Mr Lim Hng Kiang at the Grand Opening of Universal Studios Singapore, 28 May 2011

SPEECH BY MR LIM HNG KIANG, MINISTER FOR TRADE AND INDUSTRY, AT THE GRAND OPENING OF THE UNIVERSAL STUDIOS SINGAPORE ON SATURDAY, 28 MAY 2011, 10.00 AM AT RESORTS WORLD SENTOSA

Tan Sri Lim Kok Thay, Executive Chairman of Genting Singapore

Mr Tom Williams, Chairman and CEO of Universal Parks & Resorts

Distinguished Guests

Ladies and Gentlemen

Introduction

I am pleased to join you this morning to celebrate the grand opening of Southeast Asia’s first and only Universal Studios theme park at Resorts World Sentosa. This opening marks a significant milestone in a series of developments for Sentosa and Singapore’s tourism landscape.

Sentosa - A Premier Tourism Destination

Over the years, Sentosa has evolved into a premier destination for tourists and locals alike. Sentosa has developed different leisure and entertainment zones to cater to diverse interests. The opening of Resorts World Sentosa, including Universal Studios Singapore, also adds to the “buzz” of the island. In the past year, visitorship to Sentosa grew by almost 200 per cent, from about 6 million guests in 2009 to nearly 18 million guests in 2010.

In particular, Universal Studios Singapore has been a key addition to Sentosa, drawing many local and international visitors to the island. It has become both a highlight for families visiting Singapore and the region, as well as an anchor venue for meetings, conventions and exhibitions where organisers can complement their events by arranging post-meeting entertainment at the theme park.

Keeping Singapore at the Forefront of International Tourist Destinations

Sentosa’s development into the premier leisure and lifestyle destination is the result of a decade of careful planning. New attractions are constantly being developed, while existing iconic attractions are regularly rejuvenated to ensure that the island continues to appeal to visitors.

This approach mirrors the broader strategy that the Government has adopted to keep Singapore’s tourism landscape at the forefront of tourist destinations in Asia and the world. Singapore will continue to offer novel and exciting experiences for visitors and grow our calendar of world-class events.

The openings of Resorts World Sentosa and Marina Bay Sands last year have added a whole suite of leisure and entertainment options to Singapore’s tourism offerings. Coupled with new and exciting events such as the Formula One night race, Asia Fashion Exchange and Travel Rave, Singapore’s international stature has grown significantly as a choice destination for both business and leisure.

I am pleased to note that the hard work of our tourism industry and government agencies have led Singapore to top the Asia-Pacific region for competitiveness in the tourism sector last year[1]. There is a need to maintain our competitive edge. In the coming years, we will continue to enhance Singapore’s tourism landscape with a strong pipeline of developments like Gardens by the Bay, River Safari, the International Cruise Terminal and the National Art Gallery.

Building Capabilities and Creating Employment Opportunities and

Apart from developing our infrastructure, a key prong of our tourism strategy is to develop capabilities for our tourism industry. Resorts World Sentosa, for instance, has aligned its training and development framework with the Singapore Workforce Skills Qualifications. This encourages the development of professional standards and skill portability across industry sectors, to ensure greater flexibility in the distribution of human resources.

As we develop the hospitality sector, the job opportunities in the service-related industries will continue to broaden. For example, the opening of Universal Studios Singapore has created job opportunities in the new area of theme park management and operations. In October 2010, Resorts World Sentosa signed a memorandum of understanding with the five polytechnics to offer students bond-free scholarships and industrial attachments at Universal Studios Singapore. These attachments will provide the students with training and exposure to different aspects of the theme park business.

Such initiatives provide channels for greater collaboration between the industry and educational institutions to set the stage for even higher service levels in Singapore and a more vibrant tourism ecosystem in Singapore. These exciting opportunities will also serve to position the services sector as a career option for younger Singaporeans.

Conclusion

Let me, once again, extend my congratulations to the management team at Resorts World Sentosa. We look forward to the launch of the other new rides at Universal Studios Singapore in the coming months and the opening of the remaining attractions at Resorts World Sentosa.

[1] According to 2010 Travel and Tourism Competitiveness Report released by the World Economic Forum.