The Tourism50 Gala Dinner and the Singapore Experience Awards 2014 celebrated 50 years of tourism development and partnerships on October 31 at the Flower Dome, Gardens by the Bay, Singapore.
This year’s edition of the Singapore tourism sector’s most prestigious award platform was held in conjunction with the Tourism50 gala dinner organised by the Singapore Tourism Board (STB) to celebrate 50 years of tourism development and industry partnerships. The event was graced by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and attended by industry leaders, stakeholders and front-liners of the travel and tourism community.
STB Chief Executive Mr Lionel Yeo says, “Tonight we celebrate the remarkable journey that Singapore’s tourism sector has taken in the last 50 years. The transformation in our tourism landscape would not have been possible without the people in our tourism industry; their passion, dedication and hard work have been key to the success of Singapore tourism. Hence, by combining the Tourism50 celebrations with this year’s Singapore Experience Awards, we honour and recognise the best, but we also show our appreciation for the support and efforts from all in the tourism sector. ”
25 outstanding individuals and organisations were recognised and honoured at the Singapore Experience Awards 2014 for their contributions and dedication towards delivering extraordinary experiences.
Three individuals and two organisations were conferred top honours under the Outstanding Contributions and Special Recognition award categories.
The evening’s highest accolade, the Lifetime Achievement for Outstanding Contribution to Tourism went to veteran tourist guide and mentor, Mrs Geraldene Lowe-Ismail. In her career of close to 60 years in the tourism sector, she has pioneered walking tours in Singapore and has helped to train countless tourist guides. Till this day, Mrs Lowe-Ismail remains a mentor and a source of inspiration for many tourist guides.
Ms Yeoh Siew Hoon, Founder and Editor of Web In Travel (WIT), was named Tourism Entrepreneur of the Year. Under her leadership, WIT has become an important content and community platform for travel professionals keen to harness technology for their businesses. Besides expanding WIT to various countries in the Asia Pacific region, Ms Yeoh has also been nurturing young talents and helping charitable causes through her business platforms.
