DESPITE being small, Singapore boasts a sizeable pool of hoteliers and serviced residence owners and operators who have made their name in the world.

The Ascott Group, a hospitality player with a presence in India, is one of the world’s largest international serviced residence owner-operators.

Banyan Tree made the Conde Nast Traveller’s Gold List 2006 in the ‘Best for Rooms’ category. It also won a Travel & Leisure Award for being the world’s 33rd best hotel group and 11th best in Asia. Millennium Copthorne Hotel Group is among the world’s 40 biggest hotel groups.

HARDLY a week goes by without a global survey ranking nations on one economic feature or another and Singapore certainly seems to come out well in most.

At least three reports this year have given the country top marks in many areas of economic influence, including the ease of doing business, legal and political framework, economic stability and government efficiency.

And last week, Singapore leapfrogged major rival Hong Kong in a ranking of the most influential commercial centres around the world.