SPEECH BY MR S ISWARAN, MINISTER OF STATE FOR TRADE AND
INDUSTRY,
AT
THE SINGAPORE RETAILERS
ASSOCIATION BALL 2006, 26
OCTOBER 2006,
8PM,
AT THE
RITZ-CARLTON MILLENIA SINGAPORE
AT THE SINGAPORE RETAILERS ASSOCIATION BALL 2006, 26 OCTOBER 2006, 8PM,
AT THE RITZ-CARLTON MILLENIA SINGAPORE
Good
evening
Dr Jannie Tay, President of the Singapore Retailers Association
Ladies and
gentlemen
Introduction
I am pleased to join you today, at
the Singapore Retailers Association Ball
2006.
Positive Outlook And Potential Of Retail Scene
The retail sector in Singapore has been growing strongly in the first eight months of this
year. The retail sales index (excluding motor vehicles), for the
months of April to June, was between eight to ten percent higher
than that for last year’s. MAS estimates that retail grew 5%, in
the 2nd quarter this year, on a seasonally adjusted
basis, prompted by increased visitor arrivals, a buoyant job market
and a rebound in consumer
spending.
Recent developments are further testament to the promise
and potential of the retail scene in Singapore. Over the past 12 months, we welcomed new flagship stores
and brand boutiques such as Massimo Dutti, Jimmy Choo, Ben Sherman,
River Island and GAP.We saw the opening of concept stores such as
the Club 21 ishop, Cortina’s Watch Couture Gallery and Sincere’s
Haute Horlogerie. On a larger scale, we witnessed the unveiling of
the new-look Marina Square and VivoCity which adds some 300 shops
and over 1m sq ft of shopping space.In addition, fringe concepts
such as the Venue VBox have also made for a more colourful retail
scene. The Venue VBox, as some of you know, is essentially a
portable store in a shipping container – something quite different
to our traditional notion of a
store!
Locals and visitors continue
to enjoy annual highlights such as the Great Singapore Sale, and
the Singapore Fashion Festival. The Great Singapore Sale registered
S$5 billion in total sales during the months of June and July both
in 2005 and 2006. Consumers have also given strong support to the
pilot Friday Late Night Shopping initiative that was launched in
July. Aside from extending operating hours to cater
to working professionals and visitors who have busy schedules,
retailers also organised individual in-store promotions and
activities to enhance Singapore’s late-night shopping
experience. These retail events have registered good results
and attendances, further boosting Singapore’s profile as a
compelling shopping destination.
To upgrade the sector, the Government is committed to
helping retailers hone their capabilities in branding, IT,
franchise development and subject matter knowledge through
assistance schemes offered by SPRING Singapore.Since Jan 05,
SPRING has helped close to 800 retailers in various projects,
involving branding, IT, enterprise resource planning, as well as
improving their service standards.
Impact Of Tourism On Retail Industry
Retailers, in turn, can do their part
by continuing to do what is second nature to you – which is to look
out for innovative and creative ideas, and capitalising on new
opportunities, particularly in areas such as tourism
shopping.
Tourism has always been, and will continue to be, a key
pillar supporting the long-term growth of Singapore’s retail industry. Last year we welcomed 8.9 million
visitors and recorded nearly S$11 billion in tourism receipts. In
the first half of this year, we posted S$5.5
billion in tourism receipts, a 5.2% increase over January to June
last year. We also welcomed 4.7 million visitors, registering an
11.8% increase from the same months last year. This is the highest
number of visitor arrivals ever recorded in the first half of any
year. By 2015, we aim to double visitor arrivals to 17 million,
and triple tourism receipts to S$30 billion. Statistics show that
half of current tourism receipts come from retail – higher than any
other component of tourist
activity.
The generally positive outlook and
upcoming developments, including the two Integrated Resorts, will
continue to stimulate demand from, and investment in, tourist
shopping. This will surely mean many opportunities for retailers to
seize, as you anticipate and adapt to the needs of tourists who
will be arriving at our shores in the years
ahead.
Challenge To Take Singapore's Retail Industry To The Next Level
It is also good to note that Singapore continues to maintain its reputation as an internationally
recognised shopping haven, notwithstanding the increasing
competition. Singapore offers a world class shopping experience
with world renowned Orchard Road, a variety of malls and signature
events such as the Tempus, JewelFest, and the Singapore Fashion
Festival. Our strengths ultimately lie in the availability of a
diverse range of merchandise, value-for-money products,
authenticity and high quality assurance, all at a reasonable price.
Visitors from overseas also like our safe streets and efficient
public transport.
To take Singapore’s retail scene to the next level, we must aim to provide
consumers a world-class shopping experience. The first step towards
achieving this is to improve our service standards. As business
owners and managers, I know that you continually aspire to raise
service standards, setting new service benchmarks and upgrading
your employees’ skills. These are the finer aspects that transform
shopping from a prosaic purchase of merchandise into an
unforgettable experience for your customer, prompting them to come
back for more.
The Government
will support your efforts through the national movement,
“Go-the-Extra-Mile-for-Service”, otherwise known as GEMS. GEMS was
launched one year ago to boost service excellence among retailers.
It is driven by an inter-agency secretariat and supported by
business leaders from various fields including Retail, F&B and
Hospitality. GEMS focuses on four service aspects in SMEs, namely,
Leadership, Capability, Mindset and Service. Some of SRA’s members
are already participating in the GEMS movement through the
“Mall-Wide Service Initiative”.It will be rolled out in 35 shopping
malls over the next three years, and will involve some 5,000
establishments and 15,000 workers.
Conclusion
The challenge for our retail industry is not
unlike that faced by other sectors in Singapore.Given the intense regional competition in the retail
sector, we need to continually innovate and upgrade our retail
infrastructure and products to stay attractive and relevant to our
customers. We must offer exceptional service to them. To achieve
this, we need talented individuals to go into retail. The SRA
scholarship, launched in 2000, is one way to attract and groom
talented, budding retailers from a young age. The SRA Award also
accords recognition to outstanding achievements in the retail
sector, inspiring many others to emulate the award recipients.I
congratulate SRA on these
initiatives
The SRA and all its members have an important role to play
in shaping a vibrant and exciting retail scene in
Singapore. Your customers, local or foreign, look forward to the
many exciting new offerings you will introduce in the coming years.
And I am sure you will exceed their expectations and give them
every reason to continue shopping in
Singapore.
I wish you all an enjoyable evening.
Thank you.