When we were young..

One of the most popular board games that we have played during our childhood is Monopoly, where it teaches you that building hotels will give you the best returns when someone goes in. Just that we didn't really appreciate it much until later stages in our lives.. 

Full article here: As Singapore Reinvents Itself, Hoteliers Reap Windfall

Even as Singapore’s trade-dependent economy faces risks in the wake of a global slowdown, one sector in this Southeast Asian island state stays upbeat.

Roslan Rahman | AFP | Getty Images Marina Bay Sands

In this year’s Forbes rich list for Singapore released in July, 10 of the 40 wealthiest individuals were either hoteliers or property tycoons with a growing stake in the hospitality business – an indicator of the robustness of the industry.

The owner of budget chain, Hotel 81, Choo Chong Ngen made his debut on the list at No. 25 with a net worth of $690 million. Snapping at his heels at spot 26 was another newcomer Michael Kum with a net worth of $670 million. His M&L Hospitality Trust has many hotels in its portfolio.

The largest listing in the city state’s otherwise lackluster market for new issuances was also from the hospitality sector, with Ascendas Hospitality Trust raising $600 million in July.

The hotel industry has had a great year so far with total room revenues over the first half hitting $1.1 billion, according to the Singapore Tourism Board, a jump of 6.6 percent year on year.