Suntec City Mall, Singapore

MAY 15 to 18 finds the Tax Free World Association Conference and Exhibition at the Suntec City Mall, Singapore's largest. Today, on 14 May, I attended the very fascinating Gate One Conference and the seminar entitled "Managing Risk: anticipating change and how to prepare for it - security focus". I learned how the serious problems associated with the threat from liquid explosives and transfer passengers has resulted in the confiscation of 2,500 litres of harmless liquids per day in Frankfurt Airport which amounts to some 8 million Euros per year! Consumer confiidence in the global duty free market has been damaged. Worse still, the global confusion over regulations about LAGs (Liquids, Aerosols and Gels means many passengers at airports are simply not buying. With ill conceived legislation, all passengers to Australia must have no LAGs in their luggage with screening done at the last port of call. In Asia, Singapore and Hong Kong stands out as the 2 airports with the intelligence and creativity to come up with pragmatic and workable solutions to this problem. In Singapore's award winning Changi International Airport, signs proclaim proudly: "Most passengers can continue purchasing liquids, aerosols and gels at Changi Airport's Transit Area. Please check the shops for details." Use of Security Tamper Evident Bags (STEB)is another feature of the smooth, pragmatic and sustainable system implemented in Changi Airport since 8 May 2007, according to Lye Teck Tan of the CAAS in Singapore. Armen Sahagian of the Transport Security Administration of the USA said, "Our goal is security. We cannot compromise on security but it must be a "risk based" balanced approach to counter the changing terrorist threat from liquid based explosives." TSA is currently field testing technologically based solutions to detect liquid explosives. The technological solution, howvever, may be too expensive to be viable worldwide. One solution to this dilemma may be options like the Heineken bar in Hong Kong Airport to encourage passengers to consume their beer, wines and liquor at the airport before boarding the flight. This, of course, would mean a losss of airline revenue from on board duty free shopping. Meanwhile, the TFWA Exhibition promises many delights from Minox cameras to Zonin wines from Italy. Bon voyage! By Dr. Michael Lim The Travelling Gurmet who is a Travel, Food & Wine Writer/Editor in Singapore.

Suntec City was a short walk from where I was staying, at the Ritz-Carlton hotel. After work hours, it was always nice to go have a stroll through the mall that literally never ends. It connects with several malls throughout the city via various underground, ground level and skywalks. I made it a point to walk the whole mall system one day while staying there, and it took the better part of the day just to get to the "end" of the system. Not that this should be a centerpiece for anyone's travels to Singapore, but it's definintely one of the things on the to-do list if you get a chance. Made the larger malls in the USA (think Mall of America) much less grandiose by comparison, IMHO. Bowling Alleys, Arcades, Convention Centers, all commingling with the standard shopping fare; hundreds of different storefronts, and to top it off, everything is SO immaculately clean. I definitely recommend a visit, even if just to see the fountain display and laser show!

i loved the fountain of wealth,it has a great lazer show every evening and there is a pond with many large fish that we are permitted to feed. also the shops are fantastic,something for everyone and excellant value for money.also not forgetting the most important part,great food court and bakeries.definatly my favourite shopping mall in singapore.