Pan Pacific Singapore commemorates 40 years of hospitality excellence

The iconic Pan Pacific Singapore, a landmark luxury hotel in the heart of Marina Bay and Singapore’s central business district, celebrates 40 years of excellence in hospitality in 2026.

Source: Pan Pacific Singapore. Celebrate Pan Pacific Singapore’s 40th anniversary with a series of exclusive experiences and offers.

Melvin Lim, GM, Pan Pacific Singapore said: “Over the past four decades, Pan Pacific Singapore has continually evolved, guided by our unwavering commitment to elevate guest experiences. Key milestones in Pan Pacific Singapore’s transformation include the launch of the 519-square-metre Ocean Ballroom in 2000, expanding the hotel’s portfolio of meeting venues and reaffirming our ambition to be the city’s preferred destination for meetings, incentives, conferences, and exhibitions (MICE).”

Guests are invited to experience the warm hospitality and graceful luxury that has defined Pan Pacific Singapore for four decades. Celebrate Pan Pacific Singapore’s 40th anniversary with a series of exclusive experiences, from dining offers and spa treatments to luxurious staycations, an art showcase, and exclusive meetings and events packages. 

Edge 

At award-winning buffet restaurant Edge, Executive Chef Andy Oh and his culinary team invite guests to celebrate Pan Pacific Singapore’s 40th anniversary with an exceptional weekday lunch experience priced at S$40++ per person (usual prices or UP, up to S$72++). 

Available from now until 15 November 2026, this celebratory offer is valid with a minimum of four adult diners and limited to the first 40 guests per lunch period. Edge offers an extensive array of Asian and international fare, prepared with the freshest ingredients and cooked à la minute, with tantalising dishes and tempting desserts from the best of Singaporean, Chinese, Malay, Indian, Japanese, Thai, and western cuisines.

Highlights include Edge’s signature Singapore laksa with yong tau foo, Japanese golden chicken curry, a signature carving station with slow-roasted beef striploin with roasted root vegetables, home-cured beef salami, chicken ham, pastrami, mortadella, paprika Lyoner, and meatloaf, made in-house by the hotel’s Master Butcher Chef Haiko Mayer. 

Other stations to visit include a cured salmon station with Fassler smoked salmon, a rojak station, a kueh pie tee station, and more. For seafood lovers, Edge offers a spread of fresh seafood, including sustainable Boston lobster, tiger prawns, Pacific clam, half shell scallops, sea conch, black mussel, and crawfish. 

Sweet endings await with decadent desserts by Executive Pastry Chef Edina Si, such as homemade apple cinnamon tart, mango pomelo Swiss roll, durian pengat, and more. 

Details 

Edge Weekday Lunch Buffet

From now until 15 November 2026, Mondays to Fridays
Available for lunch from 12 pm to 2:30 pm
$40++ per person (UP up to S$72++)

View Edge’s menu at https://www.panpacific.com/en/hotels-and-resorts/pp-marina/dining/edge.html

For reservations, visit https://www.tablecheck.com/en/pan-pacific-singapore-edge/reserve

Hai Tien Lo

Since its inception 40 years ago, Hai Tien Lo has been seen as one of the most respected Chinese restaurants in Singapore. Guests can savour traditional Cantonese dishes and authentic dim sum, as well as exclusive Chinese teas and exotic Chinese liquors.

Led by Executive Chinese Chef Edden Yap and his culinary team, the award-winning Hai Tien Lo presents an exquisite selection of authentic Cantonese cuisine with a modern twist. Available on weekdays from now until 30 December 2026, celebrate Pan Pacific Singapore’s 40th anniversary with a bottle of wine at S$40++, with a choice of Changyu Noble Dragon N158 or Changyu Riesling Dry White.

Savour these wines alongside Hai Tien Lo’s signature dishes, such as deep-fried Ibérico pork spareribs in creamy sauce, topped with shredded lime; stewed Japanese rice vermicelli with pan-fried lobster meat and scallop, in house-made sour tomato broth, steamed sea perch fillet with aged Teochew preserved radish, and more. 

Details 

View Hai Tien Lo’s menu at https://www.panpacific.com/en/hotels-and-resorts/pp-marina/dining/hai-tien-lo.html

For reservations, please call +65 6826 8240 or email dining.ppsin@panpacific.com

Keyaki 

At Keyaki, experience a culinary journey that promises to elevate the dining experience as Executive Japanese Chef Teruya Noriyoshi and his culinary team present authentic Japanese cuisine with the finest ingredients imported directly from Japan. 

Head Teppanyaki Chef Eric Yong presents a weekday teppanyaki lunch set priced at S$40++ per person. Available at Keyaki’s teppanyaki counter, the menu is limited to the first 12 guests per lunch period. 

The experience begins with a trio of appetisers, featuring foie gras terrine in rice waffle, mozuku seaweed with snow crab meat, and jimami tofu. Guests may select a main course of Hokkaido white pork, chicken, or Wagyu beef (available at an additional S$30++), followed by signature garlic fried rice and miso soup. 

Details 

Keyaki Weekday Teppanyaki Lunch Set 

From now until 30 December 2026, Mondays to Fridays
Available for lunch from 12 pm to 2:30 pm
S$40++ per person

View Keyaki’s menu at https://www.panpacific.com/en/hotels-and-resorts/pp-marina/dining/keyaki.html

For reservations, call +65 6826 8240 or email dining.ppsin@panpacific.com

Pacific Emporium

Executive Pastry Chef Si and her pastry team present a series of commemorative cakes at S$40++ each, available exclusively at Pacific Emporium. 

From now until 30 June 2026, guests can indulge in the coconut crystal cake, a delicate mix of coconut chiffon, light coconut cream, and coconut crystal jelly. From 1 July until 31 December 2026, the spotlight shifts to the hojicha buckwheat cake with seasonal fruits, featuring hojicha-infused cream, buckwheat sponge, brown sugar mochi, and an assortment of fresh seasonal fruits. 

Details

View Pacific Emporium’s menu at https://www.panpacific.com/en/hotels-and-resorts/pp-marina/dining/pacific-emporium.html

For reservations, please call +65 6826 8240 or email dining.ppsin@panpacific.com

PLUME 

Helmed by Head Mixologist Akmal Haqim and Bar Manager Siew Han Jun, PLUME is a destination cocktail bar poised to enchant the most discerning of connoisseurs. In honour of Pan Pacific Singapore’s 40th anniversary, guests are invited on a sensory journey featuring a curated tasting flight priced at S$40++. 

The experience presents three bespoke tasting-sized cocktails, each inspired by the flavours and ingredients of the Asia-Pacific region, and paired with a complementary bar bite. 

The tasting flight is refreshed every two months.

Details

View PLUME’s menu at https://www.panpacific.com/en/hotels-and-resorts/pp-marina/dining/plume.html

For reservations, please call +65 9459 7165 or email plume.ppsin@panpacific.com 

St Gregory 

Step into a world of serenity and tranquillity at Pan Pacific Singapore’s award-winning spa. In celebration of the hotel’s 40th anniversary, St Gregory invites guests to pause and unwind with a specially curated 40-minute express massage, offered at a promotional price of S$100 nett. 

Designed to ease tension and restore balance, this rejuvenating treatment provides a restorative pause amid the city’s bustle. 

Details

View St Gregory’s menu at https://www.panpacific.com/en/hotels-and-resorts/pp-marina/experiences/st-gregory.html

For more information, call +65 6826 8140, email stgregory.ppsin@panpacific.com, or visit bit.ly/PPSINStGregory

A luxurious 40th anniversary retreat 

The exclusive 40th Anniversary Stay Package offers a one-night room stay for two persons with breakfast at Edge and a welcome drink at PLUME.  

Details 

For more information, visit https://eshop-ppsin.panpacific.com/products/2d1n-stay- voucher-h12026

Meetings and events packages 

The Stay and Savour meetings package offers special rates for events booked from now until 30 June 2026, for events taking place between now and 30 September 2026. Savour an exclusive culinary experience featuring wellness-inspired selections, regional favourites, and local specialities. 

This celebratory package is available for events with a minimum of 15 rooms booked and 30 guests per event day. Enjoy special room rates from S$320++, inclusive of one complimentary breakfast, and choose from three curated culinary experiences with live stations, at S$118++ per person. 

The options include A Nourishing Affair, a wellness-inspired lunch buffet, A Journey Through Southeast Asia, a cocktail reception with canapés inspired by the region, and Tastes of Singapore, a heritage- inspired dinner buffet.

Additional concessions: 

• Full-day meeting packages start from S$130++ per guest, inclusive of one lunch and two refreshment breaks 

• Enjoy a complimentary one-hour extension with any two-hour free flow beverage package purchased for the event 

For social events, packages start from S$148++ per person with a minimum of 40 guests. Highlights include four hours of exclusive venue use, an eight-course Chinese set menu, free flow of soft drinks and Chinese tea throughout the event, a bottle of house wine for every confirmed guest table, and more. 

Enjoy a choice of one of the following:

• A complimentary 2 kg birthday cake prepared by Executive Pastry Chef Si and her pastry team 

• A 30-litre barrel of beer 

• A one-night stay in a Deluxe Room with breakfast for two persons 

• A complimentary buffet dinner voucher for four persons at Edge

Additional concessions: 

• A complimentary longevity birthday bun 

• Carpark coupons for up to 20% of confirmed guests 

• A customised centrepiece for each guest table 

Details

For enquiries, call +65 6826 8052 or +65 6826 8248, or email sales.ppsin@panpacific.com (meetings) or celebrate.ppsin@panpacific.com (events). 

Public Art Space – A Voyage of Hue and Imagination 

As part of its 40th anniversary celebrations, Pan Pacific Singapore and Singapore-born autodidact abstract artist, Dr Low Lee Yong, famously known as Dr Lowly, present a curated selection of Dr Lowly’s works. Inspired by nature and emotion, Dr Lowly’s works explore imagination, impermanence, and hope. Each canvas becomes a dance between control and release, echoing experience, mystery, and renewal. His art celebrates both the fleeting grace of the natural world and the quiet resilience of the human spirit. 

The showcase is on view at the Public Art Space on Level 2 of Pan Pacific Singapore, from now until 1 June 2026. It highlights his signature Squeeze and Splatter technique - dynamic bursts of acrylic that transform spontaneity into structure and disorder into visual poetry, featuring vibrant layers of colour and movement.  

Dr Lowly will donate 100% of proceeds from the sale of two artworks, Ferocious Focus and Stripped Stare, to the Children’s Cancer Foundation.

Details

For more information, contact Dr Lowly on +65 8060 7474 or email contact@DrLowly.Art

Memories and stories 

Follow Pan Pacific Singapore on Instagram and Facebook for a curated series of photos and videos showcasing flashbacks, iconic moments, and behind-the-scenes glimpses from four decades of history. Delight in heartfelt stories from long-serving staff, former colleagues, and generations of loyal guests, reflecting on their fondest memories of Pan Pacific Singapore. 

“Out of our 515 associates at Pan Pacific Singapore today, we are especially proud that some have been with us since our pre-opening days 40 years ago. Their long service reflects the strong sense of family that defines our culture. As we commemorate this extraordinary milestone, we remain committed to continuous training and development programmes that enhance our associates’ skills, knowledge, and understanding of luxury service, enabling them to deliver even more innovative and exceptional experiences for our guests,” said Lim.  

Commitment to community 

Pan Pacific Singapore is proud to be the Official Hotel Partner of Dementia Singapore, supporting initiatives that raise awareness of dementia and provide meaningful benefits to individuals living with dementia and their caregivers.

Through this partnership, Pan Pacific Singapore offers exclusive stay and dining privileges to members of CARA, Dementia Singapore’s lifestyle and community platform connecting persons living with dementia and caregivers to a supportive ecosystem of solutions.

The collaboration also creates opportunities for Pan Pacific Singapore employees to participate in dementia advocacy efforts, including awareness talks by Dementia Singapore and internal training programmes organised by the hotel to enhance understanding of dementia-related issues within the hospitality sector.

Details 

For more information, please visit https://dementia.org.sg/

Pan Pacific DISCOVERY benefits

Pan Pacific Hotels & Resorts’ loyalty programme, Pan Pacific DISCOVERY, allows members to earn up to 7% cash back in
DISCOVERY dollars (D$) on stays, dining, and spa. Enjoy perks such as room upgrades and late check-out (subject to availability), birthday treats, and complimentary breakfast for Titanium members.

Details

For more information, visit https://www.panpacific.com/en/panpacific-discovery/sign-up-today.html?r=PPSIN 

Highlights through the years

Pan Pacific Singapore boasts 790 guestrooms and suites, wellness and fitness facilities, six restaurants and bars, and 2,329 sq m of meeting and event venues. It has held a distinguished place in the city’s skyline since 1986. 

This was followed by a major transformation in 2012, which saw the full renovation of over 280 guestrooms. In the same year, the hotel launched Edge, one of the city’s largest buffet restaurants with 330 seats, featuring an extensive selection of Asian and international cuisine. 

The Pacific Club Lounge, which was originally located on Level 33, was moved to the highest floor of the hotel on Level 38, offering clubroom and suite guests a more spacious and exclusive experience with 360-degree views of the Marina Bay and the city skyline. The iconic floating pods were also introduced in the atrium on Level 1, which have since become a prominent architectural feature of the hotel. 

Enhancements continued in the years that followed. In 2016, the outdoor swimming pool underwent a comprehensive renovation, unveiling a refreshed oasis complete with water features, lush greenery, private lounging spaces, and a children’s wading pool, alongside a new poolside bar. 

The 806-square-metre Pacific Ballroom was revitalised in 2017, introducing opulent interiors, a distinctive honeycomb ceiling with programmable lighting, and state-of-the-art audiovisual capabilities. 

Keyaki, one of Singapore’s oldest and most authentic Japanese restaurants, introduced the Keyaki Garden Pavilion in 2018, set within a serene Kyoto-inspired garden surrounded by koi ponds, offering a tranquil setting for intimate events. 

In 2023, Pan Pacific Singapore continued to evolve with the refurbishment of 476 rooms. The hotel also debuted the all-day dining restaurant, Pacific Emporium, serving local specialities and themed afternoon tea, alongside PLUME, the destination cocktail bar, featuring avian-inspired cocktails. 

The Ocean Ballroom and meeting rooms saw another refresh, featuring new luxury furnishings and advanced audiovisual technology. The hotel’s in-house butchery has also seen an expansion, from a single smokehouse in 1986 to three smokehouses today, supplying house-made cold cuts and cured meats to restaurants, bars, supermarkets, and hotels in Singapore.  

Pan Pacific Singapore also holds a number of notable firsts and cultural moments in its history. In 1986, Pan Pacific Singapore was the first hotel to introduce Network for Electronic Transfers Scheme (NETS) in Singapore, marking an early step towards cashless convenience. It also served as a filming location for the 1988 comedy film ‘Carry On Hotel’, featuring stars such as Jacky Cheung, Kent Cheng, Cherie Chung, Eric Tsang, and Joey Wang. 

Hashtags: #PanPacificSingapore, #PPS40thAnniversary, #EdgeSG, #HaiTienLoSG, #KeyakiSG, #PacificEmporiumSG, #PLUMESG, #ShareYourMoments 

*Prices quoted are in Singapore dollars, and are subject to a service charge and prevailing government taxes.

Hai Tien Lo presents artisanal rice dumplings for Dragon Boat Festival 2026

This Dragon Boat Festival, Hai Tien Lo presents a luxurious selection of traditional rice  dumplings handcrafted by Executive Chinese Chef Edden Yap and his culinary team. 

Available until 19 June 2026, the dumplings include Hai Tien Lo’s latest creation, the savoury pork knuckle and peanut rice dumpling (S$22 nett), which is complemented by notes of chestnut and dried mushroom.Meanwhile, the signature black glutinous (pulut hitam) Nyonya rice dumpling (S$22 nett) combines black and white glutinous rice with minced pork belly and winter melon. 

Source: Hai Tien Lo. The Dragon Boat Festival rice dumpling collection for 2026.

Hai Tien Lo's Hokkien rice dumpling with braised pork belly and salted egg yolk (S$18 nett) is a fan favourite. Filled with chestnut, mushroom, and premium glutinous rice, this dumpling promises a rich and satisfying bite. For those seeking a sweeter option, the Teochew rice dumpling (S$15 nett), inspired by the traditional Teochew dessert, orh nee, is filled with yam paste, coconut cream, sweet corn, chestnut, and ginkgo nut.

For something even more special, the Hai Tien Lo Supreme rice dumpling (S$45 nett) is filled with pork belly, 12-head whole abalone, roasted duck, whole dried scallop, Chinese sausage, salted egg yolk, chestnut, yellow mung bean, lotus seed, and glutinous rice.

Two rice dumpling sets have been curated for gifting. The Classic Rice Dumplings Set ($118 nett) includes:

• Two Hokkien rice dumplings with pork and salted egg yolk 
• Two savoury pork knuckle and peanut rice dumplings 
• Two Teochew rice dumplings with yam paste, chestnut, sweet corn, and ginkgo nut 
• A bottle of sweet and sour spicy bean paste sauce

The Premium Rice Dumplings Set (S$158 nett) includes: 

• One Hai Tien Lo Supreme rice dumpling 
• One savoury pork knuckle and peanut rice dumpling 
• Two black glutinous Nyonya rice dumplings 
• Two Teochew rice dumplings with yam paste, chestnut, sweet corn, and ginkgo nut 
• A bottle of Hai Tien Lo signature homemade XO chilli sauce

Details

View the Dragon Boat Festival Rice Dumpling brochure and order form at https://www.panpacific.com/content/dam/pphg-revamp/en/ppsin/pphg2-0/offers/dragon-boat-festival-2026/ppsin_offer_rice_dumpling_brochure_2026.pdf.

To order, please call +65 6826 8240, email specialevents.ppsin@panpacific.com, or visit panpacificsingapore.oddle.me till 19 June 2026. 

Indulge in discounts of up to 25% off until 19 June 2026. A complimentary thermal bag is provided for à la carte orders with a minimum spend of S$80 nett after discount.

Have your order delivered to your doorstep at S$60 nett per location, or opt for self-collection at Pacific Emporium’s deli counter located on Level 1 of Pan Pacific Singapore, from 20 May until 19 June 2026, from 10 am to 8 pm. 

Complimentary island-wide delivery is available with a minimum spending of S$300 nett. 

Hashtags: #PanPacificSingapore, #HaiTienLoSG, #ShareYourMoments

*Prices quoted are in Singapore dollars, and are inclusive of prevailing government taxes.  

VistaJet World unveils year-end trips

VistaJet World aims to top every Christmas wishlist with a variety of ultra-exclusive and luxurious destinations.

Unconventional and unique trips for the Asia Pacific region include:

The Great Maharajas | India

Source: VistaJet. Enjoy India on the Maharajas trip.

Be hosted by the maharajas from palace to palace, resting overnight in luxury Taj Hotels properties throughout.

- Join the maharajas in their palaces

- Stay at Taj Hotels

- Exclusive access to Mehrangarh Fort

- Visit the Taj Mahal

- Go on safari at Ranthambore National Park

- Unwind at wellness retreat Vana Spa, where VistaJet members will receive bespoke benefits

Price: from US$295,000 (for a couple sharing accommodation)

Volcano Expedition | Vanuatu, South Pacific

Camp on the side of an active volcano with a team of experts. Peer down over the edge of The Son of Benbow and capture footage of a bubbling lava lake.

- Abseil over the edge of an active volcano to photograph a bubbling lava lake

- An extreme expedition, camping on the edge of the volcano

- Immersive experiences with local villages and the Ni-Vanuatu people

- ving experiences and water sports in the surrounding areas

Price: from US$275,000 (for a couple sharing accommodation)

VistaJet, the global private aviation company, launched VistaJet World in October. VistaJet World curates one-of-a-kind, multistop travel adventures tailored around its members’ passions. Customers have access the entire fleet whilst paying only for the hours they fly, free of the responsibilities and asset risks linked to aircraft ownership. VistaJet’s Program membership offers customers a bespoke subscription of flight hours on its fleet of mid- and long-range jets. 

More awareness needed on DDoS cyberattacks

• Study shows that organisations are facing cyber risks because of the lack of awareness amongst IT leaders and employees

• Disparity between the responsibility of security and protection of non-business apps between IT decision makers and employees

Source: A10 Networks. More than four in 10 IT decision makers have either been a victim of, or have no knowledge of DDoS attacks. 

A10 Networks has released results from the company's Application Intelligence Report* (AIR), a global research project that examines the behaviour and attitudes of the global workforce toward the use of business and personal apps, and their impact on risk, security, and corporate culture.

A10 Networks is a secure application services company, providing a range of high-performance application networking solutions that help organisations ensure that their data centre applications and networks remain highly available, accelerated and secure.

Source: A10 Networks. Over half of employees polled say they do not know what a DDoS attack is.

The gap in knowledge and attitude towards cyber security between IT departments and employees is costing organisations in revenue, trust and reputation, the report said. Key findings for the Asia Pacific region include:

- Forty-four percent of IT professionals have either been a victim of a distributed denial of service (DDoS) attack or do not know if they have been attacked

- Fifty-five percent of employees do not know what a DDoS attack is and 11% are unsure if they have been a DDoS attack victim

- Fifty-four percent of employees claim ownership of the security and protection of non-business apps but four in 10 IT decision makers feel that the onus of protecting employees' identity and personal information falls on the security team, and 16% of IT professionals put the onus of app security on “the whole IT department”. Another 12% say the CIO is responsible.

One finding was that almost half (48%) of the global respondents say they agree their employees do not care about following security practices. The report also interviewed IT decision makers about their efforts to defend their corporate networks, users and applications against cybersecurity attacks, finding that half (47%) said their company had suffered a data breach at least once.

Specifically in Asia Pacific, distributed denial of service (DDoS) attacks took the top spot amongst cyber threats against businesses with 33% of IT professionals saying that their company had suffered one at least once over the past 12 months.

Furthermore, 11% remain unaware, whether they have been attacked or not.

Collectively, this means that almost half (44%) of IT professionals have either been a victim of a DDoS attack or do not know if they have been attacked.

In the survey, IT defenders note their adversaries are becoming more sophisticated and the size and frequency of DDoS attacks are steadily rising. Six in 10 IT decision makers say DDoS attacks will increase in frequency this year.

 A10 Networks says reckless or negligent employee behaviour can be traced back to lack of security awareness and education within their respective organisation. The report said nine in 10 IT heads say employees need better education on best security practices. However, nearly a quarter (23%) believe that there will be no improvement in employees’ security behaviour in their companies in the next 12 months despite educational efforts.

Three in 10 (29%) of IT leaders also highlight that the biggest challenge is the lack of commitment to security policy and enforcement by the company.

“Today, an individual’s negligence or complacency can cripple established organisations. While implementing the right infrastructure and managing defenses against these threats are important, enterprises also need to focus on educating IT departments and employees about the seriousness of security threats,” said Jonathan Tan, Regional VP, ASEAN and Pakistan. “At A10 Networks, while we believe that a business’ cyber defense infrastructure is critical, enterprises must also take on a proactive and ongoing approach towards educating the workforce on cyber security threats and precautions.”

Additional AIR findings in APAC include:

Employee attitudes

• It is an accepted fact that companies can block apps and websites at work – 88% find this practice acceptable, and 86% would accept a job that does so.

• Six in 10 (61%) of employees claim their companies actually block specific sites or apps.

• One third (36%) of employees surveyed knowingly use non-sanctioned apps.

• One in 10 (9%) do not know if the apps they use at work are banned or not.

• Of those who use non-sanctioned apps, over half (51%) claim “everybody does it,” while 43% believe their IT department does not have the right to tell them what apps they cannot use.

• One third (36%) claim IT does not give them the apps needed to get the job done.

Managing employee behaviour

• Almost a quarter of IT decision-makers think there will be no improvement in security behaviour at their company, while 77% disagree.

• IT decision makers say their top recommended password policy is updating passwords regularly (78%) followed by choosing different passwords for different systems (56%), and two-factor or multifactor authentication (57%).

• Password policies are communicated to employees through email reminders (71%) followed by employee orientation (52%), internal meetings (45%), and communication from a manager (49%).

Challenges for IT professionals

• When protecting their company, the biggest challenge noted by IT professionals is lack of corporate commitment to policy and enforcement (29%).

• Over a third (36%) of IT leaders are only slightly optimistic about their ability to stop threats and protect their company.

Explore:

Read more findings from the report or read the report

*The report, that surveyed over 2000 businesses and IT leaders globally, addresses the challenges of IT decision makers who are faced with the rise and complexity of cyber attacks, and the careless attitudes of employees who unwittingly introduce new threats to their businesses.  

Welcome the year of the dog in style at Pan Pacific Singapore

Welcome the Year of the Earth Dog and celebrate new beginnings at Pan Pacific Singapore from 22 January 2018.

Hai Tien Lo

Hai Tien Lo (海天楼) Executive Chef Lai Tong Ping presents eight reunion set menus of premium delicacies, including a vegetarian set menu, to celebrate Chinese new year. Available from 22 January to 2 March 2018, the menus include highlights such as double-boiled fish maw with sea conch soup, bamboo pith and Chinese cabbage, and stewed classic whole abalone with sea cucumber in conpoy sauce.

Source: Pan Pacific Singapore. Yu Sheng platter arranged in the shape of a dog's face.

Hai Tien Lo also offers six yu sheng platters* which are available in a range of portions for dine-in and takeaway from 22 January to 2 March 2018. These include the Chef’s Recommendation of Wealth and Health yu sheng with imperial swiftlet’s nest, Boston lobster and baby abalone (S$128 serves four to six/S$188 serves seven to 10), or the all-time favourite Fortune yu Sheng with crab meat, BBQ chicken roll and scallops (S$68 serves four to six/S$98 serves seven to 10).

Synonymous with abundance and good fortune, poon choy (pencai) at Hai Tien Lo is perfect for dine-in or takeaway, from 22 January to 2 March 2018. This elaborate dish involves great culinary expertise and long hours of cooking. Selections include the Classic Fortune Treasure Pot (S$328, serves six/S$478, serves 10) with premium ingredients such as traditional stewed chicken and whole abalone, or the signature Premium Wealth Treasure Pot (S$398, serves six/S$598, serves 10).

Auspicious goodies from Hai Tien Lo and Pacific Marketplace are ideal as gifts. Welcome new beginnings with novel creations such as the homemade kumquat sugee** cake and savoury Cantonese sponge cake with salted egg. Perennial favourites include the best-selling rainbow kueh lapis, homemade caramel walnuts with sesame seeds and Chinese New Year koi fish nian gao** that signify abundance and wealth.

Edge

At the Edge buffet restaurant, a buffet spread of traditional Chinese New Year delicacies and contemporary interpretations will be available from 15 February to 2 March 2018. The menu includes fresh seafood on ice (Alaskan king crab legs, black and green mussels, oysters), DIY Prosperity yu sheng and five spice roasted chicken. Modern interpretations of classic favourites include baked sambal baby lobster and baked baby abalone with seafood and cheese sauce. The dessert lineup will include yuzu cheesecake mandarin chocolate entremet**, pineapple upside-down cake, and a selection of traditional Chinese New Year goodies.

Keyaki 

Source: Pan Pacific Singapore. Premium yu sheng at Keyaki.

For a Japanese-inspired Chinese new year meal, look to Keyaki’s rendition of yu sheng and three specially-curated Chinese New Year set menus. The signature Wafu yu sheng (S$88, serves one to two guests/S$128, serves three to four guests), consisting of tuna, salmon, yellowtail and tobiko**. The yu sheng is enhanced with the dusting of gold and silver flakes for auspicious blessings for the new Year.

The Premium yu sheng (S$308, serves eight to 10 persons) includes sea urchin and lobster. Both yu sheng creations are accompanied with homemade ponzu sauce - a citrus-based sauce - and available exclusively for dine-in only from 9 February to 2 March 2018.

The three set menus include Wagyu beef, deep-fried snow Crab and Chilled Inaniwa Udon as part of the six-course set (S$138 per person), seven-course (S$168 per person) or eight-course (S$188 per person) menus available from 15 to 17 February 2018.

All prices are subject to 10% service charge and prevailing goods and services tax.

  

Pacific Ballroom

The newly-renovated Pacific Ballroom is ready to welcome gatherings with the Chinese New Year Reunion Dinner Package on 15 February 2018 from 7pm. The package includes a Chinese New Year-themed buffet Spread inclusive of unlimited soft drinks and Chinese tea. Priced at S$98 per adult, there will be live entertainment throughout the night. Bookings made for the reunion dinner stand a chance to win a three-day, two-night stay in the new Pan Pacific Yangon.

Details:

Pan Pacific Singapore is at 7 Raffles Boulevard, Singapore 039595

Hai Tien Lo 

Chinese New Year set menus***
22 January to 2 March 2018 (excluding dinner on 15 February 2018)

Lunch: 11:30am to 2:30pm
Dinner: 6:30pm to 10:30pm

15 February 2018 (Chinese NY Eve) dinner

1st seating: 6pm to 8pm
2nd seating: 8:30pm to 10:30pm

- Minimum of two diners: S$168.80 per person

- Minimum of four diners: S$148.80 per person

- Minimum of six diners: S$138.80 per person

- Minimum of eight diners: From S$188.80 per person

- Vegetarian set menu: S$128.80 per person

Weekend dim sum buffet
22 January to 2 March 2018

Adult: S$99 per person; minimum of four diners required

For bookings and enquiries call +65 6826 8052/6826 8055.

Prices are subject to 10% service charge and prevailing goods and services tax.

Takeaways

From 22 January 2018, guests may pre-order Chinese New Year goodies online, collecting their purchases from 22 January to 2 March 2018 at Hai Tien Lo from 11:30am to 9pm, except on 15 February when collection ends at 5pm.

Complimentary delivery to one location is available for orders of S$800+ and above. A delivery charge of S$80 will be applicable for each location otherwise.

To place an order, call +65 6826 8240. 

All takeaway items are subject to prevailing goods and services tax.

Edge

Chinese New Year lunch

16 and 17 February 2018
12pm to 2:30pm

S$72 per adult, includes selected local beverages, gourmet coffee and tea

19 February to 2 March 2018 (excluding Sundays)
12pm to 2:30pm

S$62 per adult, includes selected local beverages, gourmet coffee and tea

Chinese New Year Sunday brunch
18 February 2018
12pm to 4pm

S$198 per adult, includes selection of beverages, with alcohol
S$138 per adult, includes selected local beverages, gourmet coffee and tea

25 February 2018
12pm to 4pm

S$188 per adult, includes selection of beverages, with alcohol
S$128 per adult, includes selected local beverages, gourmet coffee and tea

Chinese New Year dinner
15 to 17 February 2018
6:30pm to 10:30pm

S$198 per adult, includes selection of beverages, with alcohol
S$138 per adult, includes selected local beverages, gourmet coffee and tea

18 February 2018 to 2 March 2018 (excluding Tuesday to Thursday)
6:30pm to 10:30pm

S$92 per adult, includes selected local beverages, gourmet coffee and tea

Chinese New Year seafood themed dinner
21 to 22 February 2018 and 28 February to 1 March 2018
6:30pm to 10:30pm

S$92 per adult, includes selected local beverages, gourmet coffee and tea

Chinese New Year Surf & Turf dinner
20 and 27 February 2018
6:30pm to 10:30pm

S$92 per adult, includes selected local beverages, gourmet coffee and tea

*An advance order is required for dog-shaped yu sheng.

**An entremet is a mousse-based cake with layers of contrasting flavours and textures.

Niangao is a cake made from rice flour to celebrate Chinese new year.

The main ingredients in sugee cake are semolina flour and egg yolks.

Tobiko are eggs from the flying fish.

***The Chinese New Year ala carte menu will be available on selected days.

Tech startups a key source of demand for real estate in APAC: JLL

Startups have emerged as a new category of urban occupiers, with more tech firms adopting unconventional formats such as coworking and industrial spaces, say JLL, a professional services firm that specialises in real estate and investment management.

Mobile devices, e-commerce and the rise of fintech have driven rapid growth of the technology sector in Asia Pacific, supporting occupier demand for both commercial office and business park space, the property specialist said. India and China in particular are rapidly adopting innovative mobile shopping, financial and payment platforms, reflected by the fact that the Asia Pacific region is home to seven of the 22 global fintech unicorns – startups valued at more than US$1 billion.

In China, there is increasing demand for coworking spaces from these fast-growing companies, with a new trend of coworking operators becoming anchor tenants in retail malls. The number of coworking spaces in China has grown rapidly: in 2016, there were more than 500 coworking sites in Shanghai and Beijing alone, compared to just a few in 2015.

“While there is a greater utilisation of coworking space, tech startups are a future source of Grade A office leasing demand and this is an opportunity for real estate investors and developers to create space that will meet this need,” says Dr Megan Walters, Head of Research, Asia Pacific at JLL.

“Technology companies continue seeking high quality office space to attract talent, and we’ve seen a significant number of tech occupiers upgrading their premises from serviced to proper offices, and from Grade B to Grade A space. Landlords are sitting up and taking notice of what this new category of occupier wants,” she adds.

Source: JLL website. Tech is hot in the Asia Pacific region, affecting demand for real estate.

Continued tech sector growth, however, faces a number of challenges. Recent data from JLL reveals that rising labour and operational costs, skills gaps, lack of supportive government policies, as well as real estate and infrastructural development remain the key tests to the burgeoning industry.

“High and rising labour and operating costs were frequently cited by our leasing experts as obstacles to future growth of the tech sector,” says Christopher Clausen, Associate Research Director, Asia Pacific at JLL. “High home prices and cost of living were also mentioned as key considerations in some markets, while a shortage of talent and skills gaps may hold back tech development in others.”

When searching for office space, tech firms look for reliable power supply, and room for future expansion within the same building. “The importance of a high-quality and stable power supply to tech companies cannot be overstated,” says Clausen. “Many tech firms continue to store large volumes of data onsite meaning they are housing a large number of server racks within their office.”

“Tech firms also want large floor plates that allow them flexibility in layout,” adds Clausen. “In addition, these companies are putting a priority on quality of life for their employees, so transport connectivity is another important factor.”

Interested?

More details are in JLL's Tech firm office location choice — where do they cluster and what building features do they want? report

View the video introducing findings from the Tech firm office location choice — where do they cluster and what building features do they want? report

Asia shines in global indices on talent, innovation

India and Vietnam are outperforming their development-level peers, according to the Global Innovation Index 2017* (GII) co-authored by Cornell University, INSEAD and the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO). Key findings show the rise of India as an emerging innovation centre in Asia.
 
Each year, the GII surveys some 130 economies using dozens of metrics, from patent filings to education spending providing decision makers a high-level look at the innovative activity that increasingly drives economic and social growth. In a new feature for the GII, a special section looks at “invention hotspots” around the globe that show the highest density of inventors listed in international patent applications.

Now in its 10th edition, the GII 2017 notes a continued gap in innovative capacity between developed and developing nations and lacklustre growth rates for research and development (R&D) activities, both at the government and corporate levels.

“Innovation is the engine of economic growth in an increasingly knowledge-based global economy, but more investment is needed to help boost human creativity and economic output,” said WIPO Director General Francis Gurry. “Innovation can help transform the current economic upswing into longer-term growth.”

Global rankings 2017, with 2016 rankings in brackets

1	Switzerland (No. 1 in 2016)	14	Japan (16)
2	Sweden (2)	15	France (18)
3	Netherlands (9)	16	Hong Kong (14)
4	US (4)	17	Israel (21)
5	UK (3)	18	Canada (15)
6	Denmark (8)	19	Norway (22)
7	Singapore (6)	20	Austria (20)
8	Finland (5)	21	New Zealand (17)
9	Germany (10)	22	Mainland China (25)
10	Ireland (7)	23	Australia (19)
11	Korea (11)	24	Czech Republic (27)
12	Luxembourg (12)	25	Estonia (24)
13	Iceland (13)

In 2017, high-income economies took 24 of the top 25 spots, China being the exception at No. 22. In 2016, China became the first-ever middle income economy in the top 25. 
 

“Efforts to bridge the innovation divide have to start with helping emerging economies understand their innovation strengths and weaknesses and create appropriate policies and metrics,” said Soumitra Dutta, Dean, Cornell SC Johnson College of Business, Cornell University. “This has been the GII’s purpose for more than ten years now.”

A group of middle and lower-income economies performed significantly better on innovation than their current level of development would predict: a total of 17 economies comprise these ‘innovation achievers’ this year, a slight increase from 2016. Next to innovation powerhouses such as mainland China, Japan, and Korea, a group of Asian economies including Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, the Philippines and Vietnam are actively working to improve their innovation ecosystems and rank high in a number of important indicators related to education, research and development (R&D), productivity growth, high-tech exports, among others.  

The theme of the GII 2017, Innovation Feeding the World, looks at innovation carried out in agriculture and food systems. Over the next decades, the agriculture and food sector will face an enormous rise in global demand and increased competition for limited natural resources. In addition, it will need to adapt to and help mitigate climate change. Innovation is key to sustaining the productivity growth required to meet this rising demand and to helping enhance the networks that integrate the sustainable food production, processing, distribution, consumption, and waste management known as food systems.

“We are already witnessing the rapid, worldwide emergence of ‘digital agriculture,’ which includes drones, satellite-based sensors and field robotics,” said Bruno Lanvin, INSEAD Executive Director for Global Indices. “Now there is an urgent need for ‘smart agriculture’ to optimise supply and distribution chains and foster creative new business models that minimise pressure on land, energy and other natural resources - while addressing the needs of the world’s poorest.”

“By 2050, the world’s population is estimated to reach 9.7 billion. This presents the global agricultural sector with a daunting challenge. The stage has been set for a potential global food crisis if policy makers and other stakeholders fail to implement agricultural innovation that significantly boosts productivity,” said Barry Jaruzelski, Principal at Strategy&, PwC's strategy consulting business.

Korea maintains its top overall rankings in patenting and other intellectual property (IP)-related indicators, while ranking second in human capital and research, with its business sector contributing significantly to R&D efforts. Japan, ranked third in the region, is in the top 10 global economies for R&D, information and communication technologies, trade, competition, market scale, knowledge absorption, creation, and diffusion.

China continues moving ahead in the overall GII ranking (22^nd overall this year), reflecting high scores in business sophistication and knowledge and technology outputs. China this year displays a strong performance in several indicators, including the presence of global R&D companies, research talent in business enterprise, patent applications and other IP‐related variables.

Within the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN): 

• Singapore is the top performer in most of the indicators, with a few notable exceptions: ICT services exports, where the Philippines leads, and expenditure on education, where Vietnam leads. 
• Thailand’s strengths include creative goods exports and gross domestic expenditure on R&D (GERD) financed by business, where it places 5th and 6^th globally. 
• Vietnam shows the second best rank of the region in expenditure on education and also performs well in labour productivity growth, economy-wide investment, and foreign direct investment net inflows. 
• Malaysia ranks well in high-tech imports and exports, university/industry research collaboration, and graduates in science and engineering.

By subregion, India, 60^th globally, is the top-ranked economy in Central and Southern Asia. It has outperformed on innovation relative to its GDP per capita for seven years in a row, researchers note. India has shown improvement in most areas, including in infrastructure, business sophistication, knowledge and technology and creative outputs. India ranks 14^th overall in the presence of global R&D companies, considerably better than comparable groups of lower- and upper-middle-income economies. India also surpasses most other middle-income economies in science and engineering graduates, gross capital formation, GERD performed by business, research talent, on the input side; quality of scientific publications, growth rate of GDP per worker, high-tech and ICT services exports, creative goods exports, high-tech manufactures, and IP receipts on the output side.

“Public policy plays a pivotal role in creating an enabling environment conducive to innovation. In the last two years, we have seen important activities around the GII in India like the formation of India’s high-level Task Force on Innovation and consultative exercises on both innovation policy and better innovation metrics,” said Chandrajit Banerjee, Director General, Confederation of Indian Industry.

Iran (75^th overall) excels in tertiary education, ranking second in the world in number of graduates in science and engineering. Tajikistan (94th) is first in the world in microfinance loans, while Kazakhstan (78^th) ranks first globally in pupil‐teacher ratio and third in ease of protecting minority investors.

Third in the Northern Africa and Western Asia region is the UAE (35^th globally), benefiting from increased data availability and shows strengths in tertiary inbound mobility, innovation clusters and ICT-driven business model innovation. Sixteen of the 19 economies in the Northern Africa and Western Asia region are in the top 100 globally, including Turkey (43rd), Qatar (49th), KSA (55th), Kuwait (56th), Bahrain (66th), Oman (77th), Lebanon (81st), Azerbaijan (82nd), and Jordan (83rd).

The GII, in its 10th edition this year, is co-published by Cornell University, INSEAD, and the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), a specialised agency of the United Nations. Published annually since 2007, the GII is now a leading benchmarking tool for business executives, policy makers and others seeking insight into the state of innovation around the world. Policymakers, business leaders and other stakeholders use the GII to evaluate progress on a continual basis.

The core of the GII report consists of a ranking of world economies’ innovation capabilities and results. Recognising the key role of innovation as a driver of economic growth and prosperity, and the need for a broad horizontal vision of innovation applicable to developed and emerging economies, the GII includes indicators that go beyond the traditional measures of innovation such as the level of research and development.

In April, INSEAD separately announced that Singapore had been ranked No. 1 in Asia Pacific and No. 2 globally according to the Global Talent Competitiveness Index (GTCI) 2017. 

Global Talent Competitiveness Index 2017 
Rankings: Top Ten

1 Switzerland

2 Singapore

3 UK

4 US

5 Sweden

6 Australia

7 Luxembourg

8 Denmark

9 Finland

10 Norway

Singapore is ranked second globally for the fourth consecutive year, retaining its top spot in Asia Pacific. Australia (6th), New Zealand (14th), Japan (22nd), Malaysia (28th) and South Korea (29th), ranked within the Top 30 globally.

Produced in partnership with The Adecco Group and the Human Capital Leadership Institute of Singapore (HCLI), the GTCI is an annual benchmarking report that measures the ability of countries to compete for talent. Focusing on Talent and Technology, the 2017 report explores the effects of technological change on talent competitiveness and the future of work, arguing that while jobs at all levels continue to be replaced by machines, technology is also creating new opportunities.

In Asia Pacific, the countries that ranked within the Top 30 globally included:

-          Singapore (2nd)

-          Australia (6th)

-          New Zealand (14th)

-          Japan (22nd)

-          Malaysia (28th)

-          South Korea (29th)

-          Philippines (52nd)

-          Kazakhstan (53rd)

-          China (54th)

-          Thailand (73rd)

-          Sri Lanka (82nd)

-          Kyrgyzstan (87th)

-          Mongolia (72nd)

-          Vietnam (86th)

-          Indonesia (90th)

-          India (92nd)

-          Bhutan (98th)

-          Iran (103rd)

-          Cambodia (108th)

-          Pakistan (111th)

-          Bangladesh (113rd)

The GTCI is an annual study measuring the ability of countries to compete for talent. Designed for governments, businesses and non-profit organisations, the GTCI ranks over 100 economies according to their ability to develop, attract and retain talent.

High-ranking countries share key traits, including educational systems that meet the needs of the economy; employment policies that favour flexibility, mobility and entrepreneurship; and high connectedness of stakeholders in business, education and government as well as high level of technological competence, INSEAD said.

Ilian Mihov, Dean of INSEAD, said: “This year’s GTCI report shows that countries in the Asia Pacific region demonstrate strong talent readiness for technology. It also highlights the important role of education. Educational systems have to revamp to help learners foster learning agility and adjust on the fly of changing conditions. INSEAD looks forward to fully playing its role as a leading global provider of talent and leadership.”

Singapore has shown outstanding performance in the Enable, Attract and Global Knowledge pillars. Countries can learn from Singapore’s well-developed regulatory and market landscapes for global talent to thrive and its ability to anticipate the movements of the economy.

Su-Yen Wong, CEO of Human Capital Leadership Institute, commented: “The recent report published by Singapore’s Committee on the Future Economy suggested that building strong digital capabilities is one of the key strategies that will propel Singapore’s growth for the next two decades. Digital technologies will help small and exposed economies like Singapore punch above their weight by creating means for their businesses and talent to reach out to the global market. Countries must continue to upskill their workforce so that they can adapt to the digitisation wave and the sweeping structural changes that are poised to shakeup traditional work arrangements.”

Asia’s giants China (54th) and India (92nd) are still a fair distance away from the top. Bruno Lanvin, Executive Director of Global Indices at INSEAD and co-editor of the report said: “Overall, a big challenge for China and India lies in their ability to attract talent, and they both face the issue of local higher-skilled workers leaving to live and work abroad. To improve their attractiveness, the countries can further boost their regulatory and market landscapes.

“However, delving deeper and looking at the city-level, the two countries have metropolises exemplary in terms of their talent attractiveness. Shanghai and Mumbai (apart from Singapore) are the only Asian cities identified and ranked in the inaugural edition of the Global Cities Talent Competitiveness Index (GCTCI), but future editions will undoubtedly include more, confirming the growing attractiveness of Asian cities.”

Australia (6th) performed exceptionally being ranked in the Top 10 this year, as it is one of the top countries in the Attract and Global Knowledge Skills pillars. However, Vocational and Technical Skills show room for improvement. This may indicate that the country’s structural shift towards knowledge jobs and services is perhaps leaving gaps in the technical/vocational area.

Christophe Duchatellier, Regional Head of Asia Pacific, The Adecco Group, commented, “Although Singapore, Australia and New Zealand all feature in the Top 20 of this edition of the Global Talent Competitiveness Index, these latest findings highlight the increasing challenges that many countries in the Asia Pacific region have in attracting and retaining talent. In 2017 we are already observing organisations across the region placing an increased emphasis on world-class talent attraction strategies and tactics that will support them in remaining competitive. We would expect to see more organisations offering internship and apprenticeship programmes to foster skills development.”

Malaysia (28th) is the top-ranked country in the group of upper-middle-income countries. The country ranks above higher-income countries such as South Korea (29th).

Paul Evans, The Shell Chair Professor of Human Resources and Organisational Development, Emeritus, at INSEAD, and Academic Director and co-editor of the Global Talent Competitiveness Index said: “Malaysia performs particularly well in the pillars of the Enabling context and Vocational and Technical Skills. It also does well on External Openness as it has been able to attract talent from overseas. In addition, in terms of talent readiness for technology, Malaysia ranks higher than South Korea even though the IT infrastructure of the latter is much superior. The country can boost its rankings if it further improves in Internal Openness in terms of tolerance of minorities.”

Japan (22nd) has a solid overall performance, although it dipped slightly from last year. One of its main challenges is the Attract pillar where it is far behind the top three countries of this region. Middle-income countries such as Malaysia attract more foreign talent.

Although South Korea (29th) makes it into the top 30 this year, it is the lowest-ranking high-income country in the region. Despite being the top country in dimensions such as Tertiary enrollment and the Market Landscape—with world-class R&D in­vestments—the country has major room for improvement in the Attract pillar.

The Philippines (52nd) is the top lower-middle-income country, ranking above several upper-middle-income countries such as China (54th), and even above some high-income countries such as Kuwait (57th) and Oman (59th). Its greatest strength is its good pool of both Vocational and Technical Skills and Global Knowl­edge Skills.

Interested?

Download the Global Innovation Index 2017 report

Read the Global Talent Competitiveness Index report

Download the GTCI 2017 Infographic at this link

Watch the GTCI 2017 Video graphic at this link

The Asia infographic is also attached for media usage.

*To support the global innovation debate, to guide polices and to highlight good practices, metrics are required to assess innovation and related policy performance. The GII creates an environment in which innovation factors are under continual evaluation, including the following features:

• 127 country/economy profiles, including data, ranks, and strengths and weaknesses

• 81 data tables for indicators from over 30 international public and private sources, of which 57 are hard data, 19 composite indicators, and five survey questions

• A transparent and replicable computation methodology including 90% confidence intervals for each index ranking (GII, output and input sub-indices) and an analysis of factors affecting year-on-year changes in rankings

The GII 2017 is calculated as the average of two sub-indices. The Innovation Input Sub-Index gauges elements of the national economy which embody innovative activities grouped in five pillars:

• Institutions, 
• Human capital and research, 
• Infrastructure, 
• Market sophistication, and 
• Business sophistication. 

The Innovation Output Sub-Index captures actual evidence of innovation results, divided in two pillars: knowledge and technology outputs andcreative outputs.

The index is submitted to an independent statistical audit by the Joint Research Centre of the European Commission.

posted from Bloggeroid

Mastercard Well-Being Index reflects optimism in Asia Pacific

The latest Mastercard Well-Being Index* has revealed that people in Asia Pacific remain optimistic towards their overall wellbeing (score of 62.1), with those in emerging markets (65.5), led by India, Philippines and Indonesia, showing higher resilience and satisfaction than others in developed markets (56.7).

The Mastercard Well-Being Index surveyed 9,123 people across Asia Pacific about their economic, social and financial outlook, covering four key components: work and finances, safety from threats, personal and work satisfaction as well as personal wellbeing.

Leading the region with an overall wellbeing index score of 75 is India, the only market to have reached a very optimistic level in this survey series’ history. India’s optimism is likely driven by consumers’ upbeat sentiment over the robust pace of economic growth and stable macroeconomic fundamentals, as well as their ability to deal with stress and challenges. Other optimistic markets include Philippines (73) at second place and Indonesia (71.4) in third.

Conversely, Asia’s developed economies have struggled to advance out of neutral territory, owing to deep entrenchment in a culture of overtime and high levels of work-related stress. Japan (50.4) and Korea (52.1) rank the lowest for overall wellbeing, which is reflected in consumers’ consistently downbeat sentiment towards their personal wellbeing related to family stress, work stress, financial stress and health.

According to the study, it seems that a stress-free life with strong work-life balance is key to happiness. Overall, out of the four components, consumers in the region felt most satisfied with their personal and work life (65.5), buoyed by strong fulfilment amongst consumers in emerging markets such as India (83), Philippines (78.2), Myanmar (75.4), Vietnam (72.7), mainland China (71.3), Indonesia (71.1) and Thailand (70.2).

Georgette Tan, Senior VP, Communications, Asia Pacific, Mastercard said, “Findings from this study show that consumers’ outlook on their overall wellbeing is invariably shaped by the reality of their everyday lives, as well as social, economic and political conditions. In addition, we also see that strong opportunities for growth can imbue optimism and hope for the future as exemplified by Asia’s emerging economies like India, China and Indonesia, where their higher wellbeing scores correlate with growing GDP rates. Such insights are crucial to Mastercard’s work in the region where we’re committed to driving inclusive growth. It gives us a holistic view that complements economic activity, and provides us with a clearer understanding of the progress to be made.”

Across the board, of all four components, people in Asia Pacific were most concerned about their safety from threats (57.6), with those in Myanmar (43.5), Bangladesh (46.6) and Japan (46.9) having felt the most vulnerable. This apprehension was caused mainly by fear of cybercrime (54) and financial crime (55). On the other hand, people in emerging markets, led by India (78.7), Philippines (64.5) and Indonesia (64.3) are the least concerned about their overall safety.

Overall Well-Being Index, country scores

1. India	75.0	6. Thailand	66.1	11. Hong Kong	58.6	16. Taiwan	54.3
2. Philippines	73.0	7. Myanmar	64.6	12. Singapore	58.6	17. Korea	52.1
3. Indonesia	71.4	8. Cambodia	63.9	13. Sri Lanka	56.6	18. Japan	50.4
4. Vietnam	71.4	9. New Zealand	63.5	14. Bangladesh	55.5
5. China	68.2	10. Australia	59.6	15. Malaysia	54.9

Average for Asia Pacific	62.1
Average for developed Asia Pacific	56.7
Average for emerging Asia Pacific	65.5

Well-Being Index – Work & Finances component, country scores

1. Vietnam	81.5	6. New Zealand	71.7	11. Australia	60.4	16. Singapore	52.7
2. Philippines	79.2	7. Myanmar	66.9	12. Japan	59.5	17. Malaysia	51.9
3. Indonesia	77.2	8. Thailand	65.9	13. India	56.0	18. Sri Lanka	50.3
4. China	75.3	9. Bangladesh	65.0	14. Korea	53.9
5. Cambodia	71.8	10. Hong Kong	61.3	15. Taiwan	52.9

Average for Asia Pacific	64.1
Average for Developed Asia Pacific	58.9
Average for Emerging Asia Pacific	67.3

Well-Being Index – Safety from Threats component, country scores:

1. India	78.7	6. Thailand	63.1	11. Cambodia	56.8	16. Japan	46.9
2. Philippines	64.5	7. China	60.3	12. Taiwan	55.5	17. Bangladesh	46.6
3. Indonesia	64.3	8. Australia	59.8	13. Sri Lanka	51.8	18. Myanmar	43.5
4. Singapore	64.2	9. Vietnam	59.4	14. South Korea	50.9
5. New Zealand	63.4	10. Hong Kong	57.9	15. Malaysia	48.5

Average for Asia Pacific	57.6
Average for Developed Asia Pacific	56.9
Average for Emerging Asia Pacific	57.9

Well-Being Index – Satisfaction component, country scores

1. India	83.0	6. Indonesia	71.1	11. Sri Lanka	61.7	16. Taiwan	56.8
2. Philippines	78.2	7. Thailand	70.2	12. Singapore	60.8	17. South Korea	55.7
3. Myanmar	75.4	8. Cambodia	68.3	13. Malaysia	60.4	18. Japan	49.7
4. Vietnam	72.7	9. New Zealand	65.4	14. Hong Kong	59.2
5. China	71.3	10. Australia	62.7	15. Bangladesh	57.1

Average for Asia Pacific	65.5
Average for Developed Asia Pacific	58.6
Average for Emerging Asia Pacific	69.9

Well-Being Index – Personal Well-Being component, country scores

1. India	82.6	6. China	65.7	11. Singapore	56.7	16. Taiwan	52.2
2. Indonesia	73.2	7. Thailand	65	12. Hong Kong	56.3	17. South Korea	47.9
3. Myanmar	72.6	8. Sri Lanka	62.7	13. Australia	55.2	18. Japan	45.7
4. Vietnam	72	9. Malaysia	59	14. New Zealand	53.6
5. Philippines	70.1	10. Cambodia	58.9	15. Bangladesh	53.4

Average for Asia Pacific	61.3
Average for Developed Asia Pacific	52.5
Average for Emerging Asia Pacific	66.8

The Mastercard Index suite in Asia Pacific includes the long-running Mastercard Index of Consumer Confidence, as well as the Mastercard Index of Women’s Advancement, Mastercard Index of Financial Literacy, and the Mastercard Index of Global Destination Cities. In addition to the indices, Mastercard’s research properties also include a range of consumer surveys including Online Shopping, Ethical Spending and a series on consumer purchasing priorities (covering travel, dining & entertainment, education, money management, luxury and general shopping).

*The latest Mastercard Well-Being Index is based on a survey conducted between November 2016 and December 2016 on 9,123 consumers aged 18 to 64 in 18 Asia Pacific countries. Consumers were asked 17 questions pertaining to four components. The results of their responses were converted into sub-indices, which were subsequently averaged to form the Mastercard Well-Being Index score. The scores range from 0 to 100 where 0 represents the maximum negative response, and 100 represents the maximum positive response and 50 represents neutrality.