It was the most awaited debut in Singapore in years. When Resorts World Sentosa (RWS) opened its gates during Chinese New Year in February, it was an auspicious date in the eyes of many.
RWS became the first integrated resort in Singapore’s history, marking an important milestone in the island-state’s aggressive and determined push to be the premier events destination in Asia.
Going well beyond anything on offer from any single hotel, convention centre, resort or attraction, the integrated resort aims to provide a one-stop solution for event organisers looking for meeting space, accommodation and entertainment options.
RWS has six hotels, a huge ballroom that can hold more than 6,000 people in a single seating, theme parks, a casino, dozens of retail outlets and enough dining options to keep even a hungry Singaporean foodie busy for a month.
Elena Arabadjieva, director, MICE, Resorts World Sentosa, says: “With Resorts World Sentosa, we boast a unique all-in-one meetings destination, which consists of our Compass Ballroom, one of the largest in Asia, with 26 function rooms.
“In total, our functional meeting capacity is for 10,000 guests at any one point. We attract corporate events, international conventions as well as a large number of social events. We have a very compelling entertainment and leisure line-up, which makes after-meetings hours of our guests and their accompanying family members very attractive and enjoyable.”
One of the key new attractions is the Hollywood-themed Universal Studios Singapore, the first such park in southeast Asia. There are others in Osaka, Japan, and in Orlando and Hollywood in the US.
Arabadjieva says: “Universal Studios Singapore is a very popular choice for evening events.
“It is important to note that the event experience being offered in the new theme park has never been available in this city, with turn-key premium, unique and all-inclusive of entertainment, attractions and food experience, fully themed and delivered from start to finish by our MICE team.”
Since Universal Studios Singapore opened in March, major corporate clients, such as DBS, JP Morgan, Singtel, Canon, IBM and EMC, have all held events there.
Arabadjieva promises that there are many more lined up for the following months.
“Interest in Resorts World Sentosa’s MICE facilities has been overwhelming, even before our opening, and now that we have opened and many have been to the resort, even more so.
“This is considering the proposition that we have at Resorts World Sentosa – an all-in-one destination comprising accommodation, a dedicated convention centre, Southeast Asia’s largest ballroom, casino and, of course, Universal Studios theme park with themed event experiences that organisers could only dream of before,” she says.
The different themed zones, ranging from 1950s-era US streets to ancient Egyptian temples and the dinosaurs of Jurassic Park, provide event organisers with a range of templates to organise their functions around.
Given the maritime role of Singapore, it’s not surprising that there is a strong sea-going theme, there is a Waterworld section, and there will soon be a Marine Life Park and a Maritime Xperiential Museum as the phased opening is gradually completed.
So far, RWS has held more than 60 events, ranging from 10 to 3,500 participants, in total this amounts to more than 20,000 business event guests.
Arabadjieva says: “On average, the MICE team fields a few hundred enquiries per month. In terms of forecast in the first year of operations, we are expecting some 400,000 to be corporate and MICE guests, with 20 to 30 percent of those coming from regional and international markets.”
Singapore has long been considered a shopping paradise and RWS provides 45 different retail outlets.
In the food-obsessed Lion City, eating is a national pastime and RWS reflects this. There are more than 60 restaurants, cafes, food carts, clubs and bars, ranging from traditional Cantonese cuisine, exotic Brazilian dishes as well as local favourites such as chicken rice.
The options go right up the scale from simple street food to world-renowned celebrity chefs, such as Joël Robuchon.
There will also be plenty of opportunity for pampering and relaxation, ESPA’s Spa Wellness sanctuary at Resorts World Sentosa positions itself as “a lifestyle destination for those seeking physical and mental regeneration”.
KEY FACTS
Attractions
Universal Studios Singapore
Marine Life Park
Maritime Xperiential Museum
FestiveWalk
Hotels
Crockfords Tower
Hotel Michael
Hard Rock Hotel
Festive Hotel
Equarius Hotel
Spa Villas
Capacity
Function rooms 26
Other indoor and outdoor venues 20
Maximum number of meeting delegates 10,000
Maximum number of event participants 35,000
Contact
email: mice@rwsentosa.com
tel: 65 6577 8888
