Singapore’s vigorous growth in tourism performance is tied to the transformation of the tourism landscape. Amid increasing competition, talented individuals at the Singapore Tourism Board (STB) are making a positive impact on the tourism sector with their passion.

STB Scholars Laura Guo and Wong Renjie are committed to making meaningful contributions in an ever evolving, and increasingly challenging environment.

Laura interned at STB’s Headquarters in the Infrastructure Planning and Management Department. Additionally, she also completed a month-long internship at STB’s New York office last year. She is currently pursuing a Master of Arts in Political Science at Columbia University, in the United States.

Renjie serves as an Area Director, leading a dedicated team in STB’s Mumbai office. His role focuses on promoting Singapore as a premier Leisure, Cruise, and Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions (MICE) destination, particularly in the Indian market. Renjie graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology and Italian Literature from Stanford University in the United States.

We spoke with Laura and Renjie to learn about their experiences and what it takes to excel as STB Scholars in a competitive industry.

What inspired you to pursue a career in tourism?

Laura: From a young age, I’ve been fascinated by the diverse cultural and physical landscapes that our world has to offer. Studying geography and participating in exchange programmes during my time in school also deepened my appreciation for the interconnected nature of our world and sparked my interest in fostering cross-cultural connections.

At some point, I realised that the act of travelling was something that encompassed all these elements that I had taken an interest in – pursuing a career in tourism thus felt like a natural and incredibly exciting step to take!

Renjie: Growing up, I’ve always been fascinated by what makes travel such a delightful experience. Tourism is one of those things that everyone can relate to, whether it’s an afternoon spent across the Causeway eating fish head curry, or a long solo adventure across the Trans-Siberian Railway. I certainly had a lot of opinions about how best to establish and promote Singapore as the kind of destination I love most: energetic, dynamic, and with a whole lot of character.

Why was the STB Scholarship the right choice for you?

Laura: It allows me to play a more active role in shaping the tourism landscape, instead of remaining a passive tourist. I was also particularly intrigued by the international scope of STB’s operations. With many regional offices dotting the globe, STB’s work felt like a global endeavour to showcase Singapore to the rest of the world.

Renjie: Across the different government scholarships offered, I was most interested in how STB’s work sits at the intersection of lifestyle, business, and public policy.

Laura, how has the scholarship helped in preparing you for your career?

The scholarship has given me the opportunity to live and study in two wonderful cities, London and New York, as well as participate in an exchange programme in Seoul. In terms of professional development, I’ve gained valuable exposure through my internship stints at STB’s headquarters in Singapore and the New York office.

During my second internship in New York, I helped launch a marketing campaign for the Singapore Food Festival in the United States and Canada. This involved working with the owners of Singaporean restaurants across the continent, which was a very heart-warming experience considering we were all so far away from home. I also had the opportunity to work on a landscape scan with STB’s Future Tourism team in San Francisco, which forges exciting partnerships with tech companies, such as Google and Snapchat.

Beyond all this, though, the STB community has consistently fostered a warm and caring environment, and I am very grateful for the guidance and encouragement I have received thus far.

Renjie, what does a typical workday look like for you?

As the Area Director of the Singapore Tourism Board’s operations in the India, Middle East, South Asia & Africa region, I oversee tourism marketing and business development across West and South India. I wish there was a typical workday to speak of, but in a dynamic and vigorously advancing market like India, work involves everything from partnering with Singapore Airlines to drive visitor traffic for the peak summer family travel season, to curating the creative direction for a new podcast series in partnership with prominent Indian media personality Cyrus Broacha.

Beyond India, my work takes me as far south as Sri Lanka, and as far west as the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

What has been the most rewarding experience in being part of the STB family?

Laura: Ultimately, what I find the most meaningful is STB’s partnership with the industry and community. The work that STB does to put Singapore on the map is a huge collective effort which involves everyone, from organisers, who run iconic events like F1, to hospitality professionals working in hotels and, of course, all those who call this island home! We are all a part of the fabric that tourists come to know as Singapore, and I find that so magical.

Renjie: One of the most immensely rewarding parts of STB’s work is engaging with a cross-section of the most fascinating individuals in the markets we operate in. I’ve been fortunate to count among my community of restaurateurs, curators, designers, entrepreneurs, tastemakers, and everything in between.

It’s been a joy to strike up professional partnerships with these influential thought leaders – most of whom have had significant experiences in, or with Singapore – to tell the story of our destination through meaningful and boundary-pushing ways.

Whether in Yangon, New York, San Francisco, or now Mumbai, working with our in-market teams is invariably a lesson in cultural nuance and humility. Perhaps most importantly, along the way, I’ve come to realise that Singaporeans have a very specific way of doing our work – and that it can often be productive to incorporate other ways of thinking and operating.

Any advice for those aspiring to embark on similar pathways?

Laura: STB’s work is neither bound by industry nor geography–the possibilities are as vast as one’s creativity! There is ample room for innovation, both within existing verticals and in the creation of new ones.

After all, the tourism sector is one that rewards innovation, and I think this applies regardless of whether you are working in experience development, marketing, technology transformation, policy, or any other team.

Renjie: Not subscribing to a single, pre-defined occupation has ultimately translated into an openness to explore a variety of academic and career options available to me. This encouraged me to dabble in and fairly consider what brings me the most joy before choosing my path–unconventional though it may be. I still find this experimenter mindset valuable for making big life decisions; perhaps, you might find it useful too.