Long Shiau Wee is the CEO of YTL Hotels Niseko Village which owns and operates the ski resort of the same name. She must be the envy of most of Singapore as her role allows her the opportunity to ski every day in winter, but she also gets to enjoy the benefits of the Hokkaido summer as well!
Channel News Asia recently published this feature on Shiau Wee, which gives a fascinating insight into the changes she has experienced since her arrival in Niseko in 2011 as well as what she enjoys about her life in this resort town - very different to the hustle and bustle of Singapore!
Niseko is probably the most well-known ski resort in Japan, famous throughout the world but particularly popular with Asian guests who are able to take advantage of the short-haul flights into Sapporo. Before the pandemic hit, Asian guests as a whole had overtaken the traditional Australasian visitors with historical bases such as Singapore and Hong Kong being joined by a big increase in travellers from Thailand, Taiwan, Indonesia and mainland China.
This has extended into the investment market with the vast majority of real estate transactions involving international investments now being with residents of Asian countries.
While the pandemic has put a temporary halt to tourism as Japan has closed their borders, investment has continued alongside development and Niseko Village was no exception, opening the brand new Higashiyama Niseko Village, a Ritz Carlton Reserve Hotel, in time for winter 2020/21.
Savvy investors are still able to pick up a unit in HINODE HILLS, the ski-in ski-out development located right in the middle of Niseko Village and operated by YTL. With a Moxy Hotel and more also planned these are very exciting times for the resort and for Shiau Wee, the skiing Singaporean!
