The FIREfly scholarship has opened many doors for Yvonne, one of which is the chance to attain her university education in Japan.

By Nabilah Husna A. Rahman

Japan is known for its vibrant tourism landscape, attracting over eight million foreign visitors annually. This is just one of the reasons why the chance to observe firsthand the high hospitality standards in this Asian country is so appealing. For Yvonne Sim, the choice to pursue her tertiary education in this distinctive location has been made possible through the FIREfly scholarship.

Amongst the six different agencies offering scholarships under the FIREfly Scholarship Programme, the Singapore Tourism Board (STB) stood out as the best option for the chatty and friendly 21-year-old.

At STB, work goes beyond the realms of mere marketing and into the hub of creating excitement.

By Nabilah Husna A. Rahman

The local tourism industry is set to boom, with pivotal developments led by the world’s only FORMULA ONE night race; the opening of the integrated resorts, Marina Bay SandsTM and Resorts World at Sentosa; landmark events like the Singapore 2010 Youth Olympic Games; new attractions such as Gardens by the Bay and River Safari; and new retail establishments such as ION Orchard and 313@Somerset gracing the newly rejuvenated Orchard Road.

These promising enhancements to the landscape are what drove Li Hongyi to dive headfirst into the industry with the Singapore Tourism Board (STB) as her first choice.

“My graduation coincided with a lot of the excitement lined up in the tourism industry,” says the National University of Singapore (NUS) alumnus. “So I thought that if I wanted to be in the centre of all the excitement, where else can I be, besides STB? That reaffirmed my choice and I gave the management trainee programme a shot.”

Gain fresh insights about the tourism industry as we speak to STB’s Chief Executive, as well as a young professional with a zest for shaping the nation.

By Cheryl Lim

Forty-five years ago, Singapore’s tourism industry was birthed through the establishment of the nation’s own tourism organisation – the Singapore Tourist Promotion Board, now known as the Singapore Tourism Board (STB). That year, with a staff strength of 25, the organisation launched the first of its tourism marketing campaigns and garnered 91,000 visitor arrivals.

Over the decades, Singapore’s tourism industry has grown in leaps and bounds. In 2008, the nation enjoyed 10.1 million visitor arrivals and record tourism receipts of S$14.8 billion – all thanks to a dedicated, innovative group of people at STB and close collaboration with tourism industry partners. And despite the recent downturn, tourism remains a viable generator of growth for Singapore and the region.

“In the long-term, we are optimistic about tourism. The potential in our part of the world is tremendous. This is a region that people want to get to know, to learn about the history, heritage, food, and behaviour. It’s very exciting because the whole region is becoming more interesting and vibrant to people both within the region and outside,” says Ms Aw Kah Peng, Chief Executive for STB.

Most scholars go for a university education in Australia, America or Europe. But Cheng Chek Lim took the less-travelled route and chose to study in Beijing. We find out about his choice scholarship and how it benefited him.

By Edwin Tam

Candidate description
Cheng Chek Lim
FIREfly Scholar (STB)
Designation: Management Trainee, STB
Studied: International Relations, Peking University

“I still jaywalk, but only when there aren’t any cars,” says Cheng Chek Lim, on bringing his jaywalking ways from Beijing back to Singapore.

The 25-year-old FIREfly scholar had spent four years in Peking University pursuing a degree in international relations. He is currently a management trainee with his sponsor agency – the Singapore Tourism Board (STB).