SINGAPORE — While the humidity and heat may have bathed them in sweat, Australians Bryan and Christine Mansfield were smiling as they made their way to the Gardens by the Bay on Thursday (May 4).
While female solo travellers are not among the 10, their needs are captured in some of these portraits, he added.
Mr Joydeep Chakraborty, chief strategy officer at travel platform Traveloka, said: “The pandemic has pushed a connected world, and travellers — with their tech savviness — are expecting more from the tourism industry.” “The pandemic has reinforced the need for leisure, to travel and visit attractions as these activities allow people to relax, dive into new experiences and rediscover ways to be connected to others.”
“But with people concerned about the current economic situation and global uncertainties, the impact of revenge travel and increased tourism spending might be muted.” With their opening, Singapore’s tourism saw an immediate boom — tourism receipts grew year-on-year by 18 per cent in 2011 as compared with 2010, hitting a then record high of S$22.3 billion.
In the first quarter of 2023, Marina Bay Sands' net revenue more than doubled to US$848 million as compared with the same period in 2022. Mass gambling revenue also hit an all-time record of US$549 million at the casino. He pointed to a Maybank estimate that the opening of a casino in Thailand could “potentially cost Singapore up to 25 per cent of gaming revenue”.
It is for this very reason that experts like him said that it is crucial that Marina Bay Sands and Resorts World Sentosa continue to upgrade their offerings and experiences — something that they are already doing. However, the IR's expansion plans has been delayed a couple of times — it had cited the pandemic's disruption to the construction industry as the reason behind its first delay.Marina Bay Sands also has an additional S$1.33 billion reinvestment programme to upgrade its hotel services, such as its suites, fine dining concepts and wellness offerings.
IRs are not the only ones which need rejuvenation; other attractions must also constantly keep themselves refreshed, said experts. "Pre-pandemic, everyone was bubbling with ideas about the next new attraction... many ideas are adopted from around the world. But the pandemic put innovation on hold," he said.
And with a growing trend towards eco-tourism, Mr Chakraborty of Traveloka pointed out that nature-based recreation options such as nature and heritage learning journeys and low-impact eco-accommodations are included in Urban Redevelopment Authority's long-term land use plan. “The key is really to present these to the right markets and at the right time… because destination Singapore operates at price levels that are very different compared to popular destinations in the region.”. It embodies “the spirit of the nation in a way that builds affinity, affiliation and top-of-mind recall for choosing Singapore as a destination to visit and invest in”, STB and the Economic Development Board had said at the launch.
Mr Khoo pointed to fast fashion retailer Shein’s highly successful strategy — it has relied on hyper-targeted social media marketing — as something which Singapore can adopt in trying to reach out to multiple audiences. “STB’s comprehensive and integrated marketing strategy and approach has definitely proved to be more effective . With that said, more signature campaigns, taking into consideration STB’s customer profiles, can be developed in line with STB’s overall strategy.”
“Something catchy will make it easier for tourists to recall Singapore and remember it as a destination,” said Dr Tuli. He suggested that Singapore better promote experiential clusters or precinct distinctiveness which may take at least two nights to immerse in. “It can be argued that Singapore food and culture has similarities with our neighbours, but what can set us apart is how we tell our food story in a way that is evocative and resonates with travellers,” he said.
In Singapore, wellness activities come across as “just a series of disparate activities, programmes and green spaces that visitors can enjoy”, he said.
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