For three minutes on Wednesday, tiny Singapore will be the centre of attraction on the world stage. As an estimated one billion viewers watch on television the voting for the city to host the 2012 Olympics, they will also see Singapore showcase its attractions in a video presentation to be made at the 117th IOC Session.
'Even money can't buy this opportunity that we have been given,' smiles Annabel Pennefather, vice-president of the Singapore Olympic Committee and a member of the steering committee which is behind the running and organisation of the IOC visit to the Lion City.
Now why didn't Hong Kong - Asia's World City - think of hosting this IOC session?
It is a golden opportunity. It's not every day the Olympic bandwagon rolls into town. Around 3,500 delegates, including IOC members, are in town. The accredited media corps numbers more than 1,500 journalists from television, radio and newspapers, representing 311 media organisations around the world.
All these numbers translate into tourism dollars. According to Pennefather, when Singapore applied to host the IOC Session back in 2000, there was a guarantee that 10,000 rooms would be available.
'All the rooms are full. We have had people asking us for rooms, especially close to the Raffles area but all the hotels here are fully booked,' says Pennefather, Singapore's Woman of the Year in 2004.
It is conservatively estimated that the week-long IOC session will bring in S$40 million ($183.5 million) into the economy. And the long-term aspects look more promising, simply because of those three minutes on video.