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"Try everything at least once, don't let your own or others' preconceptions stop you."
I'm Chief of The Collaboratory in the Singapore Tourism Board. We are an innovation and software development unit that builds digital products for visitors and champions the use of emerging technologies for tourism. I enjoy reading, cycling and amateur coding.
I was the ops-tech lead for the SingapoRediscovers Vouchers. We were given an almost impossible timeline and launched it within 4 months of preparation. The project involved 5 private sector booking websites, 1 government portal, 2 backends and integration with SingPass. It was an eye-opening experience catering to >3 million Singaporeans, a big difference from our usual tourist audience. I was also in charge of the customer service centre, so you could say that I also had to fix all the problems that I caused!
There has been a lot more openness to tech and data. Companies are moving away from monolithic systems to SaaS models and using tools wherever they can to improve their service. This decentralisation means that there's a bit of tech in most jobs now and jobs are being redesigned. You're no longer just the front desk concierge, you're a customer experience specialist. To all the staff in rank and file positions - both men and women, there are greater opportunities for growth and progression.
I want tourism leaders to be as savvy in tech and data as they are in tourism. They need to be more comfortable and confident in it, and get their hands dirty on how it could work for their business, instead of leaving it to technical specialists. We need more 'purple' people, business people (blue) who are able to think like tech and data people (red).
My company provides a wonderful environment for diverse views and welcomes innovation. I am currently driving adoption of agile within STB and the support and endorsement from senior management has been resounding.
#SensibleShoes! I would like women in tourism to be comfortable wearing sensible shoes :) In hospitality, there are often expectations otherwise (from both others and themselves) but many industries out there are already shifting so why not tourism? It may sound superficial, but I think that it goes a long way towards building confidence beyond the exterior.
Walk the talk.
Try everything at least once, don't let your own or others' preconceptions stop you.
Ms Karen Ann Leong was appointed Chief, The Collaboratory in April 2018. In her capacity, she drives the use of emerging technologies for tourism, builds technology solutions for STB, and supports organisational improvements.
Prior to her current role, Karen was Deputy Director, Tour and Industry Development where she oversaw the development of the Travel Agent Roadmap to upskill travel agents and encourage innovation in the industry. Her team also championed the growth of the tour industry to build a vibrant landscape of diverse, content-rich tour products for visitors.
As Assistant Director, Exhibitions and Conferences, she headed the development of MICE 2020, a navigational blueprint of growth for Singapore’s business events sector.
Prior to joining STB, Karen served in the private sector, working in the areas of history research, tour development and copywriting. Karen holds a Master of Arts in Philosophy, and a Master in Public Administration from the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy Singapore.
