Published on October 8, 2025
In a important development, Dr. Edward Koh has been appointed arsenic nan caller Executive Director of nan International Group and Oceania astatine nan Singapore Tourism Board (STB), effective November 1, 2025. This activity domiciled places Dr. Koh astatine nan forefront of driving Singapore’s tourism trading strategies crossed Australia and New Zealand, aiming to fortify its position arsenic a apical destination for some leisure and business travellers.
Having joined STB successful 2006, Dr. Koh brings pinch him extended leadership experience. His astir caller domiciled saw him spearheading nan Conventions, Meetings & Incentive Travel section successful Singapore, wherever he played an instrumental domiciled successful securing high-profile international congresses and corporate events, further establishing Singapore arsenic a global leader successful nan business events sector. Dr. Koh has besides held cardinal overseas positions, including activity roles successful STB’s location offices crossed Greater China and Southeast Asia.
Dr. Koh’s upcoming assignment besides coincides pinch his caller assignment arsenic a board director of nan Professional Convention Management Association (PCMA) successful September 2024, a testament to his progressive publication to nan global events industry.
Ongoing Initiatives to Strengthen Singapore’s Tourism Sector
The Singapore Tourism Board has been taking strategical steps to heighten its tourism offerings, ensuring nan destination remains competitory connected nan global stage. Several ongoing initiatives item STB’s committedness to tourism innovation and industry collaboration, pinch a typical attraction connected nan adjacent shape of maturation starring into 2040.
- AI Collaboration pinch OpenAI A important milestone was reached successful July 2025, erstwhile STB entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) pinch OpenAI, aiming to merge precocious artificial intelligence (AI) technologies into Singapore’s tourism infrastructure. This collaboration is group to toggle shape nan visitor experience, offering personalized recommendations, multilingual support, and immersive storytelling. The inaugural aligns pinch STB’s broader “Tourism 2040” strategy, which seeks to harness technology to heighten Singapore’s entreaty arsenic a leading destination.
- Tourism Industry Conference 2025 Another noteworthy improvement is nan Tourism Industry Conference, scheduled for April 2025. The convention will halfway connected nan taxable “Empowering nan Next Bound of Tourism Growth,” focusing connected achieving eager tourism gross goals and exploring strategies for enhancing Singapore’s destination appeal. The discussions will revolve astir innovations aimed astatine capturing caller demand, diversifying nan tourism landscape, and sustaining semipermanent maturation successful an progressively competitory global market.
- Strategic Industry Partnerships As portion of its broader maturation strategy, STB has forged partnerships pinch cardinal industry players. One of nan astir notable collaborations is pinch CapitaLand Investment, which intends to present caller international brands and events to Singapore, further boosting nan city’s entreaty to world visitors. Additionally, nan Dempsey Precinct Partnership is focused connected transforming nan Dempsey area into a must-visit destination, providing travelers pinch unsocial cultural and leisure experiences.
Upcoming Initiatives to Shape nan Future of Singapore’s Tourism
Looking ahead, nan Singapore Tourism Board has laid retired eager plans to guarantee that nan tourism sector continues its maturation trajectory, gathering caller demands and expectations arsenic portion of a sustainable and innovative tourism ecosystem.
- Tourism 2040 Roadmap Central to STB’s early strategies is nan “Tourism 2040” roadmap, a semipermanent imagination for transforming Singapore into a world-class destination pinch diverse, unique, and memorable experiences. This eager roadmap places a beardown accent connected sustainable development, leveraging innovation to thrust growth, and fostering deeper collaboration crossed nan tourism ecosystem. The scheme outlines measures that will guarantee Singapore remains competitive, relevant, and a desirable destination for world travelers.
- Sustainability Standards for Attractions In alignment pinch nan Singapore Green Plan 2030, STB is actively moving connected nan improvement of global sustainability standards for tourer attractions. The GSTC (Global Sustainable Tourism Council) Attraction Criteria will beryllium nan first of its benignant successful nan world. This inaugural intends to beforehand sustainable practices among tourism businesses, ensuring that Singapore’s tourism offerings are environmentally responsible and successful statement pinch nan world sustainability agenda.
- Tourism Sustainability Programme To further support sustainable growth wrong nan industry, STB’s Tourism Sustainability Programme is designed to assistance tourism businesses astatine each stages of their sustainability journey. This inaugural offers guidance connected building workforce capabilities, fostering innovation successful sustainable solutions, and promoting tourism practices that minimize nan environmental impact while maximizing social and economic benefits. The programme is group to supply nan devices and expertise needed to create a much sustainable tourism sector crossed nan board.
STB’s Continued Commitment to Strengthening Regional Trade Relations
In nan lead-up to his charismatic commencement day connected November 1, 2025, Dr. Koh has already begun engaging pinch cardinal industry stakeholders. His information successful nan SingapoReconnect arena successful Perth successful August 2025 marked an important measurement successful building relationships pinch Western Australian recreation trade and media professionals. During nan event, Dr. Koh shared important updates connected Singapore’s tourism developments, reinforcing nan city’s entreaty arsenic a vibrant destination for leisure and business travelers alike.
Further emphasizing nan value of maintaining beardown trade relationships, Dr. Koh is besides group to be nan National Travel Industry Awards (NTIA) successful Brisbane later successful nan year, signaling STB’s committedness to maintaining a robust web of trade partners successful nan region.
A Vision for nan Future
Dr. Koh’s assignment and STB’s strategical initiatives signify a bold imagination for nan early of Singapore’s tourism sector. With nan Tourism 2040 roadmap, collaborations pinch cardinal industry players, and a attraction connected sustainability, STB is positioning Singapore arsenic a global leader successful nan tourism industry. By enhancing visitor experiences done technology, fostering sustainable practices, and strengthening regional relationships, STB is preparing for a early that will spot Singapore proceed to thrive arsenic a top-tier destination.