Singapore, 19 April 2012 – The Singapore Experience Awards returns this April for a fourth year in recognising and celebrating Singapore tourism sector’s cream of the crop. The search for the industry’s most outstanding individuals and organisations will
begin on 19 April 2012, with the opening of nominations for the Singapore Experience Awards 2012.Widely recognised as the most prestigious awards platform in Singapore’s tourism sector, the Singapore Experience Awards is organised by the Singapore Tourism Board (STB). The Awards evaluates nominees on their delivery of a holistic visitor experience based on both the strength of their products and services. It honours outstanding individuals and organisations in all tourism-related industries, namely Attractions,Business Travel and MICE, Dining, Experiential Learning, Entertainment, Healthcare,Hospitality and Retail.Strengthening the industry together

As Singapore grows and matures as a destination, there is a greater need to work with industry partners to develop and innovate in tandem to meet the increasingly sophisticated needs of both locals and global travellers. In addition to understanding the customer’s needs better, experience creation and the delivery of excellent service are also key factors contributing to a quality tourism experience.“The Singapore Experience Awards is an integral part of the overall effort to raise the bar in the quality of our tourism experiences in Singapore. In addition to working with various industry sectors to improve service, it is also important to recognise those who have been exceptional in this area so that they can serve as a source of inspiration to others,” said Mr John Conceicao, STB’s Executive Director of Capability & Innovation and Visitor Information & Feedback.

Categories open for nomination

Awards given out under the Organisation category (Events, Experience and Marketing and Media) recognise recipients as leaders in their respective fields. Through the Awards, experience providers who constantly look for ways to enhance the overall experience, through the redesigning and innovating of processes and customer engagement mechanisms, will be acknowledged. The Organisation category is open for self-submission only. In 2011, 130 nominations were received for the Organisation category.
This year, the Organisation category will incorporate a new criterion that requires nominees to explain the rationale and thought process behind their entries, and to highlight how it contributes to the long-term viability and sustainability of their business.
To help companies with the nomination process this year, STB will conduct stakeholder engagement sessions during the nomination period to help companies understand the judging process so that relevant information may be presented in their nominations.
Awards under the Customer Service category recognise exemplary customer service in sectors such as Food and Beverage, Hotel, Nightspot, Retail, Tour Guiding, Transport and Visitor Attraction. Nominations for this category can be made by organisations and the public. Last year, a total of 22,000 nominations were received for the Customer Service category.

“The Awards serve as a great encouragement, whether to individuals or organisations, to innovate and deliver exceptional service. In creating this virtuous circle, we invite more people to submit their nominations so that great experiences are acknowledged, and outstanding individuals and organisations are given the recognition that they deserve,” shared Mr Conceicao.Longer nomination period this year Up from six weeks previously, the nomination period now spans eight weeks from 19 April to 8 June 2012. This will give participants more time to prepare for their nomination submissions. The qualifying period for all entries is from 1 January 2011 to 31 December 2011.Over 30 awards will be given out at the highly-anticipated gala awards ceremony scheduled for October later this year.

Award recipients will span six categories – Customer Service, Events, Experience, Marketing and Media, Outstanding Contribution and Special Recognition. Awards under the Special Recognition and Outstanding Contribution categories are not open for public nomination.In addition, the Best Education Experience will be renamed Best Education Experience (Tourism and Hospitality), to place greater emphasis on recognising courses and curriculums that support the grooming of talent for the tourism industry.
How to nominate Nominations can be submitted online via the Awards’ website at www.SingaporeExperience.com, where detailed information about the awards and criteria are available. Public nomination forms for the Customer Service category are also available at major attractions, food and beverage outlets, hotels, retail outlets, Singapore Visitors Centres1, and STB’s premises located at Tourism Court. The nomination period will close on 8 June 2012.