Roll over, Starlight Express, here comes the brakes

So it looks like the Hotel “Starlight Express” may finally be slowing down …

I remember the time I was in London and I watched this (very mediocre) musical on roller skates – the performers were on skates, not me. I was fast asleep (blame it on jetlag) when one of the performers landed on my lap.

I don’t know if he targeted me out of indignation or by random choice but anyway, it wasn’t my finest hour because I woke up with a scream with the spotlight on me in the darkened theatre.

I only hope the same fate does not befall my hotelier friends in Singapore or Hong Kong or most parts of Asia because from what I am hearing, the good rollicking and rolling times may be slowing down.

In Singapore, hoteliers tell me the past three months have been softer than expected. Rates are holding up but occupancies are softer than forecast, especially in the higher tier market.

“Of course, this means that from 88%, we are now doing 80%,” said one, who was determined to keep things in perspective.

But it’s a warning sign of things yet to come, some believe. The past three months are usually peak months for corporate travel into Singapore and that’s seen a softening due to what’s happening in the wider world.

Reports of tight supply and (actual) higher rates have also not helped – a lot of companies are said to have move their corporate events to Bangkok.

And just as with Beijing and the Olympics, rumours of a sold-out situation for Formula 1 in Singapore are greatly exaggerated. There are reports of plenty of rooms left for the Olympics as there are still for the world’s first Formula 1 night race.

In Hong Kong, meanwhile, I am told that hotels are bracing themselves for possibly the worst summer. Olympics in Beijing with all its attendant security restrictions, Sichuan earthquake, US recession, rocketing fuel prices, airlines in trouble, inflation everywhere – the list goes on.

Hoteliers are however known for their optimism and even with the darkening clouds, see the proverbial silver lining.

One regional hotel chief in fact says a slowdown would be good for the industry.

“It will be a good reality check,” he said. “We are building too much, too fast. Companies expect growth on top of growth, this is not sustainable. And employees are moving too fast for too little.”

It could maybe put an end to letters such as the one which appeared in the Straits Times recently when a tourist, Geoffrey Somers, complained about the loss of Singapore’ “hail-fellow-well-met-friendliness” and said that smiles had been “replaced by a cold, hard stare” and that his breakfast bordered on “pigswill”.

Yes, just like the roller skater who fell into my lap, we all have to stop at some point.

It reminds me of something Woody Allen once uttered, “It is impossible to travel faster than the speed of light, and certainly not desirable, as one’s hat keeps blowing off.”

What’s worse of course is if your hat blows off while you are sleeping on the job. Yes, don’t be like me – stay alert for the next roll of the blade.

Catch more of Yeoh Siew Hoon every week at The Transit Cafe

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