Some hotels, caterers see boost in business ahead of National Day holiday

SINGAPORE: Some hotels and caterers are seeing a boost in business this month due to increased demand from the Republic’s National Day celebrations.

Hotels near the National Day Parade (NDP) at the Padang are seeing more bookings than previous years, with locals and tourists wanting to be closer to the action.

Some restaurants and eateries are also spicing up the nation's birthday month by serving dishes inspired by Singapore's local flavours.

HOTELS FILLING UP QUICKLY

Andaz Singapore, which offers a bird’s eye view of the Padang, said it has seen a 25 per cent jump in bookings in the weeks leading up to August, compared to the same period last year.

The hotel said the increase in bookings is due to both foreigners and locals flocking to its premises to catch an aerial view of the parade.

From its rooftop bar, visitors can watch some key NDP highlights, including the free-fall jumps by the Red Lions parachute team, the state flag fly-past, and fireworks display.

“This demand is coming from various countries. Our top three markets are the United States, China and Australia. Locals also make up a decent percentage of our in-house guests,” said the hotel’s marketing communications manager Cristabel Chia.

Over at The Fullerton Hotel, which is less than a 10-minute walk from the Padang in the central business district, bookings for rooms have also seen a 15 per cent increase.

Domestic bookings have accounted for a higher-than-usual 30 per cent of its business due to the National Day holiday, the hotel said.

“Normally we do not see this high a percentage of local bookings as compared to normal days. So it is a very good mix of locals (and international visitors),” said the hotel's country general manager Gino Tan.

He added that on the whole, the hotel is seeing an increasing number of overseas visitors travelling to Singapore.

NDP SPECIAL MENUS

Besides their rooms, the hotels said that tables at their restaurants are also selling out fast as both locals and tourists get into the mood to celebrate Singapore's 58th birthday.

Both hotels have created special menus to keep up with the festivities.

Andaz Singapore has put together a selection of dishes to celebrate the nation’s multi-cultural landscape. Among the dishes offered are chilli crab cake, prata pizza and tandoori chicken satay.

“This year, we really want to emphasise on (themes) like a multi-racial (society) and harmony,” said head chef Ace Tan.

“This, especially since our team is made up of people from different races. We all came together to create this menu.”

The Fullerton Hotel’s restaurants have also cooked up locally-inspired creations to pay homage to Singapore's rich culinary heritage, including laksa risotto, kopi tiramisu, and a Little Red Dot cake.

CATERERS ALSO SEEING A BOOST

Aside from dining out at hotels and restaurants, more Singaporeans are also ordering in during this National Day period.

Some food caterers said they are seeing a rise in demand for their services, despite inflation forcing them to charge customers more.

Liang Food Caterer, for instance, said that surging prices of ingredients and manpower costs have forced it to charge customers 30 per cent more for their buffet and bento sets.

“We had to increase prices. Last time we usually charged around S$5 for a bento with plain rice and three dishes, but now each bento is about S$7 to S$8,” said the firm’s general manager Isaac Foo.

Despite pricier offerings, business continues to be brisk. Sales volume is up 10 per cent compared to last month, driven by more corporate orders and families' private celebrations.

Mr Foo said he hopes to hire more kitchen assistants and delivery workers to keep up with the demand this month.

Bakery Annabella Patisserie is another business that has increased the prices of some of its items by 10 per cent after production costs surged.

“In general, (the costs of) our materials have been increasing quite a lot. Every week, the price of eggs goes up, so there are certain items where we have no choice but to increase the price,” said the bakery’s managing director Annabella Sonwelly.

However, the heavier price tags have not stopped customers from gobbling them up, especially as the bakery produces its seasonal specials in patriotic red and white colours, and in shapes of the Singapore flag and the Merlion.

Ms Sonwelly said that this National Day, her bakery is expecting a 20 per cent hike in demand for its signature macarons, as businesses and families celebrate the holiday.