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

Applications for the segregated travel lane will open in mid-January 2021, and Singapore can expect the first commuters to arrive from the second half of January, it added.

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“Global travel, especially global business travel, has been severely affected by the need for quarantine measures, and many people in different countries are unable to come together to conduct business, Chan said at an online press conference.

“The idea is that business people come to Singapore for a period of up to 14 days. During these 14 days, they will undergo the routine medical checks necessary to make sure they are safe and also to give their fellow reunions the assurance that they are safe. “

Throughout their stay, travelers in the segregated travel lane will stay in dedicated facilities, undergo regular testing and observe all safe management measures in place, the MTI said.

Travelers will be required to stay within their pre-declared travel group of up to five travelers within the segregated facilities, and will not be allowed to mingle with other travelers. They must also follow all applicable national safe management measures and use Trace Together and Safe Entry.

In segregated facilities, travelers will be able to hold meetings with local visitors and other groups of travelers with secure management measures to separate travelers in segregated travel lanes from other people, the MTI said.

“For example, while travelers will be able to meet local visitors, there will be floor-to-ceiling dividers that separate travelers from local visitors,” the ministry added.

Travelers will also need to submit a valid negative COVID-19 polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test before leaving their home country and take another PCR test after arriving in Singapore.

While in Singapore, rapid antigen testing will be done on the 3rd, 5th, 7th and 11th of your arrival while in Singapore.

CONNECT @ CHANGI

MTI has been working with Connect @ Changi on its possible appointment as a segregation facility under the segregated travel lane.

More segregated facilities will be named in the coming weeks, the MTI said. Other operators interested in serving as a separate facility can submit their proposals through the Singapore Tourism Board (STB) by December 31, and STB will publish more information on the application soon.

In a separate press release, Temasek announced the development of a short-stay facility that would facilitate business exchanges between international travelers and Singapore residents.

Located in Halls 7 and 8 of EXPO Singapore, the first phase of the Connect @ Changi short-stay pilot facility will launch in the first quarter of 2021, Temasek said.

The first phase will feature more than 670 premium rooms and around 170 meeting rooms that can host small or large meetings of between four and 22 attendees. When fully built in mid-2021, the facility will have more than 1,300 rooms and around 340 meeting rooms, he said.

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Connect @ Changi is developed by a Singapore consortium led by Temasek, consisting of The Ascott Limited, Changi Airport Group, Sheares Healthcare Group, SingEx and Surbana Jurong.

“Meticulous protocols and procedures” will be implemented to ensure the safety of guests and employees, Temasek said. Contact between guests and customer service staff will be minimized, with self-service meeting rooms and contactless meal delivery.

The entrances, exits and ventilation systems for both guests and visitors to Singapore will also be separate, and travelers will be able to meet Singaporean people and travelers from other groups in meeting rooms equipped with airtight glass panels.

“There are separate facilities for passenger check-in and check-out with passengers, so from the moment they go through immigration at the airport to the moment they are in their rooms, passengers are also kept separate. So there has been a great emphasis on the security aspect, “Temasek Senior Managing Director Alan Thompson said at a news conference on Tuesday.

About 15 percent of daily travelers to Singapore are business travelers, and a “large percentage” of them stay five days or less, he added. “We therefore believe that a facility of this nature will meet the needs of a large number of business travelers coming to Singapore.”

“If you look at the composition of business travelers to Singapore, probably more than half of them are from countries in the region where there is currently still a fairly high incidence rate of COVID-19,” Thompson said, adding that some companies Multinationals have already expressed interest in using the facility for regional meetings.

“So we think these are travelers who have traveled to Singapore for business in the past and have a desire to continue doing so; and create an installation like this where there are no inconveniences for them … I would do this. “

Room charges at Connect @ Changi for a stay of less than three days start from 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 a day and transportation to and from the airport, said Judy Wong, deputy country general manager for The Ascott Limited.

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