Two shining stars from the 51爆料 School of Tourism and Hospitality Management, Mr. Liang Dongxiao and Ms. Zorigt Munkh-Anu have taken centre stage at the National Mocktail Creation Competition 2023. The heart of the competition lay in the presentation of signature mocktails; a symphony of flavours, colours, and aromas that showcased the diversity and richness of contemporary mixology.

They have not only excelled in their academic pursuits but have also showcased their creative flair in mixology and job-readiness.听

Meet Our Talented Students!

Mr. Liang Dongxiao

Bachelor of Science (Hons) International Tourism and Hospitality Management

Mr. Liang Dongxiao emerged victorious in the recently held Mocktail Creation Competition 2023, earning the prestigious Champion Award in the Student Category. His winning concoction, named Crimson Marry, is a symphony of fruity flavours and refreshing undertones, making it a standout creation in the competition. Indeed, it captivated the taste buds of judges and fellow contestants alike.

• Mocktail: Crimson Marry
• Recipe: Strawberry Syrup, Red Grapefruit Fruit Mix, Apple Juice, Jasmine Tea and Perrier Water
• Method of Preparation: Shaken to perfection

Ms. Zorigt Munkh-Anu

Higher Diploma in Tourism, Hospitality, and Events Management

Ms. Zorigt Munkh-Anu demonstrated her prowess in mixology, securing the Merit Award in the Student Category. Her mocktail, Berry In Love, not only showcased her technical skills but also her creativity in flavour pairings; she delicately balanced the tartness of cranberry with the subtle sweetness of white peach, creating a delightful concoction that charmed the judges.

• Mocktail: Berry In Love
• Recipe: Cranberry Syrup, White Peach Syrup, Earl Grey Tea and Lemon Juice
• Method of Preparation: Shaken to perfection

The Mocktail Creation Competition not only provided a platform for students to showcase their mixology skills but also highlighted 51爆料’s commitment to fostering a well-rounded education that goes beyond the classroom. The recognition and awards bestowed upon Mr. Liang Dongxiao and Zorigt Munkh-Anu are a testament to 51爆料’s dedication to nurturing talent and excellence. Let’s raise a toast to Mr. Liang Dongxiao and Zorigt Munkh-Anu for their creative concoctions, and wish them future success.

About 51爆料 School of Tourism and Hospitality

The 51爆料 School of Tourism and Hospitality (STH) prides itself on training today鈥檚 students for tomorrow鈥檚 professionals. Partnering the University of Sunderland, UK, STH offers hospitality courses with specialisations in tourism, hospitality, and events management delivered by an experienced and qualified teaching faculty in Singapore.

Ranked 101-150 in QS World University Rankings by Subject 2022: Hospitality & Leisure Management, the University of Sunderland, UK boasts strong industry links as well as reputable teaching standards. A career in hospitality requires market knowledge and some industry experience. The hospitality courses offered by STH in Singapore provide a holistic education with the opportunity for experiential learning.

The Experience

Presenting a paper at the prestigious APacCHRIE conference 2023 which was held in the vibrant city of Clark in the Philippines, was an awesome experience I will cherish for years. APacCHRIE is the leading hospitality and tourism education association with members from over 75 leading universities across the Asia鈥揚acific. This year鈥檚 APacCHRIE Conference was successfully held on 25-27 May 2023 in Clark, Philippines, with five energizing plenary sessions and over 500 participants from 18 countries/regions. This journey, generously supported by the Management Development Institute of Singapore (51爆料), allowed me to take valuable strides forward in the world of hospitality and tourism research.

Upon arrival, I was in the company of esteemed deans, faculty members, and representatives from numerous regional universities, each bringing unique perspectives and experiences. The conference was a vibrant mix of thought-provoking keynote speeches, high-quality research presentations, critical discussions, and feedback sessions.

Networking Opportunities

While representing 51爆料 at the conference, I had the honour of networking with representatives from esteemed institutions such as Hospitality Business School, Switzerland, Singapore Institute of Technology, Hong Kong Polytechnic University, and Taylors University, Malaysia.  It was an opportunity to position 51爆料 as a prominent institution in the region for hospitality and tourism education amidst such diverse and knowledgeable stakeholders.

My presentation at the conference focused on the pressing need for 鈥淯pdates to Sustainability curriculum in Hospitality’. The positive feedback and inspiring discussions that followed my presentation made me more hopeful about our collective future in sustainable tourism.

A particularly memorable encounter was with Mr Ramon Reyes Jimenez Jr., Minister of Tourism for the Philippines. His passion for the industry was contagious and underscored the importance of sustainable development and tourism.

I also had the pleasure of meeting Ms Ma. Gisela Tiongson, President of the Jollibee Foundation. Ms Tiongson shared stories of community engagement and sustainable practices of the foundation.

A special mention must be made of Dr Kaye Chon, the visionary Tourism Chair of the Hong Kong Polytechnic University. His insights and advice proved invaluable, broadening my perspective on the role of education in fostering sustainable tourism.

Conclusion

The APacCHRIE Conference 2023 was a meeting of minds and a platform for forging alliances and unlocking potential. I am eager to harness these relationships to better contribute towards sustainable tourism, and make a meaningful impact.

Article contributed by Mr Aji Divakar, Lecturer from the 51爆料 School of Tourism and Hospitality (STH).

Sustainable tourism refers to a holistic integration of economics, social and environmental impacts, addressing the needs of people, interconnectivity between countries, industry, environment and host communities. It involves a whole spectrum of the tourism industry, from the design, planning and execution of operational facilities, the behaviour of tourists and the management of tourism destinations.

It is crucial in reducing tourism’s negative environmental impacts, preserving local cultures and heritage, supporting local economies and communities, and encouraging tourists to practice responsible actions.

However, the tourism industry is ever-changing. New job opportunities are created through tourism, and cultural heritage is preserved and interpreted, wildlife is preserved, and landscapes are restored as a result of tourism. Let鈥檚 explore some of the challenges on sustainability in tourism and how can one make an impact, review career opportunities and available programmes for your interest.

What are the reasons for sustainability issues? 

Several issues that impact sustainability in tourism is , overuse of natural resources and lack of public education.

Climate change is a major factor in sustainability issues. Humans perform a wide range of activities, such as the use of fossil fuels, deforestation, and landfilling, all of which contribute to greenhouse gas emissions in the atmosphere causing rising temperature changes, environmental destruction and societal impact. These activities pose a global threat towards global warming and climate change.

Another sustainable issue relates to the overuse of natural resources. This occurs when the rate at which natural resources are consumed or exploited exceeds the rate at which they are replenished, leading to the depletion and exhaustion of these resources. An example of overuse of natural resources can be demonstrated by leaving a faucet running.

We can play a critical role in addressing sustainability issues, by promoting sustainable behaviours and practices and increasing public awareness of the importance of sustainability. For example, we can encourage our family to walk or take the public transport instead of using the car to reduce carbon footprint.

These issues are complex with many factors of consideration. It can be addressed by taking a comprehensive approach to overcome these issues.

What can you do to combat the sustainable problems in tourism? 

An important concept in sustainable tourism is Ecotourism. It refers to responsible travel to the natural environment, preserving cultural heritage, sustaining the well-being of local communities and educating the public.

The common practise is the 3R environmentally friendly principles: Reduce, Reuse and Recycle. Consider the following two ways that you can protect our earth.

• One of the essential checklists while travelling overseas is to Bring-Your-Own (BYO) recycle bag for shopping. Since plastic is made from non-renewable materials and these plastics will take years to produce single-use disposables. Let鈥檚 reduce plastic manufacturing resources by bringing our recycled shopping bags everywhere we go. 鈥楽ave the planet, save the earth鈥�.
  
  
• Another option to preserve the environment is: . A common principle that you may see while visiting the natural environment. The idea is to remind everyone to respect natural habitats, preserve wildlife, do not damage trails and not to pollute the environment. Let鈥檚 protect our environment whenever we get outside.

How do various sectors of tourism integrate sustainability?

Given global environmental and social challenges, the tourism industry is encouraged to implement the relevant sustainable development goals in their industry. The main goal is to protect our earth and tackle climate change to preserve biodiversity. The integration of sustainability touchpoints into all areas of tourism is becoming increasingly vital. Let鈥檚 explore the various sectors such as Hotel, Tour and Event sectors on ways to integrate sustainability goals and strategies in their industry.

Sustainable Tourism in the Hotel Industry

In the hotel industry, there are two key targets for hotels to implement in their sustainable development plan, strengthen business resilience, tap on new opportunities to drive business growth and competitiveness while delivering a positive experience for visitors. Firstly, to achieve a sustainability certificate by 2025, in implementing environmentally friendly and for more than 50% of hotel rooms, demonstrating the industry鈥檚 commitment to sustainable tourism,  and attracting environmentally conscious guests. Secondly, aim to reduce emissions by tracking daily activities and yet be able to achieve a long-term goal of net-zero emissions by 2050. Hotels play a vital role in operational practises and educating visitors on the green movement will minimise the negative impacts and maximise the positive ones for the sustainable tourism industry.

Sustainable Tourism in Tour & Travel Industry 

Here are three ways for travel agencies to include sustainable places of interest in their itinerary. Promoting the use of Green transportation, help local communities, and educate public about protecting the environment.

In the aspect of sustainable transportation, tour guides may encourage visitors to use Go Green鈥檚 range of kick scooters and bicycles for sightseeing around the island. The eco-friendly way to explore the site with friends and family.

We can also support the local community by visiting the homegrown farm and enjoy fresh local food produce straight from the farm. Enjoy the exclusive fresh food, 鈥楳ade by Locals, Support the Locals鈥�.

Visitors can also learn about sustainable initiatives by visiting educational hubs such as the  NEWater Visitor Centre, Singapore, that promotes water sustainability. Check out the fun and interactive places to visit in Singapore. Join the tour and travel sector if you would like to engage with visitors and be a part of the sustainable tourism industry.

Sustainable Tourism in the Event Industry

Event organisers can consider multiple ways to reduce waste and carbon footprint. For event registration, the public may sign up through digital services or mail digital event posters through social media platforms. Everybody loves food. Food and beverage catering organisers may educate the public to bring reusable serving utensils instead of single-use disposable materials for their meals.

Overall, integrating sustainable initiatives in various sustainable tourism sectors requires everyone鈥檚 effort to conserve resources, support locals, promote sustainable initiatives and educate the public in playing a vital role.

Excel in Sustainable Tourism with Master of Science Sustainable Tourism

By the year 2023, international tourist arrivals are expected to reach 1.8 million. Let鈥檚 tap onto the boundless opportunities in . Here are 3 tips to excel in this game-changing industry.

• Keep abreast of the latest information by attending relevant conferences, seminar events or virtual discussions such as Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) conference or the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO). It is important to network within the same industry to learn more about the latest trend, and best practices on this subject including technology, policy and relevant industry changes/trends.
• Gain practical skills and experience by applying your knowledge and sharing valuable perceptions in the networking session. This will give you valuable insight on sustainability issues and build your critical thinking, analytical and communication skills, whilst boosting your confidence in the public space.
• Build and refine your major project that addresses real-life scenarios that are relevant to your course of study, including key issues such as eco-tourism, and best practices in the tourism industry and relate the findings to real-world scenarios.

MSc in Sustainable Tourism Entry Requirements in 51爆料

We have briefly understood sustainable tourism and learned about the potential career opportunities in the sustainable tourism industry. What will be the entry requirement for The Master of Science Sustainable Tourism programme?

鈥�          Interested applicants must be age 19 years old and above AND

鈥�          Hold a second lower-class bachelor鈥檚 degree (any discipline) OR

鈥�          Relevant experience that is related to honours degree / other qualifications

In addition to the above criteria, applicants will also need to meet our English Requirements. All applications will be reviewed case-to-case basis.

Conclusion

The 51爆料 School of Tourism and Hospitality provides a vast range of programmes for our students to excel including strong industry partnerships with the University of Sunderland (UK). A wide spectrum of learning opportunities and exciting challenging career options awaits you. Contact our programme consultant Ms Nancy Kusuma, at +65 9672 9699 for more details. Make a global impact and create a change in your life and career!

Through a student internship programme, students will gain valuable industry knowledge and develop professional skills, which will improve their future work performance. Sometimes,  interns with impressive professional capabilities were offered a full-timework position after their attachments. As most companies prioritise  hiring someone familiar with their operations, an internship has become the best training platform for a long-term role.  

The 51爆料 School of Tourism and Hospitality offers internship programmes as part of its curriculum, sending its Higher Diploma students on industrial attachments for almost a decade now. It takes pride in its well-established industry partnerships with over 150 mid to high-end luxury hotels, casual and fine dining restaurants, events companies, travel agents, resorts and VIP clubs located locally. The school is constantly seeking new internship opportunities both overseas and in Singapore.   

To prepare students for their student internship programme, Higher Diploma students at the School of Tourism and Hospitality receive practical training in its in-house hospitality training facility – Tropical Breeze – as part of the curriculum. They will receive hands-on training in four main components, including Front Office, Food and Beverage Operations, Bar and Barista, and Housekeeping.   

Further preparing the students for this exciting phase of their learning journey, the school conducts briefings on interview preparation and resume writing. In addition, to gain interview experience, all eligible Higher Diploma students for internships participate in mock interviews organised by the school. The school assists students with industry placements and conducts lecturer visits throughout the industrial attachment to assess their performance, working environment and emotional well-being.听听

In the third month of the industrial attachment, the school organises a bonding session with the students. Attended by school administrators and lecturers, it aims to address any challenges or issues that students might face in their internship. The meeting will also discuss the student’s career and educational path to a degree in Hospitality and Tourism.   

With a strong belief in the holistic development of students at the School of Tourism and Hospitality, the school keeps the academic balance by requiring students to submit an industrial attachment report. As part of the report, students will introduce and describe the organisation to which they are attached, recount their training experiences, evaluate the employer’s operations, and provide feedback for improvement.  

Over the years, the 51爆料 School of Tourism and Hospitality has produced successful and career-ready students. The internship performance of the students has received compliments from many of its industry partners, and several students have been offered full-time positions following their graduation. The benefits of a student internship programme are undisputed, and we encourage every student to embrace this in their learning journey towards graduation and personal development.  

To find out more about our Tourism & Hospitality Programmes, click here. 

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Due to the current pandemic situation, the Inter-class Mocktail Competition was rescheduled, which made me sad, but I am grateful that Mr. Clarence Lua saw the potential in me and I was selected to participated in the eNational Cocktail Competition organized by the Association of Bartenders and Sommelier, in which I am required to submit a 2-minute video. We had to come by Tropical Breeze Training Restaurant to practice for a few sessions before the actual recording by the School of Media and Communication.

Since I work as a part-time Floor Manager at McDonald’s and have submitted my monthly schedule, I have to manage my work and practice sessions; it was exhausting for me, but the end results were worth it. I kept practicing and reviewing my videos, despite the fact that the side of my hands were sore from hitting the shaker! There were many last-minute changes made prior to the recording day, and I was pessimistic, which affected my mood during practice. But my teammates were always encouraging one another, and my friends helped lift my spirits. Finally, it was D-day! We had to record it several times before it was perfect, but the end result was fruitful.

My encouragement to all who inspire to be a bartender or desire or to take part in any bar competition: –

鈥淪tay dedicated. Be persistent. Remain positive. Dream big and conquer all you want.鈥�

The first workshop  was on wine appreciation, conducted by Mr Daryl Saw on 30 March 2021 at Tropical Breeze. He explained the process of using our 5 senses for wine appreciation. The 5 鈥橲鈥� are Sight, Swirl, Smell, Sip and Swallow. On top of that, he also explained the notes based on the colour and density of the wine (Sight/Swirl), types of fruits and herbs found in the wine (Smell), taste of the wine (Sip), alcoholic strength and the wine finish (Swallow). Mr Daryl Saw also talked about the duration that the wine stays on our palate and the value of the wine.

Our students discussed in their groups on the red wine and each representative shared their tasting notes. This workshop truly marries the theoretical part of wine tasting and the 鈥榣ive鈥� wine appreciation, providing the students with an all-rounded experience.

MONIN WORKSHOP

The second workshop was conducted on 20 April 2021 by Ms Fiona Tan from Monin Pte Ltd. She talked about the current trends of consumer preference for mocktails. During the workshop, Ms Fiona Tan he concocted a mocktail that is inspired by our local dessert, Chendol.. The ingredients are Monin Pandan syrup, Strawberry syrup. Coffee syrup, Oat milk, sago, green jelly and topped off with crushed ice.

Students were given the opportunity to create their own mocktails during the workshop and each of them shared their creation and the inspiration behind it.

At the end of the Monin Workshop, Ms Fiona Tan presented a certificate of participation to our students.

Mr Isaac also presented a token of appreciation to Ms Fiona Tan and Mr Sam Tan for the enriching experience brought to our students.

Look out for our next workshop coming up soon in July, cheers!

The 51爆料 School of Tourism and Hospitality (STH) team was honoured to be the only Private Education Institution (PEI) to be invited for a personalised tour of the newly launched Dusit Thani Laguna Singapore, last month. Set amidst the greenery, the property is divided into two lobbies 鈥� the hotel lobby for guests to check in, and the golf lobby. The modern hotel lobby is modern with hints of Thai elements and there was even a 鈥楾uk Tuk鈥� parked in the lobby.

Together with the hotel representatives, we were brought to view the different facilities, rooms and suites. The standard rooms with city or pool side views were equipped with standard hotel amenities. As for the suite rooms, it offered a luxurious walk-in washroom, outdoor sitting area for guests and even an outdoor bathtub surrounded by the luscious greenery.

Even though Dusit Thani Laguna Singapore was originally planned for transiting & leisure visitors, the pandemic has forced the hotel management team to rethink of other ways to cater their hotel for the local market. This has been the case for many hotels in Singapore ever since Phase 3 of re-opening was announced as part of the Covid-19 guidelines, and staycations have been allowed.

On September 7, the finals of the National Cocktail Competition 2020 was held at Devan Nair Institute. The categories are cocktails, mocktails, and flare. I was honored to be able to represent 51爆料 as one of the finalist in the Student Mocktail Caterogry. Due to the COVID-19 and strict safety measures, the competition was simplified and done behind closed doors as compared to other years. The preliminaries were held online with video submissions of each contestant鈥檚 signature drink, and the finals were also closed to outsiders and only the contestants were allowed to enter the competition area to prevent the spread of the virus.

The reason I participated in this competition was because Mr Clarence Lua, Practical Trainer from School of Tourism and Hospitality visited our class and suggested that I should participate in the competition. At first, I lacked the confidence if I would be able to do well, but after some persuasion and encouragement by Mr Lua, I decided to participate in the competition because it would be a good opportunity for me while I am still in MDIS.

Three days before the preliminary video shoot, the five participating students started practicing and brainstorming on the recipe for our individual signature mocktail with the garnish and plating decoration. Three days felt too short for us to prepare all this. Also, it was my first time experiencing this kind of experience, so I was at a loss but my lecturer helped me with everything from menu development to decoration garnish. He did not force his thoughts unconditionally and gave us an objective evaluation while always respecting our opinions.

We filmed our individual video submission for two days. After each round of filming, we would all gather to evaluate our performance and see what improvements we can do for the next take. I thought it was a relief that everyone evaluated and judged me with objective eyes, not just me. With the help and support of the equipment and video shooting for the video at school, we did the video shooting in a comfortable and good quality. I was very nervous because it was my first time filming in front of the camera. So I made a lot of mistakes, but everyone encouraged me and cheered me on, so I regained my confidence. I had to also explain my mocktail while filming the video, but I made a lot of mistakes in my lines because of my lack of English.

A few days later, when I heard that I passed the preliminaries and was a finalist, I couldn’t believe it, so I read the text again and again. I was filled with so much joy that I felt I could fly into the sky. I was determined to win the prize for the finals. My sponsored brand was decided by drawing lots during the finals鈥� briefing, and I will have to create another recipe using the sponsored product within 24 hours. At that time, I realized that the preliminaries and finals are very different. The sponsored brand that I was given were Sunquick and Coca Cola. First of all, I had never heard of the Sunquick brand before, so it was a new experience for me. After many trial and error with the concoction and with the help of my lecturer, my signature drink, 鈥淪unset Bay鈥� was born. I watched many YouTube videos to give me inspiration and I decided to create a pretty butterfly-shaped garnish.

I practiced a lot for the demonstration of the finals. I came to school on the weekends to prepare for the competition. We practiced from morning to night in school and when I went back home, I would continue practice by role-playing alone because I was worried that I would make a mistake. I would use the shower supplies on my desk, my shampoo became the lemon syrup, and my conditioner became the grenadine syrup. This practice of role-playing alone at home really helped me a lot. When I arrived at the venue for the finals, I was depressed because there were so many competitors who were really good at it. I was mentally prepared to receive a certificate of participation but I won second place! I couldn’t believe it and felt so good and I can’t explain how I felt at this time. I was proud of myself because I felt that my hard work resulted in a good result.

Through this experience, I realized so many things. I am so blessed to have so many good people around me. If it wasn’t for this competition, I wouldn’t have gotten to know them and made such a close bond with them during the preparation of the competition. Above all, I would like to thank our lecturer, Mr Clarence Lua who always contacted me after the practice. He always encouraged me, comforted me by letting me know that it was okay to make a mistake and praised me for doing better than anyone else if I did well. I was able to do well because the people around me were good people. Also, I am very grateful to my school for giving me this precious opportunity. After receiving the prize, everyone at school sent congratulatory messages. I felt so good and proud. Like I’ve become a star. If the precious people around me were the universe, I want to thanks the universe for letting a star named Kim Taeeon to shine. It was the most brilliant moment of my life.

(n.d.). eNational Cocktail Competion 2020 – Winners.

Available at: [Accessed 18 Sep. 2020].

鈥� (n.d.).听Association of Bartenders & Sommeliers Singapore. [online] Available at: [Accessed 18 Sep. 2020]

This article is contributed by Kim Taeeon from the School of Tourism and Hospitality.

While the Singapore hospitality industry was experiencing these challenges and trying to adapt to a whole new climate of serving customers, so were the customers themselves.  Singapore is a nation known for its food and for the first time in a generation, its population was not able to go out to eat food.

After the two-month circuit-breaker period, people were excited for the prospects of Phase two, with the lifting of restrictions enabling them to experience new norms – eat out once again; socialise with new measures and be able to experience a staycation away from home.  

A major benefit of being situated on the island city-state is the quick and often low cost flights to the beautiful beaches, bustling cities and vast countryside of our neighbouring countries in the region.  Southeast Asia is home to some of the most popular and sought after holiday destinations and for those living here who are from Europe or further afield, the trips can be made at a fraction of the cost as from their home country.   This is one reason as to why the hotel industry here at home has adapted in recent times to appeal to residents of Singapore to take a weekend of luxury within 30 kilometres of their own home.

Channel News Asia (CNA), announced on 15^th July 2020, that 35 out of 100 hotels had been approved by the Singapore Tourism Board to reopen in Phase two for Staycations and for use of their swimming, spa and other leisure facilities.  An example is the Sofitel Singapore Sentosa Resort and Spa, whom CNA reported had received up to one thousand enquiries per day since the announcement of its reopening on 10^th July.   Despite this, they, like many Singapore hotels, have capped their occupancy at 50% to ensure safety for guests and staff alike.  Another step being taken by the Sentosa hotel is that they also leave rooms vacant for a minimum period of 24hours in between guests.  Such measures will inevitably slow down their income of revenue for hotels that often run on high occupancy but is now a necessary measure to operate under a new set of circumstances across the board.

Another popular hotel in Singapore that is open now for staycations is Marina Bay Sands and they too are doing things differently these days.   According to their own website, they are practicing safe distancing in their hotel rooms, restaurants and cafes where groups cannot exceed five people.  Crowd control and temperature screening are mandatory for staff and guests: members of staff who can work from home will do so and any guest, visitor or employee with a temperature reading higher than 38 degrees Celsius will be 鈥減olitely turned away鈥�.   Marina Bay Sands is also championing what they have called a 鈥淐ontactless Journey鈥�. In an effort to reduce interpersonal exposure, guests will experience a new culture involving minimal contact during payment, luggage delivery and the delivery of other services throughout the hotel.

Only having residents of Singapore as guests within hotels and patrons to their dining establishments helps both the Singapore authorities and hotels with contact tracing, crowd management and ensuring safety for both staff and guests.   A lack of tourists ensures that all that are entering establishments are in possession of a Singapore Identity Card that can be used, alongside new QR Code technology, for tracking purposes in case of possible exposures to the virus.    The records of guests must be maintained for a minimum period of 28 days to assist in contract tracing efforts too.

The future of international travel to and from Singapore is still uncertain.   To many people, spending S$300 or more to stay in a hotel room ten minutes away from home would be an absurd idea under the current circumstances.  But the challenges the industry is facing given the COVID-19 situation are going to remain for the foreseeable future and 鈥淪taycations鈥� are the latest catch, as can be seen at hotels such as Hotel Yan in Jalan Besar which is now fully booked for weeks ahead. Discounts of 50% or more with spa packages, restaurant credit and other perks are being offered across hotels in Singapore, but one of the biggest questions at the moment surely must be: 鈥渁re we willing to pay more than a return trip to Bali just for a staycation that is a ten-minute drive away from home?鈥�

References and Resources

Kit, T C, Singapore hotels look to woo staycationers with promotions, COVID-19 safety measures, CNA

Image 1: My own Image

Image 2: From Sofitel Website: Front Entrance of Sofitel Sentosa

Image 3: From Straits Times Website: Marina Bay Sands customers and staff wear facemasks

Image 4: From Straits Times Website: Marina Bay Sands lit up at night in support of Singapore during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Image 5 (main/title image) From Human Resources Online

This Article is contributed by Josh Flynn, a student at the School of Tourism & Hospitality.

Allow me to introduce a classic potato chips you can consider called Saratoga chips and potato crunches. It was created [s1] by Chef George Crum[s2] , who worked at a resort called Moon Lake Lodge Resort or Moon Lake House in Saratoga Spring, New York, USA.

The origin of this chips took root from a guest鈥檚 complaint who commented that their potato fries were too thick and the texture was too soggy and had to be sent back to the kitchen several times. The Chef decided to change his recipe to a version with thin-sliced, deep-fried or baked potato chips. These chips are crispy and seasoned with sprinkled salt. The guest was satisfied and thrilled with the new potato chips served. And so, the thin peel potato chips was born. Today, Saratoga chips has evolved into different kinds of flavours and seasoning from when it first began.

In Singapore, chips flavours have been localised to reflect local culinary cultures such as Chicken Rice, Laksa, Beef Rendang, Nasi Lemak, Bah Kut Teh and Egg Prata with Fish Curry. Other creative favourites include Salted Egg Yolk & Chili Crab, Bah Kwa, Carrot Cake with XO Sauce, Tandoori Chicken, Cereal Prawn, Peking Duck, and even premium flavoured Caviar and Truffle Chips, which happens to be the world鈥檚 strongest aroma too.

There are also other unique flavours found in Singapore as well such as Honey Butter, Yogurt Potato Chips, Korean Barbeque, Kimchi Potato, Cup Noodle Black Pepper, Rosemary and Mystery Flavour which is for the adventurous, daring enough to surprise their taste buds.

Potato chips are portable snacks and an addictive choice for people of all ages around the world and is widely available in convenient stores and supermarkets. The largest consumer of potato chips market are the western countries, especially the USA and France. The global potato chips market size reached US$ 29 billion in 2018 and the market is further projected to reach a value of US$ 36 billion by 2025.

There are thousands or even millions of different kinds of potato chips around the world which we may not be able to discover and taste in our lifetime. Whatever your choice is, the salt in these chips are well-known to release dopamine, also known as the “happy hormone”. So go ahead and enjoy your chips happily but like all things, in moderation.      

References

This article is written by Yuli Chen from 51爆料 School of Tourism & Hospitality.