HOTEL CONSTRUCTION (Particulars)

Mr Ng Yeow Chong asked the Minister for Law and National Development (a) how many hotels are under construction and the number of rooms they will have; (b) how many hotels are awaiting planning approval and the number of rooms they will have; and (c) whether he anticipates that the total number of rooms available will not exceed the demand in the next five years.

Mr Barker: Mr Speaker, Sir, 15 hotels with a total of about 5,000 rooms are under construction. Ten hotels with a total of about 2,000 rooms are awaiting planning approval.

The hon. Member should appreciate that it would be premature for me at this juncture to say whether the total number of rooms available will not exceed the demand in the next five years. It is not easy to forecast with any degree of accuracy the future increase in tourist traffic and the accommodation that will be required for the next five years. The known fact is that Singapore has experienced, and is still experiencing, an acute shortage of hotel accommodation which has led to some hotels increasing their charges and also has led to some tourists by-passing Singapore. If we are to promote the tourist industry, there must be easily available adequate good class hotel rooms at reasonable charges coupled with first-class service. We have always thrived on competition and with more hotels and keener competition, even better service will be provided for hotel guests.