For many observers, it was a total surprise, for Singapore's elevation to events stardom has not previously been widely recognized. But the fact is, many visitors and potential visitors are now checking their diary dates to ensure they are in Singapore for specific events.

The IFEA Pinnacle Awards are not a back-slapping public relations exercise: they go only to top events of high calibre, innovation and creativity such as the Pasadena Rose Parade and Bowl Game, and the Dublin Irish Festival. This year, at the Kentucky-staged ceremony, more than 1,250 world-class events competed for recognition. For Singapore, it was a dizzying parade of success after success, with the Singapore River Buskers' Festival, the World Gourmet Summit, Singapore Food Festival, Chingay Singapore and Sentosa Development Corporation scoring spectacular marks.

Suddenly, Singapore is becoming the destination that has everything; from art exhibitions to zoo tea parties, from safaris to street parades, from busking to opera. With over 7,000 event days in a year, visitors to the republic are likely to drop in on at least one event whenever they are in town; while local residents can look forward to more world-class entertainment options.

Esplanade - Theatres on the Bay's opening in October ushered in a new era for the arts in Singapore. With a massive marketing, media relations and promotional programme for the new facility and Singapore's arts scene, the ultimate goal is to establish Singapore as a global city for the arts. This being a fun-loving multi-cultural tropical island, the scene is far from solemn. For example, following the Esplanade grand opening, the four-month Celebration Singapore festival got underway, and will continue through February.

As soon as the Christmas and New Year lights are switched off along Orchard Road, visitors will be able to follow the trail of ruby-red lanterns and dazzling fairy lights through Chinatown to a lively bazaar and stage in the centre of the district where many events will take place to welcome in the Chinese New Year. Closer to the New Year itself, beginning on 30 January, along the Singapore River at Marina Promenade is a riverside carnival, with the Year Of The Goat being greeted with a spectacular display of fireworks. However, the arts industry is becoming a very prominent one, and gained momentum a few months ago with the launch of several major projects. The Singapore Tyler Print Institute (STPI) is the only institution of its kind in the world, with a state-of-the-art workshop, paper mill, international gallery and educational facilities. STPI aims to be a world-class institute for print and papermaking and is dedicated to the advancement of fine art lithography, intaglio, woodblock and relief painting, screen-printing, papermaking and experimental print forms. An independent, non-profit organisation located in a restored warehouse along Robertson Quay, STPI also organises exhibitions at its International Gallery.

On the museum front, the NUS (National University of Singapore) Museums Building, annexed to the University Cultural Centre, also opened recently. This houses NUS' three art collections: the Lee Kong Chian Art Museum, the South & Southeast Asian Art Collection and the Ng Eng Teng Gallery. Adding to the chain of services in the visual arts industry are the Renate Kant Studio and Ravenel Art Group. A German restorer with more than 30 years' experience, Ms Renate Kant offers painting restoration services for collectors and dealers. Auction house Ravenel Art Group organizes live and virtual auctions and authenticates fine art. It also offers investment advisory and brokerage services.

If you happen to be a sports lover, Singapore has plenty in store during the coming year. The Aviva Asian Bowling Tour Grand Slam Finals, to be held from 16 to 19 January, has a very tempting purse of USD78,000. And if golf is your thing, the Caltex Masters Presented by Carlsberg, at Laguna National Golf and Country Club, from 23 to 26 January is a chance to catch the biggest names in golf. Celebrated as one of the richest tournaments in Asia, the event has been known to host golf heavyweights like Vijay Singh, Nick Faldo and Ian Woosnam.

Around the time of the IFEA awards ceremony in Kentucky, another revealing thing was happening, this time in Singapore itself. Shanghai Tang was launching its flagship store on Singapore's Orchard Road, following such stellar brand names as Bvlgari, Chanel, Gucci, Louis Vuitton, Prada and Salvatore Ferragammo. So the decision by leading lifestyle and fashion houses to open in Singapore is understandable. Multi-label fashion store Belle recently chose the island as its incubation ground for global expansion and two prime Spanish brand names, Women's Secret and Zara, have also recently established themselves.

Singapore has successfully positioned itself as a fashionable, trend-setting destination that is able to offer a quality, compact, enjoyable and comfortable shopping experience. Shanghai Tang's new flagship at Orchard Road will be nothing like its other stores in Hong Kong, London, New York and Beijing. The brand, which has gained strong cult following among celebrities as well as the well-heeled worldwide, offers a wide range of home furnishings, accessories, novelty gift items and a collection of men's, ladies' and children's apparel in its store at HPL House. Women's Secret, the leading Spanish lingerie label, which caters to the young, educated, upwardly mobile and modern woman, will pamper the ladies with two brand new stores by March. Zara, on the other hand, has a broad appeal as it caters to the mid-income fashion market and provides an extensive merchandise range for men, women and children. Since its soft launch in September, Zara has been a hit with Singaporeans and visitors alike.

For such a geographically small place, Singapore offers an extraordinary range of options for everyone. In the past few years, it has become a cosmopolitan action island and, there are no signs of Singapore slowing down!