Good morning, Your Excellencies, Distinguished Guests, Ladies and Gentlemen.

First of all, I would like to bid all our international delegates a very warm welcome to Singapore. I am pleased to be with you today for the opening of the third Asia-Pacific Summit of the International Spa Association.

Asia has an old and respected relationship with holistic treatments. From India’s Ayurvedic medicine to China’s herbal treatments to the Indonesian Jamu, the Asian tradition is to improve one’s well-being by addressing the body, mind and soul at the same time.

It should come as no surprise that Asia adopted the western spa concept and even enhanced the experience further by adding an Asian dimension in décor, treatments and service. As a result, the spa industry in this region has made remarkable strides for a young sector. Ten years ago, one would have been hard pressed to name a single world-class spa in Asia. Today, we have a stable of reputable names to choose from - Chiva Som, the Aman spas, Banyan Tree, Javana Spa – and the list goes on.

In Singapore, the spa industry is even more youthful. In 1994, there were only two spa establishments. In the last seven years, the number of professional spas has mushroomed to 23. The credibility of the spa sector has been enhanced by the establishment of the Spa Association of Singapore (SAS), which is the first such association in Asia. The local industry here also benefited from playing host to the inaugural Asia-Pacific Summit of the International Spa Association in 1999.

The growth in the spa industry has also been boosted by a greater demand for spa services by both locals and tourists. Increasingly, locals are incorporating spa visits as a regular part of their lifestyles. At the same time, the spa experience has evolved to become more popular with our tourists, especially among those from the convention and business segments.

However, this does not mean that the industry should rest on its laurels. Instead, we should constantly work towards renewing, reinvigorating and enhancing the attractiveness of our destination by providing new and appealing lifestyle choices to meet customers’ changing demands and expectations.

There are a number of factors to suggest that the spa industry is poised for even further growth here in Singapore and throughout Asia.

Over the last few years, Singapore has seen a respectable growth in the number of quality spas in hotels, and stand-alone facilities. Hotels such as the Raffles, Westin, Grand Plaza, and Rasa Sentosa, have embarked on major refurbishment programmes to incorporate spas as part of their facilities. Currently, many hoteliers view having a spa in their premises just as essential as a business centre or swimming pool. With increasing number of better spa facilities, more people could be attracted to enjoy a spa experience, to relax and de-stress.

Our tropical Asian settings and cultural heritage can also help set our spas apart from those in the West, with unique settings and features that will appeal to international travellers. Our tradition of natural medicine will also appeal to baby boomers and those of Generation X who have a penchant for a more healthy lifestyle.

How do we see the role and vision of the spa sector in Singapore? And, what can we do to support the growth of the sector? Today, I would like to share thoughts on these questions.

We see the spa industry as one that has an important role to play in the constant renewal of the tourism destination. We gathered that the spa element is totally relevant in our modern lifestyle, as can be seen from the phenomenal success of the industry in the United States. A recent study carried out by PriceWaterhouseCoopers indicates that in the United States today, spas establishments generate more revenue than ski resorts, and while trailing only slightly behind cinema box-office receipts.

Recognising the opportunity to further capitalise on the growth potential, we have taken steps to nurture this sector. With effect from the first of April 2001, the licensing regulations governing spas have been relaxed in order to take into account this relatively new phenomenon in Singapore.

Previously, spas had been classified under massage parlours. This meant that spas were subject to certain restrictions regarding minimum age requirements for employees and customers as well as restricted operating hours.

Now, under the new licensing conditions, the status of spas has been elevated to reflect their role as lifestyle and tourism products. For an establishment to be classified as a spa, at least 70 per cent of its therapists must have professional qualifications and it must be a member of the Spa Association of Singapore. Spa operators would enjoy benefits like extended operating hours as well as being allowed to engage students above 18 years of age as therapists for industrial attachment. In addition, the minimum age restriction for clientele has also been lifted.

These licensing guidelines serve to establish a uniform minimum standard in the industry and at the same time help facilitate bona fide operators in running their businesses.

The new guidelines also recognise the fact that spas are service establishments, hence the need to bring in students for training experiences. Indeed, there has been an even bigger move to inculcate a new service attitude among our workers. The Singapore Tourism Board has launched the "Art of Service", a new value proposition of service as an art-form that captures the spirit of dedicated workers, constantly delivering high quality performances. Nowhere is this new form of service culture truer than in the spa industry, where the entire product delivery rests on the one-to-one experience. The spa sector in Singapore will provide a good platform to start embedding the Art of Service as a value across the workforce.

Anticipating the growing popularity of this new lifestyle, spa facilities could top the business traveller’s list of must-have in time to come. In addition, there might be more tourists yearning for new and unique spa experiences. We could also expect local demand for spas to increase.

Our vision is for Singapore and our operators to earn a world-wide reputation for providing high quality and highly varied spa experiences. Already today, the 23 spas we have here offer a diverse range of experiences, from Oriental-style spas, to therapeutic spas, to those based on European and Western traditions, including the New-Age spas.

Not only will these spas provide another facet to Singapore as a tourist destination, they will also provide an added lifestyle feature to the many Singaporeans who are discovering the benefits of a more healthly and balanced lifestyle.

I hope those of you who are visiting from other countries will be able to find time the next few days to experience some of the spas in town, and enjoy the sights in our city.

It now gives me great pleasure to declare the International Spa Association Asia Pacific Summit open and to wish you all a very pleasant and fruitful time at the conference.