Inside Asian Gaming

IAG OCT 2022年10月 亞博匯 48 COLUMNISTS offset the decrease in premium business and eventually achieve future growth in the long run. Singapore can play an exemplary role in this aspect. The city state’s champion airport, with superior capacity and connectivity, has further secured its leading position in the region. The government has identified infrastructure as a key pillar of national economic growth and has set up plans to strengthen the roads, rail network and other ecosystem components, making the Lion City ready for the post-COVID chapter of international travel. Similarly, infrastructure improvements in thePhilippines, ranging from enhanced connectivity between Manila and the neighboring regions to newly added terminals at airports in Clark and Cebu, are expected to facilitate rapid recovery and further growth of the country’s gaming industry. Additionally, the Incheon Free Economic Zone in South Korea is widely recognized as a strategic location. Close proximity to the country’s aviation hub provides a significant advantage. With the forthcoming addition of a world- class entertainment resort in the area, the competitive advantage and other synergies are anticipated to be further realized. Another challenge that surfaced during the pandemic but is expected to linger in post- COVID years is the availability of a quality workforce. Shortages in a skilled workforce have hindered recovery and growth pace across the board, which is especially true for customer- facing service industries including gaming. Mass gaming of a larger scale requires a larger workforce of quality, skill and reliability, which is likely to challenge many operators in the region’s gaming markets. The Philippines possesses a competitive advantage in this aspect. The local workforce tends to be comprised of fast learners who have the passion to work in most entertainment and hospitality environments. English is used as the primary medium of instruction in the education system, which makes training and development more effective. Additionally, labor costs in the Philippines remain among the most competitive in the ASEAN countries, making it an ideal source of labor for prospective operating needs. Moreover, other emerging markets, such as Vietnam and Thailand, have consistently gained attention in the global IR community. With a significant domestic economic and demographic base, as well as sizeable international visitation to be resumed, the market Improved infrastructure in places like Clark is helping the Philippines’ IR operators enjoy renewed growth. 克拉克等地的基礎設施得到 改善，幫助菲律賓的IR營運 商重新獲得增長。