Alvin Tan on Singapore Tourism Board (Amendment) Bill

The Singapore Tourism Board (STB) will take over the economic regulation of the cruise industry from the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore, with statutory powers provided in a new Bill. Explaining the move in Parliament on Monday (Sep 12), Minister of State for Trade and Industry Alvin Tan said Singapore’s cruise tourism industry has grown tremendously. Demand for cruise holidays has also rebounded strongly worldwide after COVID-19, with the outlook in the Asia-Pacific region being especially bright. Singapore’s cruise terminals will therefore become critical infrastructure for the country’s tourism sector and must be run in a way that is aligned with its broader development goals. This means STB will need regulatory powers to ensure high service standards, optimise the use of the limited number of berths and prevent excessive pricing. Licensing will be introduced for cruise terminals and provision is made for STB to manage a licensee’s operations to ensure business continuity under extraordinary circumstances such as the insolvency of a terminal operator. Also in the Bill are changes to clarify and enhance STB’s administrative capabilities and enforcement powers over the broader tourism industry.