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Transforming Singapore towards sustainable tourism and urban living

Sustainable tourism is becoming a bigger concept in singapore, where they are prepared to address traveller needs and reconsider their carbon output.

The travel and tourism sector is one of the largest employers in the world with the number of workers in the sector reported to have reached 289 million (1). In 2021, travel and tourism accounted for 6.1% of the global domestic product (GDP), and amounted to approximately 5.8 trillion U.S. dollars, not quite pre-pandemic levels but experiencing a year-on-year rise (2). As a key contributor to the global economy, the travel sector must work towards more sustainable tourism in the future, if we are to meet the goals set by the 2015 Paris Agreement and the recent targets outlined at COP27.

The opportunity for sustainable tourism and travel

The issues of climate change are well documented and if they do not encourage action, perhaps an economic case could. More businesses are incorporating sustainability in product development to make it meaningful for their bottom lines in the long run. According to management consultancy Bain & Company, there is a clear business case for adopting more sustainable models as doing so can spur growth, reduce costs, and build resilience (3). Sustainability is also a growing concern for consumers who are increasingly choosing more environmentally friendly options. The tourism and travel sector is no exception, with 71% of global travellers wanting to travel more sustainably in the future (4). A new traveller profile, the Mindful Explorer, seeks to contribute to regenerative and sustainable tourism. (5)

As sustainability increasingly becomes a priority for travellers, destinations should be prepared to address their needs.

Singapore’s unique setting as a city-state

Singapore is a small, low-lying island city-state of 734.3 square kilometres (283.5 square miles) in Southeast Asia (6). It is uniquely vulnerable to the effects of climate change as an alternative energy-disadvantaged country with a lack of natural resources, hinterland, and climatic conditions needed for large-scale deployment of renewable energy sources.

These inherent constraints make it challenging to address climate change. But the country does not shy away from taking bold actions where possible.

In 2021, the Singapore Green Plan 2030 (or the Green Plan) was launched as a roadmap to advance Singapore’s national agenda on sustainable development. The Green Plan charts ambitious and concrete targets under five key pillars – City in Nature, Sustainable Living, Energy Reset, Green Economy, and Resilient Future.

Today, Singapore is one of the world’s densest but greenest cities, with green cover at over 40%. The OneMillionTrees movement aims to plant a million more trees across Singapore over the next 10 years with the help of the community. The country is on track to achieve its goal for every household to be within a 10-minute walk from a park by 2030. These are just some of the many initiatives under the Green Plan.

It is important that the industry acknowledges travel and tourism’s carbon footprint which comes predominantly from the aviation industry. With aviation being the predominant travel mode to and from Singapore and sustainable aviation fuel identified as one of the key elements to achieving the aviation industry’s emissions reduction goals (7), in 2022, Singapore announced that it will have the world’s largest sustainable aviation fuel plant by 2023. Singapore Airlines has also operated its first flight with blended sustainable aviation fuel as part of a pilot to advance the use of sustainable aviation fuel in Singapore. (8)

This year, the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS) will publish the Sustainable Air Hub Blueprint which will provide a decarbonisation roadmap for Singapore’s air hub, with medium-term 2030 and longer-term 2050 targets and tangible pathways to achieve them.

A city in nature, where large experiences come with small footprints

Singapore’s vision is to become one of the world’s most sustainable urban destinations – a city in nature where large experiences come with small footprints. The Singapore Tourism Board is working closely with tourism stakeholders to execute the destination sustainability strategy and roadmap for the tourism sector in line with the Green Plan.

First, galvanising sustainable tourism hardware and software. For instance, HyperDrive is a new first-of-its-kind gamified electric go-kart circuit which immerses drivers in a world of real-life racing and virtual gaming, providing an eco-friendly fun time for speedsters. The HyperDrive is thought to be a first-of-its-kind concept in Southeast Asia when it opens in the first half of 2023.

Second, working with sustainable tourism associations to create roadmaps and industry-specific standards for clear directions towards driving greater sustainability. For example, we launched the Hotel and MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conference and Exhibitions) Sustainability Roadmaps in collaboration with industry associations in 2022 (9). These roadmaps are accompanied with clear targets. For example, 60% of hotel room stock in Singapore are to attain internationally recognised hotel sustainability certification (e.g., by the Global Sustainable Tourism Council) by 2025, as well as commence tracking of emissions by 2023 and reduce emissions by 2030, with a view to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050 .

To support tourism businesses at all stages of their sustainability journey, Singapore launched the Tourism Sustainability Programme (TSP). For example, tourism businesses can tap on TSP to upskill and train employees to take up sustainability-related skillsets or adopt solutions to make their businesses more sustainable in the longer term.

View of Jubilee Bridge going towards downtown Singapore.

It is also important to invest in the local citizen when attracting the global citizen. Intrepid travellers are in search of authentic local experiences, and locally-sourced food and drink, for example, are more likely to have a lower carbon footprint. Singapore continues to invest in local entrepreneurs and farmers (10), providing safe and secure working environments as well as training for those in the tourism industry to encourage the local community to flourish, as well as investing and maintaining cultural heritage, national monuments, and historical districts to enhance the visitors’ experience.

These efforts are adding to Singapore’s attractiveness globally as a sustainable, responsible travel destination.

How can Singapore pursue sustainable tourism credibly?

Sustainable tourism and development will also not look the same for every destination or organisation. How will the country know if it is on the right track?

STB embarked on an endeavour for Singapore to be certified based on the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC)’s Destination Criteria. The GSTC Criteria are global standards for sustainable travel and tourism and the GSTC’s Destination Criteria assess a destination’s sustainability performance in thirty-eight criteria across four aspects: (a) Sustainable Management; (b) Socio-economic Sustainability; (c) Cultural Sustainability; and (d) Environmental Sustainability.

In January this year, Singapore was certified as a sustainable destination based on the GSTC’s Destination Criteria, after being the first to apply the certification on a country level.

Singapore is committed to achieving international standards and inspiring more tourism businesses and destinations to contribute to a greener world. The certification reflects Singapore’s commitment to becoming a sustainable urban destination and affirms that its efforts are on the right track.

Being certified is just the beginning of Singapore’s journey. The certification process identified areas where we have done well and where we can do better. Annual audits will be conducted by a GSTC-accredited certification body to ensure that Singapore continues to meet the criteria, including making improvements in the identified areas. STB will continue to work with tourism stakeholders to do more to internalise sustainability as part of their offerings so that they can contribute to making Singapore greener and more livable.

Global collaboration opportunities in travel

To mitigate climate change, focusing on one area or one country is insufficient – global collaboration within the tourism and travel industry is essential. A single solution will not move us forward to achieve our climate goals and build sustainable destinations.

Countries must work together to advance global action towards achieving net zero. Collaborations could include joint contributions to international regulations, standards and certification on emerging technologies such as lower carbon solutions and participation in joint R&D and test beds.

Singapore is already working closely with Australia, Chile, New Zealand and the U.S. to collaborate on low-carbon technologies, such as low-carbon hydrogen and Carbon Capture Utilisation and Storage (CCUS) (11). In a world first, Singapore has commenced negotiations on a bilateral Green Economy Agreement (GEA) with Australia which combines trade, economic and environmental objectives. The country is also working actively to tap low-carbon energy beyond our shores with a view to eventually importing electricity from Malaysia and Indonesia through regional trade arrangements (12).

Singapore companies with relevant expertise have also partnered with overseas businesses to support them in achieving their sustainability aspirations. For example, Singapore developers and consultants have ensured that more than 300 projects from 16 countries had been certified under the Building and Construction Authority (BCA)’s Green Mark scheme (13).

As recently announced, Singapore is also collaborating with the GSTC, the Singapore Association of Convention & Exhibition Organisers & Suppliers (SACEOS) and the Association of Singapore Attractions (ASA), to actively contribute to the development of GSTC’s global sustainability standards for the MICE and Attractions industries respectively. These new industry criteria are expected to be launched progressively from next year.

Such efforts will ensure that our tourism sector continues to maximise social and economic benefits for locals, reduce its impact on our environment, and contribute to conserving our local heritage while doing our part as responsible global citizens, and furthering the international dialogue on sustainable tourism.

Businesses, communities, and governments must collaborate to deliver sustainable and safe destinations for travellers to continue to visit and enjoy – it is good for the economy and the environment.

This piece was written by Carrie Kwik, Executive Director, Europe, Singapore Tourism Board

World Travel & Tourism Council ( WTTC) – Staff Shortages 2022
World Travel and Tourism Council/ Statista 2023
Bain & Company, The Circularity Challenge, May 2022
Source: Booking.com, Sustainable Travel Report 2022
WGSN report. Global trend forecaster WGSN is the data partner for SingapoReimagine Global Conversations Reimagine Experiences. WGSN’s report unveiled three new traveller profiles that have emerged from the pandemic as well as their heightened needs.
Source: Singapore Department of Statistics. Land data as of December 2022.
https://wttc.org/Portals/0/Documents/Reports/2021/WTTC_Net_Zero_Roadmap.pdf
By the International Air Transport Association (IATA)
www.edb.gov.sg/en/business-insights/insights/singapore-to-have-world-s-largest-sustainable-aviation-fuel-plant.html
www.caas.gov.sg/who-we-are/newsroom/Detail/singapore-airlines-operates-its-first-flights-with-blended-sustainable-aviation-fuel-in-singapore
Singapore Hotel Association (SHA) and the Singapore Association of Convention & Exhibition Organisers & Suppliers (SACEOS)
E.g., the Made with Passion national initiative spotlights local products by local entrepreneurs
E.g., the SG Fresh Produce badges enables consumers to identify local produce by farmers
www.nccs.gov.sg/media/press-release/singapore-looks-to-develop-and-deploy-lc-technological-solution
www.nccs.gov.sg/singapores-climate-action/singapore-and-international-efforts/
www.bcai.com.sg/green.htm

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Singapore to pump $300 million into tourism as part of broader economic plan

SINGAPORE - Singapore’s tourism industry will receive a $300 million boost as part of a plan to grow the local economy and reinforce its global business-hub status.

The injection into the country’s Tourism Development Fund, announced by Minister of State for Trade and Industry Alvin Tan in Parliament on March 1, will help to develop and market new products and experiences and support local businesses in developing new intellectual properties.

It will also go towards rejuvenating existing tourism offerings, upskilling tourism workers and helping local tourism companies become more productive and innovative, he added.

The Tourism Development Fund has contributed to offerings like Trifecta – the world’s first snow, surf and skate attraction in the heart of Orchard Road – in October 2023 and the year-round exclusive home-porting of Disney Cruise Line’s latest cruise ship, Disney Adventure, in Singapore starting from 2025.

“Over the past two years, the fund has also helped over 100 local tourism businesses become more productive and sustainable,” Mr Tan said during the debate on the Ministry of Trade and Industry’s (MTI’s) budget.

A new pipeline of high-quality and first-of-its-kind experiences will be launched in the coming years in collaboration with the tourism sector.

“This will help us maintain our international mindshare and strengthen our appeal as a compelling destination,” Mr Tan said.

Some initiatives are also planned to enhance existing tourism experiences.

A new attraction – Sensoryscape – will form a thoroughfare connecting Resorts World Sentosa (RWS) and Sentosa’s beaches, improving accessibility within the island. Sensoryscape will feature multisensorial gardens and offer digital light art displays at night.

RWS will also launch the new Singapore Oceanarium in 2025 as an extension of the S.E.A. Aquarium, but three times its size. There will also be a new waterfront lifestyle development and a driverless transport system between the main island and RWS.

The drive to boost tourism comes as international visitor arrivals continue to recover. A total of 13.6 million visitor arrivals were recorded in 2023, reaching 71 per cent of 2019 levels, while tourism receipts for the first three quarters of 2023 reached 98 per cent of the same period in 2019, before the Covid-19 pandemic halted travel worldwide.

To capture the winds of recovery, new experiences and offerings were launched – including the Bird Paradise at the Mandai Wildlife Reserve, HyperDrive at Sentosa, and Van Gogh: The Immersive Experience at RWS. Live entertainment has resumed, with Singapore playing host to prominent acts such as Blackpink, Ed Sheeran, Jacky Cheung, Coldplay and others. Taylor Swift will be playing six shows in Singapore starting on March 2 as part of her global The Eras Tour.

The city also hosted some of the world’s largest Mice (meetings, incentives, conventions and exhibitions industry) events in 2023, including Asia Tech x Singapore, Gastech and Herbalife Apac Extravaganza.

Mr Tan said international visitor arrivals are expected to reach between 15 million and 16 million visitors in 2024, and bring in about $26 billion to $27.5 billion in tourism receipts.

“As we continue to put Singapore on the map, we welcome people from all over the world – not just as a tourist destination, but also as a business hub,” he said.

While tourism is an important pillar of Singapore’s economy, trade remains critical for the nation’s prosperity. Singapore’s total trade in goods and services has more than doubled between 2005 and 2023, from around $890 billion to more than $2 trillion, three times the gross domestic product, with manufacturing as the biggest source of exports.

Minister for Trade and Industry Gan Kim Yong said Singapore needs to invest in future growth to keep its economy resilient and vibrant. Presenting his ministry’s budget plans to Parliament, he said the Government will achieve its longer-term economic goals through the four strategies of GUTC: growing the economy; unlocking resource potentials; transforming businesses; and connecting to strengthen its status as a global business node.

He said leveraging trade networks, promoting investment and adoption of new technologies, and developing talent will be the three main thrusts to help grow the economy. “Singapore has established a strong reputation as a well-connected, reliable and trusted logistics and transportation hub. Amid shifts in global supply chains, businesses and investors continue to be attracted to Singapore due to our robust infrastructure, pro-business policies and skilled workforce,” Mr Gan noted.

Foreign direct investment in Singapore has grown by more than 50 per cent, from $1.9 trillion five years ago, to reach approximately $2.9 trillion as at end-2023.

“This trajectory is expected to continue,” he said, adding that Singapore will continue to deepen cooperation with its global partners to grow trade and attract investments.

Mr Gan said an artificial intelligence (AI) centre of excellence (CoE) for the manufacturing sector is being developed as a pilot initiative by the Ministry of Trade and Industry (MTI) and A*Star. The CoE forms part of Singapore’s effort under the Singapore National AI Strategy 2.0 to build a thriving industry ecosystem in Singapore with significant value creation from AI and capabilities across the AI technology stack, he said. The AI CoE pilot will span over three years. MTI will also partner 100 companies to build internal AI capabilities and develop and adopt AI solutions.

MTI said in a separate statement: “By working with the CoE to co-develop solutions, companies in Singapore will be able to create higher-value products, customise AI solutions which can be scaled on the production floor, and accelerate the transformation of their operations, processes and business activities through the adoption of AI.”

MTI is also working closely with the marine and offshore engineering (M&OE) sector to ensure it remains productive, globally competitive and well positioned to leverage new growth opportunities.

Mr Gan said the sector needs to rethink its operating model, pivot to higher-skilled, higher-value activities, and reduce its reliance on foreign workers. To catalyse this shift, the Government will progressively adjust the marine shipyard sector’s concessionary dependency ratio ceiling – the maximum share of S Pass and Work Permit holders in a company – in 2026.

“We recognise that transformation, while necessary, is never easy. We will thus provide an M&OE Support Package totalling around $100 million over the next five years to help companies transform, uplift our workers and position the M&OE sector for new growth opportunities,” he said.

Mr Gan said the Government will also enhance the Partnerships for Capability Transformation scheme, or Pact, that encourages partnerships between larger and smaller enterprises on supplier development and co-innovation.

“Going forward, we will expand Pact to more industries and modalities, including capability training, internationalisation and corporate venturing,” he said.

As an example of the success of Pact, Mr Gan cited the experience of GlobalFoundries, an American semiconductor manufacturer, and its local supplier Forefront AM.

Under Pact, GlobalFoundries was able to work closely with Forefront AM to scale up its capability in additive manufacturing so it could repair some of GlobalFoundries’ high-value semiconductor manufacturing tools.

Mr Gan said a new initiative, the Global Business Leaders Programme (GBLP), will support key companies in sending their Singaporean middle to senior managers with leadership potential for overseas postings and other developmental opportunities.

GBLP participants will be inducted as Singapore Leaders Network Fellows, and they will receive mentoring and grow their professional networks, he said.

“The GBLP will support companies in their regionalisation efforts and in growing a pipeline of Singaporean corporate leaders who can take their businesses to new heights,” Mr Gan said.

The minister said economic transformation will always be a key priority for Singapore.

“We must remain agile in our economic policy and continue to grow our economy by seizing new opportunities, and making ourselves ever more productive, innovative and competitive,” he said.

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How Singapore became a beacon for sustainable tourism

Beverly Au Yong, area director for the Middle East at Singapore Tourism Board, explains how the city-state has become a benchmark for sustainable practices

The pandemic has shed light on the particular needs of the next generation of travellers in a Covid-19 environment. Among the many criteria that travellers are now seeking, sustainability is a top priority.

Keeping this in mind, the Singapore Tourism Board (STB) has developed a destination sustainability strategy and roadmap for the tourism sector in line with the Singapore Green Plan 2030, with a focus on environmental sustainability and sustainable management.

“As a responsible destination, Singapore is constantly incorporating our sustainability vision into our tourism offerings to achieve our vision of becoming a City in Nature,” said Beverly Au Yong, area director for the Middle East at STB.

The remarks were made by Au Yong along the sidelines of the SingapoReimagine Global Conversations that was held at the Terra Auditorium at Expo 2020 Dubai. The panel included luminaries such as Dr Barkathunnisha, co-founder of World Women Tourism and founder of Elevated Consultancy and training; Michael Magill, managing director of RSP Architects Planners and Engineers Middle East; Xavier Anglada, managing director of Energy GCAL, member of Accenture’s Global Leadership Council, and innovation lead in the Middle East.

Several examples of Singapore’s approach to sustainable tourism were highlighted over the course of the event. For example, the Singapore Hotel Association has set up a Hotels Sustainability Committee to drive industry-wide adoption of sustainability practices. Singapore hotels like JW Marriott South Beach and Parkroyal Collection Pickering have included sustainability considerations in the design and subsequent construction of the hotel infrastructure, whereas hotel partners like Grand Hyatt Singapore, Fairmont Singapore, and Swissotel the Stamford have minimised the environmental footprint of their hotel operations by ensuring efficient use of water, and reduction of waste and carbon emissions. Similarly, hotel partners like One Farrer Hotel and Parkroyal Collection Marina Bay are also incorporating elements of sustainability into hotel experiences by way of initiatives such as introducing farm-to-table dining experiences for guests and preserving the rich heritage of green foliage and existing greenery on site respectively. Furthermore, Singapore’s resort island, Sentosa aims to become a globally recognised, certified sustainable tourism destination and transform itself into a carbon-neutral destination by 2030.

“We are aware that the sustainability journey will be a two-way conversation between the Government and industry, and platforms like the Singapore Reimagine Global Conversations (SRI GC) series offers a stage for industry game-changers to discuss these emerging trends and issues, and to spark ideas to collectively shape the future of tourism,” added Au Yong.

There are several challenges that must be tackled along the way while paving the way for a shift towards sustainable tourism. Shifting business practices to be more environmentally friendly and sustainable can be expensive. Therefore, managing costs effectively during the transition will be key. Many small- and medium-sized enterprises and smaller attractions may not have the immediate financial appetite, even if it does pay off in the long term. But Au Yong counters that by saying, “Sustainability is the right thing for any business to do, but it also begins with a shift in mindset. Sustainability initiatives could mean more efficient processes, use of resources and lower costs in the long run. Businesses need to think about how sustainability makes business sense for them, and fits into their own business processes and models. For example, investments in sustainability solutions, such as food waste management or sustainable building management systems, will also benefit their bottom line in the long run through better resource management.

“Reducing the environmental impact of tourism is a continuous process. Our local tourism businesses and industry partners have already begun incorporating sustainable practices into their products and experiences, and we must forge ahead with supporting them in becoming more environmentally sustainable.”

The Singapore Pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai aimed to achieve net-zero energy during the six-month event period via the use of solar panels, management of energy and desalination of saline groundwater. Titled “Nature. Nurture. Future.”, it presents a microcosm of Singapore’s transformed landscape to visitors and reflects the nation’s vision of becoming a City in Nature. The pavilion features a multi-layered, three-dimensional green space that showcases Singapore’s strengths and expertise, and highlight the country’s approach to liveability, sustainability and resilience through innovative urban solutions. “Expo 2020 is a global platform that has provided Singapore an opportunity to showcase its innovative urban solutions and culture. The visitors to the Singapore pavilion are offered many unique and immersive experiences into the countries vibrant and dynamic culture and its effort towards becoming a City in Nature. We are confident that the visitors to the Singapore pavilion come out feeling mesmerised having witnessed an amalgamation of design, technology and culture,” concluded Au Yong.

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Kuan-Huei Lee 3

Singapore is formed by a main and several satellite islands and islets connecting the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, bordering the South China Sea to the east, the Riau Islands to the south, and the Straits of Malacca to the west (Fig. 1 ). The area occupied is approximately 728.3 km 2 (281.2 mi 2 ) with a population of 5.6 million including four million citizens. The population is formed mainly by four different ethnic groups: 75% Chinese, 13% Malay, 9% Hindu, and 3% of others including Eurasian. In 2019, the GDP was US$372.1 billion, and the average gross national income per capita was $65,233, one of the highest in the world (Department of Statistics 2020 ).

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Department of Statistics. 2020. Singapore in figures . Singapore: Department of Statistics.

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Savills. 2017. Singapore Hotel Market Perspective.

Singapore Tourism Board. 2020. Singapore Tourism Board annual report 2018/2019 . Singapore: Singapore Tourism Board.

Strata. 2020. Direct contribution of tourism as a share of the total employment in Singapore from 1995 to 2019 with forecasts until 2029.

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Lee, KH. (2023). Singapore Tourism. In: Jafari, J., Xiao, H. (eds) Encyclopedia of Tourism. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-01669-6_760-1

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Govt to invest S$500 million to help tourism sector recover, aims to position S'pore as 'urban wellness haven'

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SINGAPORE — In a bid to reel in travellers after Singapore eased border restrictions earlier this month, the Government has set aside half a billion dollars to support the tourism sector's recovery from the pandemic.

The Government is investing S$500 million to help the tourism sector recover
The money will go into supporting and sustaining strategic manpower capabilities and offsetting business costs, among others
Plans to revitalise the industry include a new festival that promotes wellness in June, as well as a new integrated board sports facility along Orchard Road

Kimberly Lim

Speaking on Wednesday (April 6) at an industry conference, Mr Alvin Tan, Minister of State for Culture, Community and Youth, said that the investment will go into supporting and sustaining "strategic manpower capabilities in the sector, offset business costs and amplify our international recovery plans".

"Looking ahead, while the outlook for international travel is hopeful, we must remain agile and be prepared to face challenges and setbacks that may come our way," he added.

"With the experience and learning that we have gained in the past few years, I am confident that we will be able to emerge stronger together."

The plans to revitalise the tourism industry include a new festival that promotes wellness in June, as well as a new integrated board sports facility along Orchard Road. The facility is part of a move to remake the shopping belt into a lifestyle destination.

The facility, which will be called Trifecta, will allow visitors to skate, surf, ski and snowboard, the Singapore Tourism Board's chief executive Keith Tan said at the conference, which was attended by industry leaders.

The announcement came shortly after Singapore eased its cross-border controls for Covid-19 from the start of this month.

Plans to revitalise Orchard Road have been ongoing, despite the Covid-19 pandemic, Mr Keith Tan said at the same conference.

"We must focus on raising the 'delight' or 'fun' quotient of the events and experiences here in Singapore.

"Don’t just rely on formulas or templates that worked in the past. We must come up with innovative ways to enable our events, experiences and offerings to surprise and stand out," he added.

In 2019, the Urban Redevelopment Authority introduced the Strategic Development Incentive scheme to drive the redevelopment of older buildings and turn them into more productive mixed-use developments — by allowing developers to increase their gross floor area, among other things, if they have proposals that transform the precinct.

That year, a ministerial committee working on the Government's plans to rejuvenate the well-known shopping belt in Singapore eventually came up with Design Orchard, an incubation space for homegrown brands, among other projects.

Mr Keith Tan of STB added that the Government will "double-down" its efforts for SingapoReimagine, its international recovery campaign to welcome travellers by realising their passion for travel "through fresh and innovative experiences" in Singapore.

"While it will take a few years for international demand for travel to return to pre-pandemic levels, we need to effectively recapture the pent-up travel demand in the immediate term so that we can speed up our tourism recovery," he said.

Several growth areas for Singapore tourism have been identified, including becoming a sustainable urban destination, as well as positioning itself as an "urban wellness haven".

"Post-pandemic, we want Singapore to be seen as a destination with a wide range of accessible experiences that support the holistic well-being of our leisure and business visitors," the STB chief said.

Tourism recovery

STB will be launching a new incentive programme to offer visitors a complimentary experience when they visit Singapore, in order to give visitors “hidden gem” surprises so that they may experience more of Singapore in an unexpected way
The agency will intensify regional and global partnerships to feature Singapore. Such partners would include online travel agents such as Expedia and Traveloka, as well as aviation partners such as Singapore Airlines
It will also grow the country's position as a node for business tourism by drawing business events that are relevant to the needs of the future, such as those involved in sustainability, urban solutions, food security, energy security, financial technology and advanced manufacturing

Tourism Sustainability Programme

A new Tourism Sustainability Programme will be launched to provide tourism businesses with resources to identify strategic areas to embark on or expand sustainability efforts. It will focus on three main areas: Capability and growth, innovation, and education and awareness
The programme will support capability building through training, as well as to provide grants to businesses
Through the Singapore Tourism Accelerator, the Government will support the development and test-bedding of innovative sustainable solutions

An urban wellness haven

In 2019, the global wellness tourism market was estimated at more than US$720 billion (close to S$990 billion). This figure is projected to grow over the next five years to reach US$1.1 trillion by 2025
Singapore has many opportunities to curate wellness experiences and leverage its identity as a "City in Nature" , Mr Keith Tan said, referring to the Government’s vision and goal for the country to create a liveable and sustainable home for its people by increasing green spaces
A 10-day Wellness Festival Singapore, which is focused on wellness and mindfulness, is slated to be launched in June. It will include a multi-sensory pop-up space at Gardens by the Bay, along with wellness masterclasses that offer a series of art, wellness and mindfulness programmes at the National Art Gallery of Singapore

Singapore's 'fun' quotient

Homegrown brand Mr Bucket Chocolaterie will launch a new Chocolate Factory concept later this year at the Dempsey Road dining enclave. It will feature Singapore’s first build-your-own chocolate bar section, with distinctive Asian flavours
Later in 2022, Gardens by the Bay will launch a new attraction called Avatar: The Experience, which is based on the 2009 Hollywood movie

Ready for the future

STB is piloting proof-of-concepts for "extended reality", which encompasses augmented, mixed and virtual reality. To do this, it launched a grant call earlier in February called "The Next Experience"

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Singapore Tourism Board’s refreshed campaign to drive tourism growth

Singapore Tourism Board (STB) will be refreshing its Passion Made Possible (PMP) campaign, which is expected to be the impetus to maintain the momentum of tourism recovery.

During the Travel Industry Conference on April 5, STB chief executive Keith Tan expressed confidence “we can sustain the momentum of growth” based on the destination having “already crossed over 2.9 million visitors in 1Q2023, each staying an average of 3.97 days”.

Sharing more details on PMP 2.0, Chang Chee Pey, assistant chief executive, marketing group, told TTG Asia a review of the marketing strategy had been done in 2021 – in consultation with experts in travel, tourism, and marketing – to “future-proof Singapore’s desirability as a destination and support our longer-term tourism strategy”.

“With rapidly evolving consumer behaviour, Singapore must remain well-positioned to cater to the needs of future travellers,” Chang added.

STB’s refreshed marketing strategy is to tell a great Singapore story by “sharpening this narrative” and giving strong reasons for travellers to visit based on six propositions, namely World’s Best MICE City, Culinary Capital, Family Playground, Twice the Fun, City that Connects, and Travel Well.

Chang explained: “Each of these six positionings is supported by a mix of products and experiences. They have the most potential to grow visitor arrivals, as well as impact visitor spend and length of stay in Singapore.

“The positionings will be rolled out progressively, with the World’s Best MICE City positioning campaign set to launch later this year. More details on the other positionings will be available at a later stage.”

Elaborating on the MICE positioning, Chang noted: “We want Singapore to be recognised globally for the strong fundamentals that make us a key MICE hub, such as our strategic location, vibrant business culture, excellent infrastructure, stable governance, and stellar track record in delivering high-quality events.”

As for Culinary Capital, the vision is for Singapore to be known as a world-class food destination that constantly innovates.

“We want to be recognised for our distinctive local cuisine and diverse dining scene, helmed by reputable bars and restaurants with talented bartenders and chefs. Singapore will host the World’s 50 Best Bars 2023 later this year, which will be held in Asia for the first time. We also had a strong showing in Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants for 2023, with nine restaurants making the cut and eleven bars in Asia’s 50 Best Bars 2022,” he added.

Chang pointed out that Singapore is one of the world’s safest and cleanest cities, coupled with world-class and diverse family-friendly attractions and experiences, citing Disney Cruise Line homeporting a new Disney Cruise ship in Singapore exclusively for five years, as an endorsement of the Family Playground status.

Twice the Fun will aim to deliver “an exciting city that offers year-round leisure events, entertainment, retail, and nightlife experiences that appeal to Early Careers” by curating and developing “a range of attractive tourism and lifestyle offerings that appeal to travellers across ages, interests and passions”.

In addition, STB will maintain a full calendar of events, such as world-class sports, arts, culture, and food, on top of Singapore’s exciting nightlife including outdoor cinemas and night admissions to museums, to add vibrancy to the garden city.

City that Connects will promote Singapore as a multi-cultural hub and a global city with excellent connectivity to Asia and the rest of the world, in particular to South-east Asia, while Travel Well aims to have Singapore become a sustainable city and urban wellness haven.

Chang observed: “Earlier this year, we were certified under the GSTC (Global Sustainable Tourism Council) Destination Criteria, which affirms that Singapore is on the right track to become a sustainable urban destination, where large experiences come with small footprints.

“In wellness, we will establish Singapore as a destination that provides holistic well-being and accessible must-do experiences that leave visitors feeling better than when they arrived. For both sustainability and wellness, we will continue to invest in new products and experiences.”

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Singapore Tourism Industry: Attracting More Visitors Globally

Singapore as one of the world’s largest economic sectors, Travel & Tourism creates jobs, drives exports, and generates prosperity across the world. In 2017, the global economic impact of Travel & Tourism accounts for 10.4% of global GDP and 9.9% of total employment or 313 million jobs, according to the World Travel and Tourism Council analysis. Singapore, in the 1970s, budgeted about $1 billion to developing the tourism industry. It is called the Tourism Product Development Plan. It is designed to maintain and preserve Singapore’s historic districts, such as Chinatown, Little India, and Arab Street. This project is done in the projection of the impact it will have on the economy in the years to come. They were not wrong; Singapore tourism has grown to have major impacts on the country’s economy.

Singapore has one of the highest per capita incomes in Asia and is an important global business as well as a transportation hub. In 2014, the Singapore economy grew by 3.2 % as compared with 2.6 % in the previous year. In 2017, the total contribution of Singapore travel and tourism to GDP was 10.2% which was SGD 43.5 Bn (USD 31.5 Bn) and forecasted 3.5% rise by 2018 and by 2028 the GDP is expected to reach 11.4% that will be 3.6% pa to SGD 64.2 Bn (USD 46.5 Bn). Changi Airport, Singapore’s international airport has won more than 450 awards and it is one of the best airports globally. The airport caters to over 100 airlines and is expected to double its capacity by 2020 to serve 135 million passengers per annum.

STB has an extensive network of offices spanning the globe. Currently, STB has four Marketing Representatives and 20 Regional Offices, expanded in the seven regions. The entire spectrum of tourism functions, from tourism marketing to investment promotion all are under the regional offices of STB. They work together with in-market industry partners to promote Singapore to overseas consumers, facilitate tourism companies in investment plans and business alliances, monitor competitive activities and support the development of bi- or multilateral agreements.

The determinants of inbound Singapore tourism:

Inbound tourism Is a source of hard currency to the country. It creates jobs for the people and Represents a tool for development and progress for the nation. It is an encouraging and promising field for the investors and source for taxes to the country.

China- Worlds Biggest Spenders & Top-Spenders in Singapore Tourism for the third year in a row. China has Spent $3.08 Million last year (2017) According to the world tourist organization, China’s outbound tourist is growth rate is 19%, which puts China in the top spender spot globally for the sixth year in a row, ahead of U.S.A. According to the Singapore Tourism Board, last year from January to October, more than 2.7 million Chinese came to the country which is almost one-fifth of all visitors’ arrival. The growth of Chinese tourism in Singapore is a marketing push of STB in other parts of China also other than the major cities, such as Shanghai and Beijing. Singapore appeals to Chinese tourists to come and learn more about Singapore heritage and culture other than just shopping and sightseeing offering to guests, according to industry experts.

Singapore remains a hot trend destination for Indians saw 1.27 Million visitors in 2017. Singapore welcomes over 1.27 million Indian tourists in 2017, registering a growth of 7.4 %, according to Chee Pay Chang (Executive Director of South Asia, Middle East and Africa, Singapore Tourism Board.

India has moved a notch higher in becoming the third biggest source market for Singapore also the largest foreign source, market for the cruise in Singapore, India travellers account for the biggest chunk of Cruise travellers from Singapore with more than 1,00,000 tourists. India’s outbound travel rate is growing 15-20 % every year; also tourist arrivals from India registered the highest growth rate of 16 % among all other markets according to the Singapore Tourism Board. Number of Indians travelling overseas is set to rise to around 50 million by 2020.

For the Singapore tourism board, India has significant potential to grow with young families and millennials looking for holiday options in a place like Singapore.

Singapore is the destination that European perceived to be safe, easy to travel to explore other nearby destinations. Singapore is among the fastest growing destinations among European Travelers since 2010. Long Haul International trips to Asia had been increasing since 2010 and accounted for over 6 % of all outbound trips made by European Travelers. Majority of European Visitors arrived in Singapore as a part of the multi-destination trip, accounting for over 60 % of all the Europe visitors in 2013 and the average length of the day is 3-4 days. Most European Visitors travelled to Singapore from January to March to escape from the cold winter in Europe. Europe is among the World’s Largest Market for Outbound Tourism, saw over 580million outbound travellers in 2014. As the Europe economy gradually recovers from the recession long-haul travel to Asia remains attractive to European Travelers, offering a different experience from home, therefore Singapore would have to enhance its proposition to remain a top priority within the consideration set of Europe travellers when they make trips to Asia.

Singapore Tourism Receipts

In 2015, the tourism receipts in destinations around the world increased by 3.6% and 4.4% increase in international arrivals. In 2016, international tourism grew faster for the fourth consecutive year than world merchandise trade and increasing tourism’s share in the world’s exports to 7%. From International tourism, the total export value accounted for US$ 1.4 trillion and Singapore Tourism receipts expanded by 3.9% in 2016. This was mostly due to visitor arrivals across all top 10 markets growing, as well as more arrivals from high-spending markets such as China, South Korea, the United States and the United Kingdom. China also emerged top in tourism receipts for the third consecutive year.

The spending of tourist in Singapore is increasing every year with tourism receipts reaching SGD 6.4 billion, according to the Q1 2017 Tourism Sector Performance report of STB. Tourism receipts growth is connected with the higher visitor arrivals, as well as a major increase is expected in all components, such as sightseeing, gaming (SEG) components include shopping, accommodation, entertainment and food and beverage. Tourism receipts major components is accommodation. According to STB total gazette room revenue for 2017 grew by 3.9% to reach S$3.7 billion, while hotel occupancy rose by 1.5 percentage points. Twenty-two new hotels also opened, bringing the total number of hotels in Singapore to 420 at the end of December 2017. This led to room supply expanding by 5% to 67,084 rooms.

Sightseeing, Entertainment and Gaming become very popular in terms of the amount spent and popularity since 2009. Income on food beverage is also quite good, but not that high as other components, because the Retail growth is present but not as fast as expected, also due to Singapore’s large imports, changes in commodity and freight prices will have an impact on food sales. Shopping is also seeming to be at the top of the tourists’ expenditure list. It is a key pull factor that attracts tourists which plays an important role in increasing the Tourism Receipt of Singapore.

HOTEL INDUSTRY:

The hotel industry and the hospitality sector is one of the world’s fastest-growing divisions of the industry globally. Travel and tourism industry has helped many industries to remain afloat despite having tough economic time for and made it difficult for many sectors to survive. Despite the rapid growth in tourist activities, hotels in Singapore surprisingly have not experienced an increased number of guests in 2018. In fact, Singapore’s hotel room revenue actually declined by -1.7% from S$1.58 billion to S$1.55 billion, according to data collected by the Singapore Tourism Board. In fact, hotels actually sold -0.6% fewer room nights in the first half of 2017 than it did in the same period in 2016. The highest occupancy rate achieved so far is 85.7 % in 2012, after this year rate has been decreasing. Plenty of tips are there and provided to the hotel to improve its occupancy rate numbers. Cleanliness, price, and guest experience are big factors, but there is so much more Singapore Tourism Board can do to increase the occupancy rate. The Standard Average rate of the room has been inclined by 18 % from last year which must be the reason for the low occupancy rate. Total gazette room revenue rose by 15 per cent to reach S$3.70 billion in 2017. As at End-December 2018, the total revenue should be around S$3.9 billion.

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The Asian Traveller

Brendan Sobie

SINGAPORE: Passenger traffic at Singapore’s Changi Airport is now virtually at pre-COVID levels. The airport handled 33.01 million passengers in the first half of 2024, representing a 99.3 per cent recovery compared with the 33.23 million passengers handled in the first half of 2019.

However, visitor arrivals were only 92.6 per cent recovered, with 6.64 million arriving at Changi between January and June compared with 7.17 million in the same period in 2019.

June was a particularly weak month for tourism in Singapore, with visitor arrivals at Changi 85.3 per cent recovered compared with the same month in 2019.

This is a concerning trend highlighting the challenges facing Singapore’s tourism sector, particularly in months without big events , as the cost of holidaying in Singapore skyrockets.

THE TAYLOR SWIFT EFFECT

The Taylor Swift concerts in March provided a welcome boost to Singapore’s tourism sector, with visitor arrivals at Changi nearly matching those of March 2019 at a 99.9 per cent recovery. However, as soon as Swifties left, this temporary high faded. In the second quarter, the recovery rate slipped to 88.5 per cent, down from 96.7 per cent in the first quarter.

The passenger traffic recovery rate at Changi also dipped slightly to 98.2 per cent in the second quarter from 100.5 per cent in the first quarter. However, Changi was able to offset most of the decline in inbound demand with stronger outbound demand.

Outbound traffic, measured by the number of Singapore residents departing Changi, was 5.4 per cent higher in second quarter. In the first quarter, it was 0.6 per cent lower than the same period of 2019 and for the first half of 2024 it was 2.6 per cent higher.

Transit traffic was about 6 per cent higher in the first half of 2024 with a similar recovery rate in each quarter, indicating a growing reliance on passengers connecting through Changi without entering Singapore. Transit traffic accounted for 34 per cent of total traffic in the first half of 2024, compared with 32 per cent in 2019.

While there are more big events scheduled for the second half of the year, including the Formula 1 Singapore Grand Prix in September, it is becoming increasingly difficult to attract tourists when there are no events. The F1 event, unlike the Taylor Swift concerts, may not have as significant an impact since it was already an annual fixture before the pandemic.

IS SINGAPORE EXPENSIVE TO VISIT?

It is not unusual for tourists these days to complain about how Singapore is an expensive place to visit. Recently, an American TikTok user lamented that she spent more than US$9,000 on a five-day trip to Singapore, including US$1,200 a night for her hotel room.

Her post triggered a wave of criticism from netizens, who pointed out that there were a lot of cheaper alternatives. Her post may have touched a nerve, but it highlights the perception of the city as an overpriced destination .

A hotel room in Singapore now costs on average S$280 (US$211) per night, based on Singapore Tourism Board data from the first half of 2024. The average hotel room rate increased by 32 per cent compared to the same period of 2019.

This has been met with a corresponding dip in occupancy rates, which fell from about 85 per cent in the first half of 2019 to 80 per cent in the first half of 2024.

With accommodation costs climbing, Singapore risks pricing out budget-conscious travellers. Although the cost of other items typically purchased by tourists have also increased, affordable options remain for many of these including food, transport and attractions. Therefore, steep hotel rates may prove to be the main impediment to fully recovering Singapore’s tourism sector.

Singapore has announced a series of big investments this year to help its tourism sector amid intensifying global competition. For example, Singapore will get its own Porsche Experience Centre near Changi Airport by 2027 and plans are also in place for a four-hectare waterfront wellness enclave at the Marina South Coastal site.

BALANCING HIGH-END AND BUDGET TOURISM

The new attractions may be successful at luring more high-end tourists and further differentiating Singapore from less expensive destinations. However, Singapore also needs to attract budget or middle-tier tourists to generate the volumes required to support the tourism sector’s overall ecosystem and help fill the significantly larger Changi Airport that will emerge once Terminal 5 opens next decade.

Further increases in the transit portion of Changi’s total traffic may seem like a viable option but this kind of traffic is significantly less profitable for airports as transit passengers pay much lower fees despite using more services. Transit traffic also contributes much less to the overall economy and can instead facilitate growth for a competing destination.

This is the conundrum of investing in air hub expansion. The massive investment in Changi East could be questioned if the breakdown of traffic at Changi flips so that transit overtakes inbound as the biggest segment.

There will be some growth in outbound as well, but this will remain the smallest of the three segments - at roughly one-quarter of total traffic - given Singapore’s small population.

Getting Singapore’s tourism sector back on the growth trajectory will not be easy. The main source markets could be reinvigorated with innovative products and savvy marketing, but will that be sufficient to attract more tourists if costs continue to rise?

Commentary: Singapore is right to be tough on Airbnb-style short stays

IN FOCUS: Countries around the world are battling overtourism. Could a hub like Singapore be next?

How can singapore sway price-sensitive travellers.

Most of the traditional source markets are now struggling and the short-term outlook is not bright.

China has captured a lot of attention since early this year when Singapore waived visa requirements for Chinese citizens and passenger traffic between the two countries returned to pre-COVID levels.

However, Chinese inbound visitor arrivals at Changi are still well below 2019 levels, registering a 10 per cent decline in the second quarter of 2024. The recovery of Singapore-China passenger traffic has been driven by the outbound (including Chinese citizens working in Singapore) and transit segments.

China is still the largest source market for Singapore’s tourism sector, but the inbound portion of total Singapore-China traffic has slipped from 71 per cent in first half of 2019 to 63 per cent in first half of 2024.

Singapore’s second-largest source market, Indonesia, has seen an even bigger drop with Indonesian visitor arrivals at Changi down by 20 per cent in the first half of 2024.

Singapore’s third-largest source market, India, is also not fully recovered. Indian visitor arrivals at Changi were down 12 per cent in the first half of 2024 although India-Singapore passenger traffic is now higher than pre-COVID levels, driven by transit traffic.

India is a booming market with massive outbound growth widely predicted. However, it is also a very price-sensitive market, making it difficult for Singapore to attract as many Indian tourists as other destinations.

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Inbound demand from regional markets within Asia have generally been weaker than long-haul markets. For example, Australian visitor arrivals were up 8 per cent in the first half of 2024 compared to 2019 levels while American and British arrivals were down only 1 per cent each.

Demand from Asian travellers has also been impacted by increasing departure fees at Changi, which now total S$65.20. While this may not seem like a lot compared to a hotel room, many regional travellers only stay in Singapore for one or two nights and the S$65.20 is often more than the base air fare offered by a budget airline. AirAsia has dropped six routes at Changi over the last year, a bellwether of how difficult it has become to stimulate inbound demand from other Southeast Asian countries.

As it embarks on its long-term 2040 tourism vision, Singapore should look at initiatives to sway price-sensitive travellers such as more budget accommodation options and lower departure fees for regional flights.

Brendan Sobie is the founder of Singapore-based independent aviation consulting and analysis firm Sobie Aviation.

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Launch of the Hotel Sustainability Roadmap by STB and SHA

Singapore, 21 March 2022 – The Singapore Hotel Association (SHA) and Singapore Tourism Board (STB) today announced the launch of the Hotel Sustainability Roadmap at the inaugural Hotel Sustainability Conference and Marketplace, held at Sands Expo and Convention Centre.

Hotel Sustainability Roadmap

In line with the Singapore Green Plan 2030, the roadmap sets out clear targets and strategies for hotels to adopt in their sustainability journey. This in turn enables the industry to contribute to sustainable development goals, capture new opportunities presented by the Green Economy, strengthen enterprise resilience, and tap new visitor segments.

Through the roadmap, STB and SHA envision a hotel industry that:

1. integrates sustainability as a core value across the entire hotel ecosystem,

2. is established as a living lab and uses sustainability to drive business competitiveness and growth, and

3. is recognised as a leader in environmental sustainability in the region.

The roadmap has set out the following two targets for the industry:

· 60% of hotel room stock in Singapore to attain internationally-recognised hotel sustainability certification by 2025.

· For hotels in Singapore to commence tracking of emissions by 2023 and reduce emissions by 2030, with a view to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050.

The roadmap also lays out four strategies and related initiatives to help hotels achieve these targets:

1. Raise sustainability standards and strive towards internationally-recognised sustainability certification:

a. Tapping on STB funds such as the Business Improvement Fund to support sustainability initiatives that improve competitiveness and productivity, which may put hotels in a better stead to seek sustainability certification subsequently.

b. Leveraging on SHA’s Hotel Technology Directory to source for sustainability solution providers, and the Hotel Sustainability Playbook (ready by Q4 2022) to reference best practices, success cases and outcomes.

c. Creating new sustainability jobs by tapping on STB’s Training Industry Professionals in Tourism (TIP-iT) grant to build capabilities and train staff to take on these roles.

d. Participating in SingapoReimagine (SRI) Global Conversations , a thought leadership series that convenes influential business leaders and industry spokespersons to share perspectives on travel in the new pandemic environment, including emerging travel trends such as sustainability. The second edition, titled “Reimagine Sustainability:

Think Circular, Travel Better” will explore how tourism businesses can contribute to sustainability efforts.

2. Test-bed and adopt innovative sustainable solutions by:

a. Identifying sustainability-related problem statements and organising innovation challenges to develop sustainability solutions in identified areas.

b. Partnering Enterprise Singapore (ESG) through the Sustainability Marketplace to showcase a suite of sustainable solution providers to be matched with hoteliers. This provides a platform for hoteliers to be introduced to green and sustainable solutions that can enhance their business operations.

c. Partnering innovative tech providers to co-develop sustainability-related industry pilots through Tcube programmes such as the Singapore Tourism Accelerator by STB.

3. Develop sustainable hotel concepts and experiences in Singapore

a. Developing innovative and best-in-class sustainable guest experiences with STB’s support via Experience Step-Up Fund .

b. Facilitate business matching with relevant partners (e.g. farm to table dining experiences, upcycling workshops etc.).

4. Raise awareness of the industry’s sustainability efforts and promote sustainable consumption habits amongst hotel guests by:

a. Actively incorporating sustainability into corporate values and business operations.

b. Supporting consumer education and encouraging hotel guests to adopt sustainable consumption habits.

c. Plugging into STB’s destination marketing efforts to position Singapore as a top sustainable and innovative urban destination.

STB and SHA have also identified 4 focus areas to green hotel operations, to ensure that hotels’ sustainability efforts drive impactful environmental outcomes. They are:

1. Water Conservation (e.g. implementing smart water meters, reverse osmosis water recycling for laundry facility, water efficient toilet fit outs in guest rooms)

2. Waste Management, Recycling and Circular Economy (e.g. artificial-intelligence (AI) powered food waste management solutions, food digestors)

3. Sustainable Sourcing and Procurement (e.g. in-house farms, locally-sourced produce, assessing vendors based on certification/sustainable practices)

4. Energy Conservation (e.g. district cooling systems, solar panel technology, smart energy meters, trigeneration plants)

The roadmap is endorsed by the Hotel Sustainability Committee (HSC), which was set up in March 2020 to drive industry-wide adoption of sustainability practices in hotels to promote Singapore as a sustainable destination. The committee comprises members from the hotel industry as well as representatives from the public sector.

To download the Sustainability Roadmap Infographics, please click here .

About the Organisation

What industry does your organization fall within, what best describes the key intent of the project that your organisation is seeking funding for, is your organisation a singapore-registered legal entity, is your organisation an association, is the project able to achieve one or more of the following outcome.

Increase no. of sailings to/from Singapore
Increase no. of foreign cruise passengers to Singapore through sailings to/from Singapore
Increase no. of pre/post nights for cruise passengers sailing to/from Singapore
Increase capability of industry players via cruise-specific industry training programmes
Strengthen the potential/ attractiveness of cruising in Singapore and/or Southeast Asia

Is the project able to achieve one or more of the following?

Improve visitor satisfaction (especially foreign visitors)
Increase footfall
Increase revenue
Significant branding and PR value

Is the project able to attract foreign visitors and contribute to foreign visitors' spend?

Who will be the main target audience of your project, is your project innovative and/or a new event in singapore with tourism potential, what best describes your project, does the event have proven track records in singapore or overseas, and/or growth in tourism value such as growing foreign visitorship, and/or enhancement of precinct vibrancy etc, does the project have a clear tourism focus (e.g. tourism-related trainings, tourism companies taking on capability development initiatives or technology companies creating technology products and services for the tourism businesses), what best describes your market feasibility study project.

Based on your selection, the following STB grant/s may be applicable for your project:

Please note that projects that have commenced prior to Singapore Tourism Board's offer may not be eligible for grant support. Examples where projects are deemed as having commenced include:

Applicant has started work on the project e.g. tender has been called.
Applicant has made payment(s) to any supplier, vendor or third party.
Applicant has signed a contractual agreement with any supplier, vendor or third party.

IMAGES

Singapore Reaches Tourism Goals In 2022 Thanks To Indians
Sustainable Tourism in Singapore
Welcome to Singapore: Up to 6 million visitors expected this year as
Celebrated as the financial hub of the Asian Pacific, Singapore is much
Infographic: Singapore's 2030 green goals: A story in graphs
Impact Of Tourism On Singapore Economy

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