March 17 (Bloomberg) -- Singapore, which is aiming to double visitor numbers to 17 million by 2015, is counting on undercover diners to expose bad service as part of its attempt to make the city the premier gourmet capital of Asia.

Under the ``mystery diner'' program, food consultants will walk incognito into the 33 outlets of 10 food and beverage companies participating in the program and grade their service levels, according to Spring Singapore, a government agency charged with boosting the competitiveness of local companies. The diners will later give a set of recommendations, and the government and owners will share the cost.

Singapore, known for its cheap and plentiful hawker food, is concerned slipping service standards will cause the city-state to lose out to other regional tourist destinations including Hong Kong. Improving service standards will help the city prepare for the opening its first casinos in 2009 and meet its target of tripling tourism receipts to S$30 billion ($18.5 billion) by 2015.

``People say that service is not so good in Singapore,'' Chan Soo Sen, minister of state for education and trade and industry, told a group of managers of restaurants and pubs at Jumbo Seafood Restaurant. ``Hong Kong is a real competitor.''

Low prices and speed, rather than ambience and service, are the draw to the city's 16,000 hawker stalls, where most Singaporeans eat. The ubiquitous hawker centers, typically adorned with fluorescent lighting and plastic tables, offer national favorites such as chicken rice for about S$3 and common complaints include brusque stallholders and the lack of napkins.

`Unique'

``Our hope is for Singapore to become a unique food and beverage destination offering a wide-ranging spectrum of innovative dining experiences,'' Chan said. ``To get there, much needs to be done.''

Singapore's service ranking has slipped. The World Economic Forum's 2005 Global Competitiveness Report ranked Singapore's customer orientation at 17th, compared with eighth in 1998, according to Second Finance Minister Raymond Lim, who is overseeing the nation's campaign to improve customer service.

``We want a gracious society, where Singaporeans treat each other with kindness and mutual respect,'' Lim said at the opening of the ``Go-the-Extra-Mile for Service'' campaign on Oct. 6.

In 2004, food and beverage accounted for S$880 million, or 14 percent, of overseas visitors' total expenditure. The industry had 4,340 outlets, employed more than 61,000 workers, according to the latest official figures. The Singapore Department of Statistics is currently conducting a survey to analyze the performance of the industry.

`Make or Break'

The 10 companies on the mystery diner program visited Hong Kong last year to learn from their rivals in that city. The government is encouraging more companies to participate in the program.

``Customer service can make or break a business,'' said Esther Soh, general manager of Zouk, one of Singapore's biggest nightclubs, which is participating in the program.

For now, the government is stepping up preparations for the annual meeting of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank in September, the biggest international conference in Singapore. The government expects the conference to generate 300 meetings and draw 16,000 foreign delegates, who will in turn boost tourism spending by at least S$50 million.

Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said in his budget speech on Feb. 17 that the government will train 28,000 service workers from the tourism industry and invest S$63 million in three years to improve service levels.

`Hearts Warmed'

``We must work together to provide our visitors and delegates a memorable and outstanding Singapore experience,'' Lee said. ``So that they return home'' with ``hearts warmed by the graciousness and hospitality of our people.''

Singapore is also trying to deepen the link between food and the economy by hosting the World Gourmet Summit 2006.

During a weeklong event starting April 10, 11 chefs including Philippe Legendre, executive chef at Le Cinq of Four Seasons Hotel in Paris, and Santi Santamaria, an icon of Catalan cuisine, will conduct cooking demonstrations.

``To achieve our tourism targets, STB has been bolstering Singapore's position as a preferred destination for well-heeled and discerning visitors seeking an exclusive experience,'' Chan Tat Hon, assistant chief executive of the Singapore Tourism Board, said on March 14. ``Food is a major draw for our visitors.''

The Jumbo Group of Restaurants, a seafood restaurant chain with five outlets famed for its chili-crab dish, is drawing more customers after training its 320 workers with a video, General Manager Ang Kiam Meng said. The video consisted of lessons on taking reservations on the phone, greeting the customers with a smile, seating them and taking orders.

``The number of customer complaints has dropped significantly,'' said Ang, who expects Jumbo's 2006 sales to exceed last year's S$30 million.

To contact the reporter on this story: Yoolim Lee in Singapore at yoolim@bloomberg.net

Last Updated: March 16, 2006 22:41 EST