OAG Travel Planner has destination data on more than 200 countries worldwide. Below is General Information on the country of Singapore: | Singapore: General information Location Asia | | Local Time is the time in Singapore in relation to an International fixed time called GMT - details later in this unit. | Local time GMT +8
| | Capital Singapore | | The list of languages begins with the one used by most people in the country. But International business will be conducted in English. | Language Malay, Chinese (Mandarin), Tamil, English
| | Electricity 220/240V AC 50Hz | | Int. direct dialing code 65 | | Driving Driving is on the left. International Driving Permit required | | Currency Singapore Dollar (SGD 1 = 100 Cents)
Notes
SGD: 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 500, 1,000, 10,000
Coins
SGD: 1. Cents: 1, 5, 10, 20, 50 | | Business Travelers need information on normal business hours when planning itineraries. In some countries, offices are closed on Fridays. We can see that in Singapore most offices are open on Saturday mornings. | Business hours Banks
1000-1500 Mon-Fri, 0930-1130 Sat (0900-1500 selected banks only)
Offices
0900-1700 Mon-Fri, 0900-1300 Sat
Shops
1000-2100 Mon-Fri, 1000-2200 Weekends
| | Information on business etiquette is very useful, particularly on how to address someone at a meeting. It would be easy to offend someone by calling them by their first name because you didn't understand the order that names are given in that country. | Business/social hints Appointments must be made in advance, punctuality is important. For business meetings, men should wear a lightweight suit and tie, women a lightweight suit or equivalent. It is customary to shake hands on meeting and taking leave. Business cards are exchanged after introduction and are presented with both hands. Singapore is a multi-racial community - Chinese, Malay and Indian. When addressing Chinese persons, family or surname is mentioned first. Mr. Tan Hock Seng would be addressed Mr. Tan. When addressing Malay persons, the first of their two family names is used. Singaporean Indians use many different conventions. Most Singaporeans are bi-lingual. | Business travelers going to a country for the first time will really value this additional information, especially if it saves them from offending their hosts unintentionally. In some Arab countries, female business travelers have to accept conventions that they may not have expected, as you can see below: | Saudi Arabia: General information Location Middle East | | Local time GMT +3 | | Capital Riyadh | | There is a very important note here: women are not allowed to drive in Saudi Arabia. | Driving National licence accompanied by officially sanctioned Arabic translation required. International Driving Permit with translation recommended. Women are not allowed to drive.
| | We can see that business hours are not like those in Europe and the USA. Banks, offices and shops are open through Saturday and Sunday, but all close on Fridays and most shut on Thursday afternoons too. The Religious period of Ramadan affects business opening times. | Business hours Banks
0830-1200 & 1700-1900 Sat-Wed, 0830-1200 Thur
Offices
0900-1300 & 1630-2000 Sat-Thur (during Ramadan 2000-0100), 0730-1430 Sat-Wed (Government offices)
Shops
0900-1300 & 1630-2000 Sat-Thur (during Ramadan 2000-0100)
| | A woman business traveler will need to inform her Saudi Arabian business hosts that she is a woman! She must completely cover her hair at meetings and social engagements.
Both men and women must be careful to use their right hands not their left, and should not let the soles of their feet be visible to anyone as it is an insult to show the bottom of your shoes to an Arabic person.
Even in international hotels and on aircraft flying in and out of Saudi Arabia, alcoholic drinks are never available. | Business/social hints Appointments should be made in advance. Punctuality is appreciated. Personal introductions are a great advantage. If the visiting executive is a woman this must be clearly stated in initial correspondence. For business meetings men should wear a lightweight suit and tie. Women should dress conservatively, revealing clothes should not be worn. A headscarf is essential. Men shake hands on meeting and taking leave. Conference visits are an accepted way of doing business and other visitors may be present, arrive and depart. The host may hold several conversations at the same time. It is not customary to start talking business immediately. Business is usually conducted in Arabic. Many senior business executives speak English. Business cards to have Arabic translation on reverse side. Business cards are exchanged after introduction. Islamic conventions apply. At meetings it is polite to drink coffee or tea, when offered. It is the convention to use the right and not the left hand when shaking hands and passing or receiving anything. Almost everything stops five times a day, for prayers. Some people may prefer not to shake hands with those of the opposite sex. When sitting cross-legged on sofas or cushions, soles of the feet must not be shown, preferably both feet are kept on the floor. Visits during Ramadan should be avoided. Smoking is generally accepted but restrictions may apply in public buildings and especially during Ramadan. Alcohol is strictly forbidden by law, penalties are severe. Gratuities in restaurants and for taxis are around 10%. On social occasions e.g. invitations to restaurants or hotels, be punctual and dress as for business meetings unless otherwise indicated. There are many restrictions on photography.
| Destination information is extremely useful. When planning business itineraries it is important to avoid public holidays when offices will be closed, sometimes for several days. In some countries, religious holidays are not fixed on the same date each year. Below is an extract of destination information on Nigeria: | The dates with an asterisk or star * indicate religious holidays which may or may not be on the date shown. The lunar calendar follows the phases of the moon, rather than a 365-day calendar, so the actual date of the holiday will depend on whether the moon was visible in the sky on a particular day. | Public holidays 2001
Jan 1 New Years Day**, Mar 5 Id-el Kabir*, Apr 13 Good Friday, Apr 16 Easter Monday, May 1 Workers Day**, Jun 3 Id-el Maulud*, Oct 1 Independence Day**, Dec 15 Id-el Fitri*, Dec 25 Christmas Day**, Dec 26 Boxing Day**
* Dates may vary according to the lunar calendar
** Holidays falling on Sat/Sun are not observed on following Mon
| Information on climate and clothing is also very useful for the business traveler . | The traveler needs to know what to expect. The high humidity in the summer indicates that an air-conditioned hotel and several changes of shirt may be desirable! | Hong Kong Climate Sub-tropical climate with heavy rainfall between early May-late Sep, but some rain falls in all months. Autumn and Winter between Oct-Mar is cool and dry. Humidity is high during the hot, wet summer and can be oppressive and typhoons can cause problems between Jul-Sep
| | Lightweight and mediumweight indicate the type of cloth used in making suits. | Clothing Lightweights for summer, mediumweights for winter. Rainwear advisable all year but particularly for summer months |
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