February 23, 2021, 01:31 PM
Connect@Changi has officially opened up for business travellers arriving in Singapore.
The pilot short-stay facility, which was first launched on Dec. 15, 2020 under the Connect@Singapore initiative, will allow business travellers entering Singapore to meet without serving the obligatory 14-day quarantine.
However, business travellers will have to go through a rigorous Covid-19 testing regime during their stay.
Bookings have opened since Feb. 18, and it is expected that the first batch of visitors will start arriving from next month, Business Times reported.
Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat was present at the opening ceremony last week.
"Test-stay-work-meet"
The entire project is developed by a Singapore consortium led by the state investment firm Temasek Holdings and includes The Ascott Limited, Changi Airport Group, Sheares Healthcare Group, SingEx-Sphere Holdings and Surbana Jurong.
Under the project, visitors will have to stay at the dedicated "Connect@Changi" facility near Changi airport throughout their time in the country.
This means that they cannot leave to mingle with the larger community in Singapore, though they can still hold face-to-face meetings with local residents at the facility.
They will have to take a Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) Test upon arrival at Changi Airport, on days 3, 7 and 14 of their stay, as well as before leaving the facility, Temasek said.
Amenities
According to Bloomberg, these meetings will be specially conducted behind floor-to-ceiling dividers, in a safe and contained environment.
Image courtesy of Connect@Changi
Additional precautions also include having separate entrances and exits, as well as different ventilation systems, for travellers from overseas and local guests.
Therefore, Singapore-based visitors do not have to undergo testing when accessing the facility.
For a start, the facility is expected to have 150 guestrooms and 40 meeting rooms.This will expand to 660 guestrooms and 170 meeting rooms once the first phase of the project is completed in May.
Anticipated demand
Alan Thompson, the joint head of strategic development at Temasek International, said to the media that demand for this facility is expected:
"We are comfortable, based on the inbound enquiries that we've had, as well as our analysis of pre-Covid traffic, that there will be demand for this facility."
One of the companies that plan to use Connect@Changi is Advanced MedTech Holdings, a medical device business in Southeast Asia.
Advanced MedTech Holdings plans to hold its first in-person global senior leadership meeting of up to 30 business executives at the facility.
When fully completed later this year, the facility is projected to be able to host around 1,300 business travellers, Temasek said.
Details
Rooms rates start from S$384 for 24-hour stay, inclusive of three meals, any Covid-19 tests required during the stay, complimentary mini-bar and toiletries and two-way airport transfers.
An executive twin room with a view. Image courtesy of Connect@Changi
An Executive Premier/King room. Image courtesy of Connect@Changi
An Executive King/Premier room with a view. Image courtesy of Connect@Changi
Currently, bookings can be made at www.connectatchangi.sg or through the Connect@Changi mobile app.
Top image via Connect@Changi Facebook
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