New Connect @ Changi short stay facility to open to business travelers in February

SINGAPORE: In February, a short-stay pilot facility at Singapore EXPO will open its doors to business travelers as part of the new segregated travel lanes initiative.

Called Connect @ Changi, the facility will have more than 670 rooms and around 170 meeting rooms, which will be able to host meetings of between four and 22 attendees, in the first phase of its opening.

When fully built in mid-2021, the facility will have more than 1,300 rooms and around 340 meeting rooms.

When CNA visited the site on Tuesday (December 15), workers were seen moving in and out of Halls 7 and 8. Some were working on covered hallway entrances, while others appeared to be engaged in wiring work throughout. along the roads.

While neighboring pavilions 9 and 10 still had their number signs, pavilions 7 and 8 did not.

The facility was developed by a Singapore consortium led by Temasek consisting of The Ascott, Changi Airport Group, Sheares Healthcare Group, SingEx and Surbana Jurong.

READ: Singapore to launch segregated travel route for business travelers from all countries

TRAVEL ARRANGEMENTS IN CONNECT @ CHANGI

Travelers must present a valid negative COVID-19 polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test before leaving their country of origin. After arriving in Singapore, they will need another PCR test.

Since they travel under the new segregated travel lane, also known as the Connect @ Singapore initiative, they will not have to serve a separate quarantine period. Instead, they will be taken directly to the Connect @ Changi segregation facility, just five minutes from Changi Airport.

They will be transported in batches based on the flights they arrive on, and will be separated and admitted to the hotel’s premises “quickly,” said Sheares Healthcare Group COO TK Udairam.

“Most of the registration, all other administrative functions will be done in the background before they arrive, so when they arrive, there will be minimal contact time at the registration desk and then they will simply enter their premises.”

Facilities for checking in and out of travelers are separate, with “great emphasis” on security, said Temasek Senior Managing Director Alan Thompson. From the moment travelers go through immigration at the airport until they are in their rooms, they are kept separate from the public, as well as from other groups of departing business travelers.

All travelers in the segregated traffic lane must follow current national safety management measures, including the use of masks.

They will also have to use TraceTogether and SafeEntry so authorities can identify close contacts to be quarantined if a positive COVID-19 case emerges, Udairam said.

After arriving at the facilities, visitors will register for their stay. For a stay of less than three days, room rates start at approximately S $ 390 per night for an Executive room and S $ 430 per night for a Premier room. This includes the cost of the test, three meals per day, and transfers to and from the airport.

When a reservation is made for rooms, the traveler’s arrival and departure times are captured in the system, and room rates are calculated by the hour, Thompson added.

“This is so no one has to worry about checking in at 11am and then … waiting until their flight back to their home country is ready.”

BUSINESS MEETING AGREEMENTS

During their business trip, travelers must stay within their pre-declared travel group of up to five people within the premises and are not allowed to socialize with other groups of travelers.

However, they can conduct meetings with local visitors and other groups of travelers in the controlled environment of the meeting room, where there are strict safe management measures in place.

Each meeting room at Connect @ Changi will be equipped with airtight glass panels that separate the parts of the room occupied by guests and local travelers, so that each group has its own ventilation system. This helps reduce the risk of transmission between groups.

Local visitors attending a meeting will enter and exit the facility through a separate door from the one used by travelers.

During these face-to-face meetings, Connect @ Changi staff members will not be present, minimizing contact.

After the meeting is over, you can choose to eat together in your room or in your own rooms. Contactless F&B services on Connect @ Changi mean that meals will be left on the shelves outside of travelers’ rooms for pickup. There will also be additional vending machines for snacks and drinks, as well as self-service Starbucks kiosks.

When not attending business meetings, travelers can explore the dining and shopping options offered in their rooms through an electronic concierge service or take advantage of their 24-hour access to the Gympods, which allow entry of up to two people at the same time.

Travelers will need to undergo rapid antigen testing for COVID-19 on days 3, 5, 7 and 11 of their stay.

When your stay is over, you will check in and leave the premises for the business traveler exit. All necessary pre-departure tests will also be carried out for your arrival in your country of origin. They will then be transferred to the airport, without contact with the public or other travelers, where they will wait for their flight home.