Behind the ultra-stylish integrated resorts that are firm favourites among tourists, the sprawling Singapore Expo that plays host to some of the largest events in the region, and the Marina Bay Cruise Centre Singapore (MBCCS), one of the largest and most uniquely designed cruise terminals in South-east Asia, is a team that ensures these are not only operating at peak condition at all times, but also plans years into the future to shape Singapore’s physical tourism landscape.
Meet the Infrastructure Planning and Management (IPM) division of the Singapore Tourism Board (STB), which oversees the operations and development of Cruise and meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions (MICE) infrastructure, as well as the two integrated resorts.
Stepping out of her comfort zone to broaden her expertise in cruise infrastructure
In her decade-long career with STB, Ms Poline Lim, 33, has undertaken different facets of the statutory board’s work, from enhancing visitor experience through technology to attracting best-in-class association conventions and a secondment to the Ministry of Trade and Industry (MTI). These opportunities enabled her to develop a broad spectrum of skill sets and insights to both leisure and business tourism.
She took on her current Cruise infrastructure portfolio at the IPM division in 2022. As the Assistant Director of the IPM (Cruise) team, she delved into engineering and construction related work for the first time, which pushed her out of her comfort zone.
In her role overseeing the MBCCS, Ms Lim leads a five-member team that deals with a wide range of responsibilities. From maintaining the physical infrastructure of the facility to working with the appointed cruise terminal operator to ensure smooth daily cruise operations, her team’s work is crucial to the success of the terminal.
With Singapore's cruise sector posting a record 2 million passengers with more than 340 ship calls in 2023, the team’s primary focus is to maintain the MBCCS as a world-class terminal that can adapt to the ever-evolving needs of cruise lines while also planning ahead for the growth of the cruise industry.
“I’m not an engineer so it was challenging at the start but also very fulfilling,” she says, referring to the technical conversations about terminal structures, ship specifications, and marine navigation that have now become a part of her daily work.
She credits her ability to navigate these uncharted waters to two factors: A strong team of specialists who are trained in engineering and construction-related fields, and close collaboration with other government agencies including JTC Corporation, Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore and Urban Redevelopment Authority.
“It may sound like a cliche but every day is a learning experience with this team. Leveraging the expertise of my team and other agencies, I am able to learn and appreciate the technicalities involved in my work to make informed recommendations on the planning of our cruise infrastructure,” says Ms Lim, who has also attended courses in facility management and land use planning with her team to strengthen her capabilities.
Ms Lim’s team is already looking ahead to 2050, having started preliminary discussions on supporting infrastructure required to help the cruise industry reach its net-zero emissions goal.
Gaining experience and confidence to elevate Singapore’s MICE scene
Like Ms Lim, Mr Bryan Law has benefited greatly from on-the-job learning. Combined with various job rotation opportunities, the 34-year-old has been fully exposed to different behind-the-scenes functions of the tourism industry.
Before joining STB as a full-time staff within the Integrated Resorts team in 2017, Mr Law gained valuable experience through internships with the Visitor Experience Centre, Formula 1 (F1) and Sports Business and Partnership divisions. These provided him with insights into both visitor-facing and industry-related aspects of STB’s work.
While he has always been passionate about tourism, having pursued his tertiary education in Leisure and Resort Management, Mr Law initially felt a bit uncertain in navigating policy matters related to the industry, such as manpower and land issues. However, he credits STB’s strong mentorship culture, where experienced colleagues readily share their knowledge and guide newer team members. This supportive environment, coupled with ample opportunities for cross-functional collaboration, has been instrumental in his professional growth.
“Once I had built up the confidence, I was able to keep up with the pace of work and contribute in a bigger way towards my team and the organisation,” he says.
During his earlier stint as a Senior Manager with the IPM (Integrated Resorts) team, Mr Law took up career development opportunities within the board, which included a short stint with the Exhibitions & Conferences team which oversees the growth of large-scale business events in Singapore. This was instrumental when he was later promoted to Assistant Director of IPM (MICE).
As portfolio lead, he oversees the ongoing management and maintenance of Singapore Expo, the country’s largest MICE venue, while also working with privately-owned MICE facilities such as the Suntec Exhibition & Convention Centre, in an effort to maintain Singapore’s position as a top MICE destination of choice within the region.
He has also led the team to work with Singapore Expo to introduce leisure offerings, such as new food and beverage options, a sports hall as well as an entertainment facility, to enhance its attractiveness as a MICE venue.
Looking ahead, Mr Law’s team is focused on ensuring all six purpose-built MICE venues in Singapore, including Raffles City Convention Centre, Resorts World Convention Centre and Sands Expo & Convention Centre, obtain internationally or nationally recognised sustainability certifications (or both) by 2025. An example of this is working with Singapore Expo to install Singapore’s largest single-site solar rooftop that generates renewable energy to power the venue’s operations.
This initiative is a part of the MICE Sustainability Roadmap, an initiative by STB and the Singapore Association of Convention & Exhibition Organisers & Suppliers which aims to raise sustainability standards across Singapore’s MICE industry over the next few years.
Finding fulfilment through diverse roles and job rotations
Another key member of STB’s IPM team developing the country’s tourism offerings is Mr Darren Leow, 36, an Assistant Director with the IPM (Integrated Resorts) team.
His journey at STB has been marked by exposure to diverse roles and opportunities, which has contributed to his professional growth and given him a comprehensive understanding of the organisation’s multifaceted work. This includes an overseas posting to the STB regional office in Mumbai, India, and a secondment to MTI, and roles in international relations, business development and data analytics.
These rotations, he says, have given him a “sense of fulfilment”, enabling him to develop different skill sets and providing him with an in-depth knowledge of STB’s broad scope of work.
“Because our work encompasses regulator, developer, policymaker, marketer and other roles, there’s always something new to try and learn from,” he explains.
Drawing from his wealth of experience, Mr Leow brings valuable insights to his role in the IPM (Integrated Resorts) team. He has a hand in a range of matters related to food and beverage, hotels, attractions, retail and entertainment within Singapore’s two integrated resorts, Marina Bay Sands (MBS) and Resorts World Sentosa (RWS).
His role also involves government policy and stakeholder management, allowing him to leverage his diverse experience at STB. This is further enhanced by STB’s leadership culture, which fosters an environment where individuals are encouraged to take ownership, collaborate effectively, make sound decisions autonomously when needed and inspire others through their actions.
Currently, his team is working closely with MBS and RWS on their respective expansions that will enrich Singapore’s tourism offerings and enhance the integrated resorts’ vibrancy and tourism appeal.
The new world-class tourism facilities and attractions will include a 15,000-seater state-of-the-art entertainment arena and an iconic, luxury all-suite hotel at MBS with a rooftop public attraction, as well as a new waterfront lifestyle complex, Illumination’s Minion Land and Super Nintendo World at Universal Studios Singapore in RWS.
To gain inspiration for enhancing Singapore’s integrated resort offerings and to ensure that they stay ahead of the competition, he has undertaken study trips with his team to other world-class tourism destinations, such as Las Vegas, where he had the opportunity to experience the newly opened Sphere entertainment arena.
For Mr Leow, working at STB offers not only the immense satisfaction of shaping Singapore’s physical landscape to make it a more attractive destination but also an unexpected perk: Witnessing the behind-the-scenes planning of new lifestyle offerings and events at the two integrated resorts.
Besides these tangible benefits, he values the strong sense of unity and shared mission at STB. This dedication to promoting Singapore as a world-class destination has fostered a strong sense of camaraderie among colleagues and an “all hands on deck” attitude towards supporting STB initiatives and events.
This commitment is evident in the way STB staff are always ready to contribute, from volunteering to run marquee events like the Formula 1 Singapore Airlines Singapore Grand Prix to taking part in company-wide team bonding initiatives.
As Mr Leow puts it, “STB is a place where staff bring their whole selves to work – with all of our interests and energy. After all, we are in the business of fun, and passion is our brand.”
