by Ah Hua Kelong, Singapore’s first fish-farmerowned restaurant, serves locally farmed seafood and Labyrinth, a Michelin-starred restaurant, known for its ‘new Singapore’ dining experience, sources 90 per cent of menu ingredients from and around Singapore, thanks to its close relationship with local farmers, fishermen and fishery ports. These initiatives cement Singapore’s status as a sustainable and innovative urban destination. visitsingapore.com
