'Promising signs' for tourism-related sectors, but pace of recovery remains uncertain: Tan See Leng

Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic early final 12 months, border restrictions have meant a plunge in customer arrivals to Singapore. In 2020, there have been 2.7 million guests – a close to 86 per cent lower from 2019’s greater than 19 million guests.

Industries counting on vacationers, conferences and way of life providers had been badly affected and have needed to speed up digitalisation plans, and companies have needed to shortly pivot.

"NOT JUST UP TO SINGAPORE"

Ms Jeannie Lim, assistant chief govt of the coverage and planning group on the Singapore Tourism Board (STB) stated that she thinks recovery will nonetheless be “protracted” as it's exhausting to make up for the loss of tourism.

In 2019, tourism receipts reached a file excessive of S$27.7 billion, but this fell to S$4.4 billion for the primary three quarters of 2020.

As of Aug 1, greater than one million grownup Singapore residents have used their SingapoRediscovers Vouchers no less than as soon as, with about 1.4 million transactions that amounted to greater than S$168 million in vouchers and money funds on tourism bookings, STB stated.

“I think it’s not just up to Singapore, as much as we are moving very much into our endemic roadmap, it's very much dependent on how other countries and how other jurisdictions are also managing their COVID-19 situation within their borders,” Ms Lim stated.

She added that Singapore is in speak with many nations for journey lanes and preparations, but these may take a while to materialise.

“I think more importantly we want to make sure it happens in a safe and calibrated manner even as we gear up our companies and our workforce to prepare reopening,” she stated, including that there are some tourism firms which have picked up hiring just lately.

Many of these firms are wanting for folks with digital abilities, she stated, which is why Government companies have ramped up coaching on this and different areas which are in demand.

“Tourism has always been very high touch, but now we are introducing high tech as well … so how do people embrace technology to deliver deeper, more engaging customer experiences,” Ms Lim stated.

Roles which are in demand embrace digital strategist, digital advertising and marketing govt or supervisor, and operations govt for digital options, MOM and WSG stated in its Jobs Situation Report, which is concentrated on programmes to assist corporations in tourism and way of life providers redesign jobs and practice their workforce.

MORE CAREER CONVERSION PROGRAMMES

The report stated that greater than 3,100 staff have enrolled in profession conversion programmes for the tourism and way of life providers sector from January final 12 months to mid-August 2021.

The staff got here from greater than 200 firms in sectors together with the lodge trade, meals providers, the approach to life sector and retail.

This is a 30-fold improve from 2019, when near 110 staff from about 40 firms had been in profession conversion programmes. Another 1,400 staff are due to participate within the programme from now until December 2023.

Since January 2020, WSG has launched 18 new profession conversion programmes for the tourism and way of life sectors, up from simply 5.

Next month, it can launch an enhanced profession conversion programme for digital advertising and marketing tourism professionals following a WSG survey which discovered that many firms wish to enhance their digital gross sales and advertising and marketing and lacked staff with these abilities.

"This programme will help workers acquire digital sales and marketing skills to assume roles with better prospects," stated Dr Tan.