Singapore
talk about foresight. Armed with a London education and a powerful vision, Singapore’s first prime minister, Lee Kuan Yew, elected in 1959, took the former British colony from “Third World to First” in just half a century. Once a land of jungle and swamp, the city-state has been transformed by high-rises, an increasingly international population and an economy envied the world over.
This remarkable growth shows little sign of slowing. Below ground, the MRT – the local subway system – continues to steadily expand. Looking up, cranes are a permanent fixture of the skyline, whether they’re working on ever more ambitious projects or keeping Singapore’s port – the second busiest on the planet – ticking over. Factor in a pro-business culture and one of the world’s most well-connected airports and its reputation as a global business hub remains rock-solid.
While Singapore is a stronghold for Chinese, Malay and Indian cultures, it grows more cosmopolitan by the week, with precincts like Chinatown, Amoy Street and Sentosa Island experiencing massive change. An exciting mix of old and new, East and West, work and play, this most modern of Asian cities is always ready to show corporate travellers what it’s made of.