The Monocle Singapore Survey 2009
The Monocle Singapore Survey 2009 Finance, logistics, culture, tourism: a national survey of the forces shaping Singapore SINGAPORE HOST CITY Welcome Monocle’s National Survey: Singapore There are few countries that can be seen in their entirety from just a few thousand feet above sea level but it’s the compact, city-state profile that makes Singapore such a curious player on the international stage and attractive hub for businesses from a host of sectors. As other nations have spent billions attracting investment and talent to create similar groupings of logistics companies, banks, hotel groups, respected academic institutions and technology brands, virtually all have to follow a model that Singapore’s been honing for decades. Having established itself as not only the most important commerce centre in Southeast Asia but also a benchmark for everything from civil aviation management to public housing development, the nation state is now staring out across the horizon and charting its next act to stay relevant and, more importantly, competitive. In a world that’s increasingly going point to point when it comes to travel (longer range, more fuel-e4cient aircraft threaten major transit hubs such as Singapore’s Changi) and is also interested in one-stop solutions (will Shanghai eventually emerge as Asia’s singular global financial hub?), Singapore has its share of challenges in both the short and long term but it’s also been moving swiftly to develop new areas of expertise to diversify its o3er. For the past three months 9;:;687 editors and writers have been shuttling in and out of Singapore to interview 67;s, sample exhibitions, visit refineries and simply scope out the streets.While the scale and pace of development for the new integrated resorts beyond the financial district is breathtaking and the growth in medical tourism should be of concern to Bangkok up the road, the most impressive development in the country’s economy is the rise of a new class of young, globally minded entrepreneurs who are adding a new layer to the retail, restaurant, media and hotel scene.
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