S$34m war chest to market Singapore as stopover hub

SINGAPORE — Two years after pumping S$20 million into reviving the then-floundering tourism sector, another S$34 million war chest — the biggest yet — has been prepared, to woo travellers from within six hours’ flight to stop over in Singapore, as well as pull in more meetings, incentives, conventions and exhibitions (Mice) clients.

The kitty, for use over three years, will go into marketing Singapore as an attractive destination for stopovers, or as an additional leg of a trip.

This latest push to boost inbound travel comes amid a target growth of up to 2 per cent in visitor arrivals this year, after attracting a historic high 16.4 million last year.

The tourism industry’s dramatic comeback last year also saw tourist receipts grow by 13.9 per cent to S$24.8 billion, with a 1 to 4 per cent increase targeted this year.

Visitor arrivals from the lucrative Business Travel and Meetings, Incentive Travel, Conventions and Exhibitions (BTMICE), however, have slid from 3.5 million in 2013, to 3 million in 2015, although the number of STB-supported Mice events grew from more than 350 in 2015, to more than 410 last year.

The investment from the Singapore Tourism Board (STB), Singapore Airlines (SIA), and Changi Airport Group (CAG) comes as competitor airlines have launched more direct flights, bypassing Singapore. For instance, Japanese airlines now fly direct to Australian cities.

With the new partnership, travellers from within six hours’ flight of Singapore, such as China, Japan, and Australia are those being wooed, in particular, to spend a few days in Singapore, as part of a longer trip — known as twinning.

For instance, Chinese tourists could come for a shopping jaunt before heading to Thailand, or Australian travellers could stop here before a beach holiday in Bali.

Previously, such efforts to market Singapore as a stopover or twinning destination were trained on long-haul markets, such as the United States and Europe.

STB figures last year showed that for the second year running, tourists from China were the top spenders in Singapore, notching up S$2.8 billion in tourist receipts, with the bulk of the spending going into shopping.

The agency said then that tourist receipts from China increased because of a larger volume of tourists, a result of the STB’s promotion efforts in Tier 1 Chinese cities such as Beijing and Shanghai, and Tier 2 cities such as Nanjing, Xiamen and Shenyang. Tourists from Indonesia and India spent more on shopping and accommodation.

The latest partnership will also involve more free tours for transfer passengers. Currently, CAG and SIA market heritage tours covering Chinatown, Little India and Kampong Glam, and city sights night tours that take visitors to the Singapore Flyer, Marina Bay Sands, the Esplanade, and Gardens by the Bay.

A new offering in the works is to give travellers a foodie tour to sample popular local fare, although other types of “authentic experiences” will be included later on.

Last year, 59,000 passengers took these Free Singapore Tours, up 8 per cent from 2015.

STB chief executive Lionel Yeo said: “This partnership between our airport, national carrier and national tourism body is a powerful one that has helped to boost Singapore’s tourism growth in the recent years. The renewal of this partnership reflects our confidence that we can continue to cooperate fruitfully to better serve our visitors and drive tourism outcomes.”

Last week, the STB also announced a three-year collaboration with The Walt Disney Company South-east Asia to bring a series of Disney-related events and activities to Singapore, aimed at boosting Singapore’s appeal as a tourist destination.