BOUTIQUE HOTELS IN SINGAPORE

Abstract

Hotels provide the basic infrastructure for a healthy and growing travel & tourism industry. There must be a diversity of accommodation available so as to cater to different types of travellers with different budgets and preferences. In the early nineties, the "boutique hotel" concept was introduced from the West to Singapore. Boutique hotels are small and exclusive establishments that offer high quality services and accommodation at attractive room rates. In Singapore, these hotels are housed in pre-war shophouses that are refurbished and adaptively reused. The number of boutique hotels have increased in the recent past. Many plans for new boutique hotels are also in the pipeline. This dissertation firstly examines the rationale behind the conversion of shophouses into boutique hotels. The current and future demand and supply situation are also analysed. The findings of the survey carried out show that there is a demand for boutique hotels. Last but not least, the marketing aspects of boutique hotels are examined to look into the ways to stay ahead of the competition posed by the bigger, conventional hotels and also other forms of accommodation.