Bigger, bolder and more engaging will define a new era of fun and experiences at Resorts World Sentosa (RWS) as it announced on April 4, 2019, major plans for expansion and transformation to create a new wave of tourism growth for the next decade.
At a total development investment of S$4.5 billion, RWS 2.0 will see an expansion of about 50% new Gross Floor Area (GFA), adding over 164,000 square metres of new and exciting attractions, entertainment and lifestyle offerings.
This major expansion will be delivered in phases with new experiences opening every year from 2020 to a projected completion around 2025.
RWS 2.0 represents a vote of confidence in Singapore as RWS embarks on the next exciting decade of its journey that will unlock the full potential of the Sentosa waterfront.
RWS’ major attractions Universal Studios Singapore and S.E.A. Aquarium will see substantial increase in size. The expansion of Universal Studios Singapore will unveil two new, highly themed and immersive environments based on hugely popular entertainment concepts – Minion Park and Super Nintendo World.
PHOTOS: RESORTS WORLD SENTOSA
These new and expansive areas will feature all-audience and family-friendly attractions as well as themed shops and restaurants.
The award winning S.E.A. Aquarium will be expanded to more than three times its present size, and will be rebranded Singapore Oceanarium.
The expansion will see its transformation to an exciting blend ofspecially curated marine life and additional exhibits of prehistoric marine life and deep sea creatures that will be part of the story of the history of evolution, exploration and how mankind has to embrace conservation.
A new Waterfront Lifestyle Complex helmed by two new destination hotels, together with the expansion of Central Zone, will add up to 1,100 more keys. The additional keys will encourage international visitors to its attractions to stay longer and enjoy more of the night activities.
Together with the significant expansion of its MICE capacity, the extra room capacity will allow RWS to garner more top-tier events.
The entire waterfront promenade will be completely renewed, anchored by a spectacular public attraction that will set the scene for vibrant seafront activities that include eclectic dining and lifestyle activities.
Replacing the Resorts World Theatre will be a new Adventure Dining Playhouse where fun dining will take a new form. A new Driverless Transport System will provide last-mile connectivity between the mainland and Sentosa with better efficiency and capacity, hence encouraging more visitors to RWS and the rest of Sentosa Island.
The expansion plans, when completed, will integrate with the transformation of the future Greater Southern Waterfront.
Since opening in 2010, RWS has played a chief role in driving the transformation of Singapore’s tourism sector. RWS has been welcoming more than 20 million international and local visitors annually, accounting for more than one-third of all international visitor arrivals into Singapore and thereby contributing greatly to the GDP of Singapore.
This has propelled the growth of Singapore’s international visitor arrivals by nearly two times to 18.5 million in 2018, enabling it to surpass its 2015 goal of 17 million visitors.
The mega investment and expansion of RWS is expected to have significant impact on the Singapore
economy. Today, RWS is one of Singapore’s largest private sector employers and home to over 13,000
employees.
The expanded RWS will result in approximately 2,800 new jobs created across a wide diversity of trades and professions. Through the adoption of technology and innovation, higher-value roles will be created for the PME segment.
RWS will nurture and mentor team members to provide them with multi business unit cross-training to boost their careers.
Mr Tan Hee Teck, Chief Executive Officer of RWS, said: “RWS has been a major game changer and growth engine in the last ten years in transforming Singapore’s tourism landscape. This major re-
investment and expansion underlines our belief in the business model and the future opportunities that lie ahead when we complete the development. An even brighter future will lie ahead when RWS will form an integral part of the future Greater Southern Waterfront and become a centrepiece of the transformative journey to enliven the southern corridor.
“In the year of Singapore’s Bicentennial celebrations, RWS is excited to be embarking on this makeover to ensure that we continue to be the top Integrated Resort in this region. The journey has been fulfilling with RWS providing strong leadership in the Singapore tourism industry. Our achievements are the fruits of the dedication and passion of all our talented team members, happy customers and all stakeholders from both the private and public sectors who have contributed their resources to make RWS a success.
“We are confident that all these valued people will continue to support us to make RWS 2.0 a resounding success.”
