Speech by Senior Minister of State Low Yen Ling at Sands Future Talent Ceremony

Mr Paul Town, Chief Operating Officer of Marina Bay Sands

Ms Jenny Yang, Chief Executive Officer of TomoWork

Distinguished guests from our Institutes of Higher Learning and students

Introduction

1.            Good afternoon. It is a pleasure to join you this afternoon in celebrating the Sands Future Talent Ceremony and honouring the scholarship recipients who represent Singapore’s next generation of talent in our tourism sector. 

2.            Tourism is an important pillar of our economy, supporting a diverse ecosystem spanning hotels, tour services, as well as the Meetings, Incentives, Conventions, and Exhibitions (MICE) industry. It creates meaningful employment opportunities for Singaporeans, drives spending across sectors such as retail and food services, while strengthening Singapore’s global appeal as a destination for business, investment and talent. 

3.            In the past few years, our tourism sector has been tested in unprecedented ways. Yet we have emerged more resilient than ever, thanks to steadfast partners like Marina Bay Sands, who stood shoulder-to-shoulder with us throughout the pandemic and played a pivotal role in the tourism sector's remarkable recovery. 

4.            Since 2021, Singapore’s tourism receipts have demonstrated consistent year-on-year growth, reaching SGD$23.9 billion in the first three quarters of 2025. This momentum has been underpinned by our continued efforts to anchor new attractions and refreshed experiences, alongside a dynamic calendar of world-class events spanning entertainment, lifestyle, and MICE industries. 

5.            Looking ahead to our Tourism 2040 vision, we have set ambitious targets to boost and reinforce our continued position as a premier global destination for both business and leisure travellers, with tourism receipts projected to reach SGD $47 to 50 billion. 

6.            We recognise that the road ahead will not be without challenges. Global uncertainties, amplified by rising geopolitical tensions and shifting economic landscapes, will inevitably shape travel patterns and business confidence. To stay competitive, we must work together to strengthen our capabilities to respond, anticipate, and embrace these changes. In a crisis, if we work together, I’m sure we can discover the opportunities. Doing so will ensure that our tourism sector continues to be nimble and poised to capture emerging opportunities with confidence. 

7.            Our people are central to this transformation. We will continue investing and nurturing a strong pipeline of talent able to adapt and scale up with the tourism sector. 

Expanding Opportunities Through the Sands Hospitality Scholarship

8.            This is where initiatives like the Sands Hospitality Scholarship make a huge difference. 

9.            Since its launch in 2022, the scholarship has supported more than a hundred Singaporean students pursuing hospitality and tourism-related courses. 

10.         For example, Ashley Oh, a Singapore Polytechnic graduate who received the Sands Hospitality Scholarship in 2024, gained hands-on exposure across multiple departments – Sales, Customer Experience and Banquet Operations – during her 22-week MICE Management Internship. She used digital tools to create an instructional tutorial video to guide colleagues on how to streamline banquet event orders, effectively reducing manual processes and minimising human error. Following her university studies, Ashley aspires to further her passion in the hospitality industry, with a particular focus on enhancing customer experience journeys. Kudos to Ashley, and thank you to Paul and your wonderful team in MBS. 

11.         Imagine – within 22 weeks, MBS allowed her to spend time in Sales, Customer Experience and Banquet. Now a lot of our students may not realise, but for a company to put you through three departments in just 22 weeks, they are investing in you. Because the business leaders will know that when we invest in our new colleagues, it will take a while for them to be able to truly contribute to the team; sometimes it takes one to two years. some even say longer than that. So for MBS to spend 22 weeks investing in you, rotating you through a different department, it really allows you to experience real-life opportunities in as many different departments in the hospitality and tourism sector as possible. 

12.         I hope our scholarship recipients, when you prepare for your internships, do prepare meaningfully – find out a little bit more, so that your time will be very well spent, and try to be as helpful as you can, taking a leaf out from what Ashley has done. Never assume that you are only there to be just a helpful person. You might be able to value-add and never, never belittle your own contribution. So I hope next year, when we come to this platform, we can share even more stories. 

13.         In this second iteration, Marina Bay Sands and its parent company, Las Vegas Sands, are committing an additional SGD$2 million to support 160 more Singaporean students over three academic years. Big thank you to Paul and MBS. 

14.         Additionally, the programme has expanded to include the Institute of Technical Education, alongside the existing five polytechnics[1] and the Singapore Institute of Technology. I am very happy that we will all witness the signing of their Memorandum of Understanding shortly. 

15.         Beyond financial support, the scholarship empowers recipients with the confidence to pursue their aspirations and build meaningful careers in hospitality. 

Advancing Inclusivity in the Sector

16.         Just as importantly, Marina Bay Sands is setting the standards for forward-looking and responsible employers in the hospitality sector. 

17.         I am very happy to hear that MBS is partnering with TomoWork, a Singapore charity that seeks to empower persons with disabilities and students with different learning needs. Tomowork’s Talent Uplift Programme will be rolled out for the first time in the hospitality sector, supporting and nurturing 15 undergraduates. I hope that all of us will continue to do our part to create inclusive work environments, such that in the future, when we use the word ‘disability’, it is not d-i-s, but t-h-i-s. with a focus on their strengths and their differentiating ability. 

18.         This collaboration underscores Marina Bay Sands’ broader efforts to promote inclusive career opportunities and cultivate a diverse and resilient workforce. 

19.         To date, Marina Bay Sands has welcomed 93 persons with disabilities into their workforce, providing equal opportunities across customer-facing roles in Attractions, Food & Beverages and Front Office. 

20.         Stories like these remind us that our society is filled with talent. What truly matters is whether we work together to create the right opportunities, pathways, and supportive environments for talent to thrive and flourish. 

Building a Strong Talent Pipeline  

21.         Marina Bay Sands exemplifies how industry leaders can demonstrate genuine commitment to developing local talent for the long term. 

22.         As one of Singapore's largest private sector employers with over 12,000 team members, MBS’ early-stage investment in its people extends beyond immediate business needs. 

23.         Partnerships like the ones we mark today, particularly between industry leaders and our Institutes of Higher Learning, are critical. They ensure that our sector remains resilient, inclusive, and prepared for future challenges and opportunities. 

Conclusion: A Message to Scholarship Recipients

24.         Let me turn now to our scholarship recipients here today. I would like to say to them: first, congratulations on reaching a key milestone in your education journey. This moment marks just the beginning of what I believe will be an exciting and fulfilling career path. It’s all about whether you will take that step. Don’t be shy and be prepared to ask questions, clarify, ask how can you be helpful – only then will your experience be as impactful and meaningful as Ashley’s. I believe that your journey will be exciting and fulfilling, because you are entering an exciting industry brimming with possibilities. 

25.         I encourage you to stay curious, keep learning, and to always take pride in the role you play for our tourism sector in Singapore. Because, you are likely one of the first few faces that a tourist will meet, and that will form their first impression. Going the extra mile for the customer is the whole essence of tourism. That is the whole essence of the tourism and hospitality sector. Behind every memorable visitor experience, is a dedicated team of professionals, including you as an intern, who shape the experiences that visitors carry with them long after they leave Singapore. 

26.         I wish all our scholarship recipients, Marina Bay Sands and TomoWork every success in your endeavours! Thank you and congratulations.

[1] These are Nanyang Polytechnic, Ngee Ann Polytechnic, Republic Polytechnic, Singapore Polytechnic, and Temasek Polytechnic.