MEDIA RELEASE

Singapore, 04 October 2017 – Students, job-seekers and members of the public will get a behind-the-scenes glimpse into the dynamic hotel industry and the wide range of work and life experiences it offers under the new Open Hotels Weekends programme.

Straddling over two weekends in October1, the Open Hotels Weekends programme is part of the Hotel Careers Campaign, which was launched in July 2017 by the Tourism Board (STB), in partnership with the Singapore Hotel Association (SHA), Food, Drinks and Allied Workers Union and the hotel industry.

“The Open Hotels Weekends programme is a rare opportunity for Singaporeans to learn first-hand about the challenging, yet fulfilling work that goes on in a hotel. We hope that this exposure will improve people’s perceptions of the hotel industry, and inspire potential jobseekers to seek out career opportunities in this line,” said Ms Ong Huey Hong, Director of Hotels and Sector Manpower, Singapore Tourism Board.

Open Hotels Weekends

During the Open Hotels Weekends, about 23 hotels2 in Singapore will host visitors on behind-the- scenes tours to better understand the roles and operations of various hotel departments, such as Housekeeping, F&B, Front Desk to Event Management.

“I am heartened to know that many hotels are opening their doors to participants who are keen to learn more about our industry. With a series of specially curated tours, Open Hotels Weekends will offer refreshing insights into what makes us the Business of Happiness,” said Ms Margaret Heng, SHA’s Executive Director.

There will be an array of immersive, hands-on experiences at different hotels, such as cocktail making, hands-on food plating, as well as wedding floral arrangement workshops.

Visitors will also get to speak with, and even shadow long-standing employees of each hotel, to find out more about their daily work, experiences and memorable encounters on the job.

Interested visitors may visit http://workforahotel.sg/ to sign up for the tours, which are on a first- come, first-served basis and have limited capacity.

1The two weekends are: 14-15 October 2017 and 21-22 October 2017. 2 Accurate as of 4 October 2017.

Interested jobseekers may contact the participating hotels to enquire about job vacancies and application processes after the event.

For a full list of participating hotels in Open Hotels Weekend, please refer to Annex A.

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About the Singapore Tourism Board The Singapore Tourism Board (STB) is the lead development agency for tourism, one of Singapore's key economic sectors. Together with industry partners and the community, we shape a dynamic Singapore tourism landscape. We bring the Passion Made Possible brand to life by differentiating Singapore as a vibrant destination that inspires people to share and deepen their passions.

For more information, visit www.stb.gov.sg or www.visitsingapore.com or follow us on Twitter @STB_sg (https://twitter.com/stb_sg).

About the Hotel Careers Campaign Themed “The Business of Happiness,” the Hotel Careers Campaign aims to create awareness on the diverse range of careers and progression opportunities in the hotel industry, and inspire the next generation of Singaporeans who are passionate about hospitality.

For more details about the Hotel Careers Campaign, please visit http://workforahotel.sg.

For media queries, please contact: Mr Lee Jian Xuan Singapore Tourism Board Email: [email protected] DID: (65) 6831 3674

ANNEX A: LIST OF PARTICIPATING HOTELS3

1. Amara Singapore 2. & Swissotel The Stamford 3. Grand Mercure Singapore Roxy 4. Holiday Inn Singapore Atrium 5. JW Marriott Hotel Singapore South Beach 6. Lloyd’s Inn 7. 8. Novotel & Mercure Singapore on Stevens 9. Oasia Hotel Downtown 10. Oasia Hotel Novena 11. Park Avenue Rochester 12. Pan Pacific Hotel Singapore 13. Regent Singapore, A Four Seasons Hotel 14. Rendezvous Hotel Singapore 15. Royal Plaza on Scotts 16. Shangri-La Hotel, Singapore 17. Shangri-La’s Rasa Sentosa Resort & Spa, Singapore 18. Swissotel Merchant Court 19. The Fullerton Hotel 20. The Fullerton Bay Hotel Singapore 21. The Quincy Hotel 22. The Warehouse Hotel 23. Village Hotel Katong

3 Accurate as of 4 October 2017.