CNA : First retail space at Resorts World Sentosa to open on Jan 20

First retail space at Resorts World Sentosa to open on Jan 20
By Imelda Saad, Channel NewsAsia | Posted: 18 January 2010 1744 hrs

SINGAPORE: Visitors to Resorts World Sentosa will be able to shop there when the first of its retail belt opens in time, for its soft launch on Wednesday.

The shopping strip makes up about 20 per cent of the entire retail space at the integrated resort.

As for its casino and the Universal Studio theme park, the company is hoping to open both in time for the Lunar New Year.

Last minute touches are being made to greet guests when Singapore's first integrated resort opens. With just four of its six hotels and 10 restaurants opened, there is already strong interest from both locals and tourists.

Andrew Hickey, vice president (Rooms), Resorts World Sentosa said: "We had over 5,000 room nights booked in the first days of our reservations centre opening. (There is a) strong local demand from the overseas travel trade.

"Chinese New Year is already booked out. Indicators are very very strong. Weekends are filling up obviously".

Resorts World has said it is targeting 12 to 13 million visitors each year, boosting Singapore's visitor arrival numbers.

The Singapore Tourism Board has said that it hopes the two Integrated Resorts, including the one at Marina Bay Sands, will help double visitorship figures to 17 million by 2015.

Also making its grand opening on Wednesday is the Galleria - where retail staff have been put through the paces. This retail belt links the Festive Hotel, the casino entrance and Hotel Michael.

Noel Hawkes, vice president, Resort Operations, Resorts World Sentosa said: "We also have a Swarovski, we have a beauty hall and we have a Swiss shop gallery. We have some very nice new to market brands like Canali, which will open its first retail shop in Singapore as well as a very famous brand from Canada called Damiani, which is a very high-end jewellery shop."

"Apart from these high-end jewellery (shops), we also have our very famous Chihuly gallery. This is going to be very exciting. We have about S$6 million worth of his very beautiful art works and his chandeliers in the casino as well as the Crockfords Tower, and now guests will be able to go and buy smaller pieces which are absolutely fabulous or some of his wonderful paintings.

"We have also got a Michael Graves gallery - first in the world in fact - and Michael Graves is the one who designed this entire project. He will have his own gallery selling stuff that he designed himself like the whistling teapot."

The completed retail stretch at Resorts World Sentosa is about 300 metres long, with over 20 high-end brands including the highly anticipated Victoria's Secret boutique.

Mr Hawkes said: "A lot of the retail here is geared towards our casino customers, (and) impulse buying.

"So that is why we have targeted some of the products. There are very high-end retail, expensive watches, diamonds, jewellery."

About 70 per cent of the resort's entire retail space is expected to be ready by next month.

"Especially if you take into consideration our Universal Studios, which is huge. We have got about 16 shops over there and we have something for absolutely everybody within our retail offerings in Universal Studios," added Mr Hawkes.

But the clincher for most people would be the opening of the theme park and casino.

Ron Lim, general manager, Crossroad Tours & Travel said: "I already got a group of 12 persons coming from Taiwan into Resorts World. From what we see, it is supposed to be good.

"Furthermore, Casino is tied up with a theme park so when the adults play at the casino they will still go to the theme park".

Wendy Leong, general manager, City Tours said: "The main concern right now is when Universal Studio is going to be opened, so that we will be able to package it together including all the hotel stay as well."

Resorts World is currently awaiting licensing approvals from authorities for both the casino and theme park. And when Universal Studios opens, 20 out of its 24 rides will be fully operational.

Over the next two years, visitors can expect phase two of Resorts World Sentosa to be completed. These include two more hotels and the marine life park, the world's largest oceanarium.