The reward comes in the form of a 'Singapore Service star' given out by the Singapore Tourism Board (STB).

The star can be displayed to tell prospective customers that they can expect excellent service within, and the stores will also be highlighted in STB's promotions abroad, among other things.

To qualify, a business will have its service standards checked during an unannounced visit by STB.

The board hopes to start the scheme with about 500 establishments, ranging from nightspots to stores, by the second half of the year.

The scheme was announced last night by Mr Lim Neo Chian, STB's chief executive, at the board's annual Tourism Awards night, held at the Esplanade Concert Hall. It was graced by President S R Nathan.

Among the big winners last night was Mr Robert Kwan, who was given the Outstanding Contribution to Tourism Award.

Mr Kwan was rewarded for his efforts in turning the Singapore Zoo and Night Safari into a profit-making enterprise.

The Tourism Entrepreneur of the Year Award, another big prize, went to Madam Lin Deng Li. The founder and chairman of Golden Travel Services was recognised for her efforts to encourage closer cultural ties with China and to draw educational tours to Singapore.

The accreditation scheme announced last night is the latest in a line of efforts to boost the standard of service here, including the multimillion-dollar Go The Extra Mile, or Gems, service campaign and a slew of service training courses.

The efforts were launched after declining service standards saw the Republic fall from 11th to 17th spot in the World Economic Forum's competitiveness survey of global service standards in 2005.

Though the country has made up some ground - it was ranked 15th in the same survey last year - regional rivals have stayed consistently ahead: Arch rival Hong Kong, for instance, was ranked seventh in the survey, while Japan took the No. 1 spot.

The STB wants tourism players to sit up and pay attention - 'to adopt a culture of service excellence', in Mr Lim's words - as more and more visitors flock to Singapore.

There were a record 10.3 million arrivals in Singapore last year, and by 2010 this number is expected to hit 14 million.

The challenge for the industry, said Mr Lim, is to serve up to 50 per cent more visitors while delivering top-notch service - 'to give a warm Uniquely Singapore welcome to all these visitors and provide them with distinctive service experiences in our inimitable style'.

But while business and the awards ceremony dominated last night's proceedings, the highlight of the evening came in the form of a three-minute video tribute to a true Singapore tourism star: Ah Meng the orangutan, the face of the zoo, which died last month.

Its keeper, Mr Alagappasamy Chellaiyah, was at the event and turned misty-eyed when asked how he was coping with the death.

But he said he was glad that Ah Meng was remembered as a tourism icon.

'Tourists from all over the world e-mailed us to say how sad they were that it died. Till today, people place flowers at its grave.'

natalie@sph.com.sg