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Tourism Industry Conference 2024
Celebrating 60 Years of Tourism Excellence, Charting the Future Together
Last updated 22 January 2025
About TIC 2024
Tourism Industry Conference (TIC) 2024
This year, Singapore Tourism Board (STB) celebrates 60 years of tourism development and promotion. STB’s past achievements were made possible with the strong partnerships we have built with tourism leaders, businesses, government agencies, and residents.
Looking ahead, we are committed to driving tourism growth in the near to mid-term while envisioning the future of travel in Singapore. With the theme, “Celebrating 60 Years of Tourism Excellence, Charting the Future Together”, STB is dedicated to shaping and co-creating a world-class tourism destination towards 2040.
Key Highlights from TIC 2024
Opening Address by Minister for Sustainability and the Environment and Minister-in-charge of Trade Relations, Ms Grace Fu
Ms Grace Fu, Minister for Sustainability and the Environment and Minister-in-charge of Trade Relations, highlights Singapore’s tourism successes and future plans. She notes the strong performance of 2023 with 13.6 million international visitors and expresses optimism for 2024, citing major upcoming initiatives including the expansion of integrated resorts, the Global Sustainable Tourism Council MICE Criteria, and our collective vision for 2040.
Read the full speech by Ms Grace Fu
Presentation by Chief Executive, Singapore Tourism Board, Ms Melissa Ow
Ms Melissa Ow, Chief Executive of the Singapore Tourism Board, opens her presentation by celebrating STB's six decades of tourism achievements and resilience. She emphasises STB’s global marketing strategies and outlines future plans for significant investments in new attractions and experiences. She also underscores Singapore’s strong focus on enhancing tourism through sustainability, innovation, and technology.
Read the full speech by Ms Melissa Ow
Future of Tourism – Panel discussion
Ms Raini Hamdi, Business Journalist and Founder of Hotels-Asia, moderates a panel on the future of tourism. Joining her on the panel are:
Ms Melissa Ow, Chief Executive, Singapore Tourism Board
Mr Ben King, Country Managing Director, Google Singapore
Mr James Cheo, Managing Director, Chief Investment Officer, Southeast Asia and India, Global Private Banking and Wealth, HSBC
The panel also discusses Artificial Intelligence (AI)’s transformative impact on travel planning, digital opportunities, and education and training within Singapore’s tourism workforce.
Tourism Redefined: Innovation & Transformation – Sharing by Chief Technology Officer, Mr Wong Ming Fai
Mr Wong Ming Fai, Chief Technology Officer of the Singapore Tourism Board, guides attendees through recent innovations in the tourism sector. He highlights the emergence of Generative AI and its potential benefits, addresses the challenges posed by resource constraints faced by companies, and provides valuable insights and resources to support attendees in their innovation endeavours.
Harnessing Innovation and Building a Future-Ready Tourism Industry – Panel discussion
Ms Yeoh Siew Hoon, Founder and Managing Director of Web in Travel, moderates a panel on harnessing innovation to build a future-ready tourism industry. Joining her on the panel are:
Mr Kevin Goh, CEO, Lodging, CapitaLand Investment Limited, CEO, The Ascott Limited
Ms Belina Lee, CEO of Mandai X and Deputy CEO of Mandai Wildlife Group
Mr Byron Koh, Co-founder and COO of Woopa Travels
The panel also discusses balancing business operations with long-term investments.
Virtual conference sessions: Market Sharing by Regions
Singapore’s tourism sector recovered strongly in 2023, with momentum projected to continue for most of 2024 notwithstanding some uncertainties. STB’s regional offices share insights on outbound tourism trends from their markets and highlight opportunities for industry stakeholders to collaborate.
Please find their presentation decks below:
About the Tourism Industry Conference
The Tourism Industry Conference is organised annually by STB as a collaborative platform for the tourism and travel sector to discuss strategies and opportunities for the sector moving forward.