For Immediate Release

Finalists for Tourism Awards 2017 unveiled

Singapore, 21 April 2017 – After three months and numerous rounds of intense judging, the (STB) is pleased to announce today the 77 finalists for the Experience Excellence , Enterprise Excellence and Customer Service categories of the 2017 Singapore Tourism Awards , Singapore’s most prestigious awards for the tourism sector.

Come 4 May 2017 at the Awards ceremony, the industry’s best will be celebrated for demonstrating excellence and raising the bar in their areas of expertise. Recipients of the Top Awards and Special Recognition award categories will also be unveiled at the event held at Shangri-La Hotel, which will be graced by Minister S Iswaran, Minister for Trade and Industry (Industry).

Mr Oliver Chong, Executive Director, Communications & Marketing Capability, Singapore Tourism Board said, “The Singapore Tourism Awards aims to raise industry standards through showcasing the best of what Singapore has to offer. This year we have stepped up our efforts to reach out to a wider audience, including the industry, public and online communities. It is our hope that individuals and companies across Singapore will be inspired by the stories from our finalists, and make their own mark in visitor experiences, enterprise excellence and customer service.”

Amongst the finalists are newcomers such as leisure event Anime Festival Asia as well as smaller shopping and dining establishments such as Bynd Artisan and Burnt Ends.

The finalists were identified and selected by a panel of prominent and well-established Singapore and overseas judges through rounds of robust assessments and mystery audits.

Please refer to Annexes A and B for the finalists and judges respectively.

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For interview requests, please contact: Andrea Low Manager Communications Singapore Tourism Board Tel: +65 6831 3569 Email: [email protected] or call the STB Media Hotline at + 65 9011 2071

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About the Singapore Tourism Awards

Organised by the Singapore Tourism Board (STB), the Singapore Tourism Awards brings together Singapore's tourism sector to celebrate individuals and organisations that best deliver exceptional experiences and achieve enterprise excellence. The Awards is an integral part of STB's efforts to raise the Singapore tourism sector's competitiveness by motivating organisations and individuals to create compelling experiences or adopt best practices. For more information, visit www.singaporetourismawards.com .

About the Singapore Tourism Board

The Singapore Tourism Board (STB) is a leading economic development agency in tourism, one of Singapore's key service sectors. Working in close partnership with industry and community, STB aims to shape a dynamic tourism landscape and differentiate Singapore as a vibrant and inspiring destination through the "YourSingapore" brand. For more information, visit www.stb.gov.sg or www.visitsingapore.com or follow us on Twitter @STB_sg ( https://twitter.com/stb_sg ).

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ANNEX A

The Singapore Tourism Awards 2017 Finalists

Customer Service Category Finalist

Ms Caroline Beverly Seah National Gallery Singapore

Mr Jummy Png Chong Seng Universal Studios Singapore, Best Customer Service for Attractions Mr Muhammad Aizuddin Bin Abdul Halim Adventure Cove Waterpark,

Ms Nur Afiqa Binte Abdul Razak KidZania Singapore

Ms Go, Jacqueline Reyes RISE Lounge,

Best Customer Service for Mr Mohamed Azlam S/O Abdul Kadir Food & Beverage Mitzo Restaurant & Bar, Grand Park Orchard

Ms Princess May Macatangay Cordero The , The Fullerton Bay Hotel

Mr Edward Chew Shangri-La Hotel, Singapore

Mr Prakash S/O C Raman Best Customer Service for Hotels Shangri-La's Rasa Sentosa Resort & Spa, Singapore

Ms Saraswathy D/O Selvaraja Vinayakam Amara Singapore

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Customer Service Category Finalist

Mr Yugeneswaran Chandrashakern

Hard Rock ® Hotel Singapore, Resorts World Sentosa

Ms Iizumi Akemi 1-Altitude

Best Customer Service for Nightspots Mr K Vigneshwaran Post Bar, The Fullerton Hotel Singapore

Mr Rashidi Bin Jamia'an (Ryan) Bar Canary, Grand Park Orchard

Mr Andy Tann Aik Huat Hermes Singapore Retail Pte Ltd

Ms Chai Yong Hua, Grace Bynd Artisan Best Customer Service for Retail Mr Muhammad Faizal Bin Merman Dolce & Gabbana Singapore Pte Ltd

Ms Vivian Cheng Mun Har Aspial-Lee Hwa Jewellery Pte Ltd

Ms Chen Ching Wen Karen

Mr Darren Goh Chin Teck Best Customer Service for Tourist Guiding Ms Florence Veronica Minjoot

Ms Goh Li Lian Jane

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Customer Service Category Finalist

Mr Chia Boon Siong SMRT Buses Ltd

Ms Katijah Bte Sarbu Best Customer Service for Transport SMRT Trains Ltd

Mr Seah Kian Chye SMRT Buses Ltd

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Experience Excellence (Leisure)

Category Finalist

ArtScience Museum Marina Bay Sands

S.E.A. Aquarium™ Best Attraction Experience Resorts World Sentosa

Singapore Zoo Wildlife Reserves Singapore

Burnt Ends Unlisted Collection

CUT by Wolfgang Puck Best Dining Experience Marina Bay Sands

Joël Robuchon Restaurant Resorts World Sentosa

hôtel vagabond

Best Hotel Experience One Farrer Hotel & Spa

The Quincy Hotel Far East Hospitality

CÉ LA VI Singapore Best Nightspot Experience Manhattan Regent Singapore, A Four Seasons Hotel

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Experience Excellence (Leisure)

Category Finalist

Smoke & Mirrors

ZOUK SINGAPORE

Bynd Artisan

Rolex Marina Square Best Shopping Experience by Cortina Watch

The Shoppes at Marina Bay Sands

Disappearing Trades Tribe

Makan Makan @ Wok 'n' Stroll – culinary adventures in Singapore Best Tour Experience Unity in Diversity A+B Edu Tours and Travel Pte Ltd

Walk with Our Ancestors Tour East Singapore (1996) Pte Ltd

Anime Festival Asia Singapore Sozo Pte Ltd Best Leisure Event Christmas Wonderland 2016 at Blue Sky Events Pte Ltd

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Experience Excellence (Leisure)

Category Finalist

Halloween Horror Nights ® 6 Resorts World Sentosa

Singapore Night Festival National Heritage Board

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Experience Excellence (MICE)

Category Finalist

International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine (ISMRM) for ISMRM 24th Annual Meeting & Exhibition

Best Association Conference Countryside Association Organiser for 27th Commonwealth Agriculture Conference

Siow’s Clan Guild Association for 10th Global Siow’s Clan Symposium and 70th Siow’s Clan Guild Association Anniversary

Ace:Daytons Direct Int’l Pte Ltd for Singapore MICE Forum 2016 (SMF2016)

Best Business Event Service I-Promo Pte Ltd Provider for World Lottery Summit 2016

Pico Art International Pte Ltd for Singapore Airshow 2016

Grand Hyatt Singapore

Best Business Event Venue Marina Bay Sands Expo & Convention Centre

Resorts World Sentosa

Aviation Week Network Best Exhibition Organiser for MRO Asia-Pacific Conference & Exhibition

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Experience Excellence (MICE)

Category Finalist

Reed Exhibitions for Asia Pacific Maritime 2016

SingEx Exhibitions Pte Ltd for FinTech Conference and Exhibition 2016

UBM SES for Food&HotelAsia2016 (FHA2016)

Hong Thai Travel Services(s) Pte Ltd for Eli Lily (China) Top Sales Performers Incentive Travel Programme 2016

PMG Asia Pacific Pte Ltd for Aruba APAC Atmosphere 2016 Best Meeting /Incentive Organiser

Unicity Singapore for Global Convention 2016

World Express Pte Ltd for Morinda Incentive – Singapore 2016

Halldale Group for APATS 2016

HRM Asia for Smart Workforce Summit Best Trade Conference Organiser Millennial 20 20 Ltd for Millennial 20/20

unbound for InnovFest unbound 2016

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Experience Excellence (MICE)

Category Finalist

Kingsmen Exhibits Pte Ltd Exceptional Achievement for receiving the Best Business Event Service Provider award for the past 3 consecutive years (2016, 2015, 2014)

Enterprise Excellence Category Finalist

Front Row 2016 The Shoppes at Marina Bay Sands

Halloween Horror Nights ® 6 – Darkness Within Best Marketing Idea Resorts World Sentosa

Zoo-rassic Park: Back to Save the Future Wildlife Reserves Singapore

eTravelAdvisor Mobile Application and Quote, Book & Go eCommerce Platform Chan Brothers Travel Pte Ltd

Dynasty Travel Mobile Concierge Dynasty Travel Best Business Innovation Warehouse Management System Marina Bay Sands

Robie, The New Housekeeping Wizard UE Park Avenue International Pte Ltd

*All listings are in alphabetical order as at 21 April 2017

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Annex B

The Singapore Tourism Awards Members of Judging Panel 2017

Judges A-F

MR ALAN BARR MR ALVIN GOH MR ALVIN TAN Global Managing Director Deputy Director, Culinary Arts Assistant Chief Executive greymatters ITE College West (Policy & Community) National Heritage Board

MR ANDREW ING MR ASHISH MANCHHARAM MR BOJAN BLECIC Chief Operating Officer Managing Director & Founder Head, Experience Design The Lo & Behold Group 8M Real Estate Pte Ltd OCBC Bank

MS CATHERINE ANG MR CHAD PHILLIPS MR CHANG THENG HWEE Director of Human Resources Managing Director Managing Director The Minor Food Group Asia Pacific Ticketing Country Holidays Travel Pte Ltd Association

MR CLARENCE CHAN MR CLEMENT WONG MR DAMIEN LITTLE Founder Chief Executive Officer & Director Bandwagon Founder Horwath HTL - Asia Pacific BeMyGuest Pte Ltd

MS EVE FELDER Managing Director The Culinary Institute of America, Singapore

Judges G -J

MS GABRIELLE CHOY MR GREG SCHULZE MR HAMISH MCDOUGALL Area Director of Human Senior Vice President Managing Director Resources, Singapore Expedia Honeycombers InterContinental Hotels Group

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MR JOHN NG PANGILINAN MS JULENE AW Chief Executive Officer Co-Founder & Managing OvenBaked Ideas Pte Ltd Director In Good Company

Judges K -M

MS KAREN YUE MR KELVIN ANG MR KENNETH TAN Group Editor Founder Chief Executive Officer TTG Asia Media Cheekiemonkie SISTIC.com Pte Ltd (Parenting Blog)

MR LIM TIAN WEE MS LINA BAECHTIGER MS LYNETTE LEE Executive Director Executive Director Chief Executive Officer Gryphon Tea Company European Chamber of Textile and Fashion Federation Commerce (Singapore) Singapore

MS MAGDALENE TAI MR MARK COCHRANE Director, Talent & Culture Regional Manager, Asia Pacific (Human Resources) UFI & Swissôtel The Stamford

Judges N-R

MR NICO STOUTHART MR PIETER IDENBURG DR PREM N SHAMDASANI Managing Partner SEA Managing Director Associate Professor MB Vermeer ICIA Pte Ltd National University of Singapore Business School

MS RANJI DAVID MR RAYMOND LIM MR RICHARD BLEASDALE Marketing Director - Asia Founder Managing Partner, Asia Pacific World Federation of RL Asia The Observatory International Advertisers

MR RONALD LIM Assistant Director, Customer Experience and Innovation SAFRA National Service Association

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Judges S-Z

MS SARI TRISULO MR S SEAH -KHOO EE BOON DR SHAHZAD NASIM Head of Production, Senior Vice President, Group Executive Chairman MTV and Comedy Central Asia Human Resources Meinhardt Group Viacom International Media Resorts World Sentosa Networks

MS SHERIE YEO MS SHIRLENA SOH PROF SHUM PING Senior Manager, Executive Director Professor Guest Experience Singapore Association of Nanyang Technological Wildlife Reserves Singapore Convention & Exhibition University, Singapore Organisers & Suppliers (SACEOS)

MS SIM EE WAUN MS TRACY PHILLIPS Freelance Food Writer and Director Contributing Editor of PPURPOSE Wine & Dine magazine

* All listings are in alphabetical order as at 21 April 2017

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