The Singapore Tourism Board (STB) stands at the forefront of the effort to promote Singapore as a world-class travel destination. As the national tourism agency, the STB plays a central role in driving the growth and development of Singapore’s tourism sector. Consequently, the organisation is fuelled by enthusiastic, forward-thinking, and dynamic individuals who strive to showcase Singapore’s unique blend of culture, heritage, and modernity to a global audience.

Gabriel Nio and Megan Ng Min Feng are two such exceptional people. Having been awarded the STB Full-Term Overseas Scholarship and Full-Term Local Scholarship, respectively, they were able to train under the organisation’s keen guidance and fulfil their dreams of helping put Singapore on the map as the coveted travel destination that it is today.

Today, Gabriel is based in San Francisco, where he works as a Senior Manager in Future Tourism and Megan is a Management Associate with Conventions II.

We speak to them about what their jobs entail and learn more about STB as an organisation.

What sparked your interest in tourism? And why did you choose to apply for a scholarship with STB?

Gabriel: My fascination with tourism started when I did a short internship at a hotel in Singapore right after junior college. It sparked my interest in tourism, and so STB seemed like a natural fit when I was applying for a scholarship. I really admire the work that STB does – that it goes beyond the traditional role of just promoting Singapore as a destination, to industry development and regulation, and developing and shaping the tourism landscape as a whole. The creative and dynamic nature of the job was also something that appealed to me.

Megan: Growing up, my dad worked as a taxi driver for most of his career and played a big part in fostering my interest in the tourism sector. His passion for sharing Singapore’s beauty with others left a lasting impression on me and inspired me to pursue a career in this meaningful and exciting field.

Additionally, my 6-month internship in Suzhou, China during my diploma studies turned out to be a life-changing experience that broadened my global perspective. The exposure and first-hand experience of living in a different country largely motivated me to pursue a career that can contribute to Singapore’s tourism landscape and help to position our country as a vibrant, global destination. Living away has allowed me to appreciate what I have at home, and this ignited a greater passion within me to drive impactful projects for Singapore. Therefore, I chose to apply for STB’s Scholarship, which I believe can provide me with valuable opportunities to fulfil my academic and career goals.

That’s very admirable! Can you tell us about what your jobs entail?

Gabriel: As part of STB’s Future Tourism team, my role is to identify opportunities for emerging technologies (augmented reality and artificial intelligence, for example) to be applied towards novel tourism applications, and subsequently, to forge partnerships with the leaders in those fields.

My typical day involves reading to stay abreast with the latest developments in the tech world, reaching out to and engaging partners to identify opportunities for collaboration, and managing joint projects that we embark on with them.

Megan: I am currently in my second rotation of the Management Associate Programme under the Conventions team. My role in Conventions allows me to gain a broader perspective of the Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions (MICE) industry and the work done to champion Singapore as the Best MICE City.

My workdays are anything but routine. Some days, we would be out of the office to visit new and refreshed MICE event venues in Singapore. It helps us to be better equipped to sell these locations to prospective stakeholders. On other days, we find ourselves in the middle of bidding calls, talking to key decision-makers who can help tip the scale in securing large-scale events for Singapore.

Gabriel, do you have any projects you’re particularly excited about?

We recently partnered with Google to develop an Augmented Reality (AR) tour of Singapore, which utilises their latest AR and geospatial technologies. We’re proud to have been their first tourism partner in their early access programme for this, and for this project to have been showcased on the global stage, at the Google I/O Developer Conference.

Megan, what would you say has been your most significant career achievement to date?

One of my most significant career achievements to date was my involvement in the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) audit during my short stint at the Sustainable Tourism Office. The audit successfully certified Singapore as a Sustainable Travel Destination, and it was a rare opportunity for me to gain first-hand experience on how Singapore achieved this recognition and became the first country to do so. The audit involved extensive coordination and collaboration among a diverse group of stakeholders. Witnessing this certification process has inspired me to rethink possible means of sustainable travel in the future.

You’ve both certainly made a big splash in the industry! What are the possibilities for others who are looking into a career in tourism with STB?

Gabriel: The tourism sector is an exciting, dynamic one that is constantly evolving to respond to travellers’ ever-changing motivations, habits, and needs. It also intersects across many other industries and so there is an abundance of opportunities to gain different types of experiences too. The wonderful thing about working at STB is that there are so many possibilities in terms of where you can scale and grow your career. STB officers also have the chance to apply for and be posted to one of our 19 regional offices around the world – like me!

Megan: The possibilities are truly endless. In STB, you can find yourself moving laterally within the organisation to develop new skills and competencies. With the wide range of verticals that STB serves, you may find yourself doing marketing, policy planning, technology transformation, experience development, international work or being part of the core corporate function teams. STB has tons of exciting and meaningful projects that can directly contribute to the growth and sustainability of Singapore’s tourism industry.