The $230 million SARS relief package aims to cushion the impact of SARS on the hardest hit tourism sector and help the industry tide over this difficult period. This is a calibrated and targeted response to help the tourism-related industry sectors that have been badly affected by a 61% drop in visitor arrivals in the first half of April. This sharp fall in inbound travelers has caused average hotel occupancy rates to fall to 20-30%, compared to normal levels of 70% or above. Sales at retail outlets have declined by between 10% to 50%.
One of the measures introduced by the government was the SARS Relief Tourism Training Assistance (SRTTA) for the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) and STB-approved tourism-related courses. This will make it more attractive for employers in the tourism sector to hold on and train their critical staff during this period, so that they are still available when the tourists return. Specifically, the Government will enhance current training grants from 1 May to 31 Dec 03 by:
i. Raising course-fee support, from a cap of $10 to $15 per training hour for relevant tourism-related courses approved by MOM and STB. The support level will be 90% of course fees, subject to the caps. The enhancement will significantly reduce employers' burden in sending workers for training; and
ii. Raising absentee payroll, from $6.10 to $6.50 per training hour. The enhanced payroll translates to $1,040 per month per worker, or equivalent to half pay for the 3rd quartile group of service workers.
These enhancements will generate training places for 22,000 Singaporeans and PRs in the affected industries. A list of courses endorsed by MOM, NTUC and STB are at ANNEX A. Please note that the list is not an exhaustive one and that MOM, NTUC and STB have established a working mechanism to add more courses to the approved list based on industry and established funding requirements.
The SARS Relief Tourism Training Assistance (SRTTA) is an enhancement of the Skills Redevelopement Programme. The SRP funds courses in more than 30 industry sectors, in the areas of course fee and absentee payroll support. All companies are eligible to apply. The increased training grant, however, is targeted primarily at companies in the tourism and tourism-related sectors as these sectors have been the worst hit by the impact of SARS. The enhanced funding therefore apply to courses that are most directly relevant to companies in these sectors.
Even within the tourism-related industry clusters, we are aware that there could be certain segments of the workforce, which may not be employed on a full-time basis, e.g. tourist guides. For self-employed guides to benefit from this scheme, the STB has instituted a surrogate employer scheme with MOM and NTUC so that this group of independent guides, who join the Union as members, can also be eligible for the course subsidy and a training grant of up to S$900 a month whilst under training. The range of certifiable courses will also be expanded to include cross-cultural appreciation, language and other specialised guiding courses.
