Mr Kenneth Li, President of the Singapore Hotel Association

 

1. Happy to be at second edition of Hospitality Exchange 2025.

 

2. Let me start by sharing encouraging news about the tourism sector. 

 

As of July 2025, Singapore has welcomed 10M visitors - 2% increase from last year. 

 

Our hospitality industry drives this growth. Today, we enjoy one of the highest Average Room Rates in Asia. This demonstrates Singapore’s continued appeal as an attractive and trusted tourist destination, and reflects the unwavering confidence and support from our partners.  

 

3. We have an exciting pipeline of business and lifestyle events Q4 2025 - from Formula 1 Singapore Grand Prix to inaugural business events such as Safety and Security Asia 2025 and ITMA Asia plus CITME Singapore, leading tradeshow for cutting-edge tech across the textile and garment value chain. 

 

Disney Cruise Line's Disney Adventure will also make its maiden voyage on 15 December. 

 

Collectively, these offerings will strengthen demand for both tourism and hospitality sectors.

TOURISM 2040

 

4. Earlier this year, Singapore announced our Tourism 2040 ambition, which outlines the next chapter for tourism – one anchored on quality tourism and growing tourism spend. 

 

STB projected that tourism receipts could reach between $47B - $50B by 2040, and we are building momentum towards meeting this target.

 

5. While Singapore is well-positioned for growth, we must continue to strengthen our competitive edge as a world-class tourism hub. 

 

HOW CAN WE STRENGTHEN OUR POSITION

 

To do so, we must navigate major shifts in three key areas - tech, human capital and sustainability:

 

a. First, tech. We are using tech to support operations in this “business of people”.

 

b. Second, people. As we welcome a new generation of talent with fresh perspectives into our hotel industry, we must offer more dynamic careers and better support our workforce.

 

c. Third, sustainability. Sustainability has become a core pillar of modern hospitality, with today's conscious travellers seeking meaningful experiences that create positive impact. We must continue prioritising sustainability as an integral part of your operations.

 

6. These changes will fundamentally reshape the way you serve, operate and grow in the hospitality industry. 

 

And Government is with you. Let me share several key initiatives that will support your transformation journey in these areas.

 

ACCELERATING DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION

 

7. First, we are refreshing our Hotel Industry Digital Plan. This is a plan jointly developed by IMDA and STB, and with support from Singapore Hotel Association (SHA). 

 

Launched in 2019, Hotel IDP help hotels adopt more digital tech and encourage digital transformation. 

 

This refresh aims to accelerate adoption of five key tech: 

- Smart Rooms

- Robotics

- Digital Concierge

- Digital Check-in & Check-out

- Asset Management systems.

 

8. We are already seeing how these work across the industry.

 

Heritage Collection deployed digital check-in and check-out across their properties, eliminating traditional front desks in favour of fully mobile systems. 

 

Millennium & Copthorne Group deployed in-room voice assistant tech to handle room controls and service requests, which is transforming guest service delivery.

 

9. This refreshed IDP maps detailed business journeys across operational touchpoints and key hotel functions, with clearer pathways for hotels to digitalise their operations. 

 

It also includes examples of how AI-enabled solutions can enhance guest experience, improve operational efficiency and accelerate business growth.

 

10. All hotels can now access the refreshed IDP on IMDA's Chief Technology Officer-as-a-Service (CTO-as-a-Service) platform. 

 

This platform provides >300 pre-approved essential business solutions and relevant training courses to help businesses transform. It also includes cybersecurity resources to help protect your business. 

 

Hotels can integrate these digital solutions as you refresh your property. And you can use STB’s Business Improvement Fund, and the Hotel Rejuvenation Fund which we launched earlier this year.

 

11. As we transform our hotels digitally, we must also develop and retain our talent.

 

NURTURING TOMORROW’S WORKFORCE

 

12. We must continue to reshape our approach to career development by offering our employees multiple pathways for growth.

 

13. There are good examples. 

 

Shaik Mohamad Bin Shaik Dawood's journey to become a supervisor for facilities and safety at The Ascott Limited shows how thoughtful job redesign can create meaningful career progression. 

 

Shaik expanded his engineering expertise to include security operations. through structured on-the-job training and Workforce Skills Qualification (WSG) certification programmes. He is now paid higher and has more opportunities to grow in his career.

 

14. Another example is the successful Manpower Transformation Lighthouse project by STB, WSG and Pan Pacific Hotels Group, to address manpower challenges in our hotel sector. The project redesigns workflows and integrates tech for key job roles such as housekeeping. This resulted in enhanced operational efficiency, higher wages, and improved guest satisfaction.  

 

15. Building on this, SHA and Workforce Singapore (WSG) are co-launching an inaugural Career Health Workshop for our Hotel industry. 

 

The workshop will equip HR professionals, line managers, and supervisors with skills to conduct meaningful career conversations and implement structured career planning for their employees. 

 

Hotels can also use the Job Transformation Map for insights to redesign jobs and support skills development for the hotel industry workforce, in areas such as digitalisation.

 

16. Later, we will present the Workforce Transformation Award to recognise hotels that have shown exceptional commitment to uplift their employees. 

 

I thank all hotels that have taken steps to support their workers.

 

ADVANCING SUSTAINABLE HOSPITALITY

 

17. Beyond tech and our workforce, we must also continue to go Green.

 

Building on our Hotel Sustainability Roadmap that SHA and STB launched in 2022, we see good progress towards creating a more sustainable hospitality industry. 

 

From implementing smart building management systems and food waste reduction programmes, to redesigning guest experiences that minimise resource use, these practical changes are setting new standards for sustainable hospitality in the region.

 

18. In line with our decarbonisation commitments, we set a target for 60% of Singapore’s hotel room stock to achieve internationally recognised hotel sustainability certificates by end-2025. 

 

I’m pleased to announce today that our industry has already achieved 61% – representing ~42,700 room stock across 100 hotels. Congrats on reaching the target well ahead of schedule!

 

a. To hotels that contributed to this milestone, your early leadership demonstrates that sustainability and business excellence can go hand in hand.

 

b. For hotels working towards certification, government will continue to support you through our various schemes.

 

19. As we continue our work towards reducing emissions by 2030, I encourage all hotels to see sustainability not as a separate initiative, but as an integral part of your operations. 

 

We are already seeing exciting examples in Singapore. 

 

Grand Hyatt's recent transformation demonstrates how sustainability can be embedded across operations – from AI-powered systems that optimised their energy usage, to smart waste management solutions and sustainability features that eliminated >10,000 single use plastic items annually. 

 

We can also expect more groundbreaking developments including Singapore's first zero-energy hotel when Hotel Indigo Changi Airport opens in 2028.

 

20. I encourage all hotels to use STB’s decarbonisation playbook for tourism businesses, to help you transitioned transition towards net-zero emissions by 2050.

 

CONCLUSION

 

21. Our hospitality industry stands at an exciting juncture of transformation. And Government is behind you. 

 

Through these initiatives – the refreshed Hotel Industry Digital Plan, Career Health Workshops, and our sustainability efforts – we are building a more resilient, sustainable, and vibrant industry. 

 

However, success ultimately depends on your continued partnership and dedication.

 

22. Let us continue working together to strengthen Singapore's position as a leading tourism destination. 

 

Thank you and I wish you all a successful forum!