Numero Uno, No More.....

• ShutterBug

  6 Apr 04, 07:09

  Reclaiming the tourist dollar
  
  S'pore is losing out to countries in region and needs to find its niche to regain market share
  
  By Sue-Ann Chia
  
  ALTHOUGH more tourists were coming to Singapore, the money made from them fell over a five-year period. Worse, this slide took place amid a rise in tourism traffic in the region. As a result, Singapore's market share for tourism receipts among nations in the Asia-Pacific region shrank while that of others grew, said Singapore Tourism Board (STB) chief executive Lim Neo Chian yesterday.
  
  Singapore's slice was cut from 8.2 per cent in 1998 to 5.8 per cent in 2002. In contrast, Malaysia's share expanded from 3.7 to 8.8 per cent, and China's increased from 19 to 24 per cent.
  
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  The change in fortunes pained Mr Lim yesterday as he declared: 'We have lost our market share.'
  
  He had yet another bad piece of news at the meeting Senior Minister Lee Kuan Yew had with Singapore Airlines and its five unions at the Istana: Singapore had under-invested in new tourism products in the last decade.
  
  On the other hand, other countries had invested aggressively in new ways to enhance their appeal. This led an STB international advisory panel member to comment that 'Singapore is so middle of the road that it is in danger of being bypassed', he noted.
  
  The figures are gloomy: Fixed asset investment in Singapore attractions dropped to an average of $63 million a year between 1995 and 2001, compared to an annual $168 million in the early 1990s.
  
  What stood in the way of investments, he noted, was high land and business costs aggravated by the Government's not-so-friendly regulations on the service industry.
  
  The result: Singapore's product differentiation is eroded as similar projects sprout in the region.
  
  For instance, Thailand has plans for a Night Safari in Chiang Mai. Hong Kong is revitalising its Ocean Park, while Macau is poised to become the Las Vegas of Asia, having attracted $4 billion worth of investments in casino developments.
  
  Further away, although no less a threat, is Dubai with an increasing appeal that can potentially divert traffic away from Singapore, he said. Its average annual growth rate in visitor arrivals was more than 30 per cent in 2002, 10 times faster than the global average.
  
  Competition on the business travel front is equally intense. Today, Singapore Expo ranks No. 3 in size in the Asia-Pacific region. By 2009, without further expansion, it will fall to the seventh place.
  
  Faced with such fierce competition, he said, Singapore has to 'reposition' itself as a destination for families and premium travellers, offering a range of services for the increasingly affluent population in the region. STB has started to promote health-care and education services since last year, he added.
  
  SM Lee also weighed in during Mr Lim's presentation to add that with more tourist dollars, the overall economy will pick up.
  
  Tourist spending will not be confined to five-star establishments, but will also include hawker centres and budget hotels in Balestier Road, the 'new Geylang'.
  
  Noting that Singapore's shopping scene may not be able to compare with Bangkok's cheap bargains, Mr Lee said other areas should be capitalised on. 'We should rework the programmes and get tourists to come for different things,' he said, and referred to jewellery.
  
  When jewellers here sell 24k gold, it is the real thing, unlike other places which may actually be selling 18k gold. 'I am hoping that our reputation and quality will give us a premium,' said Mr Lee.
  
  Mr Lim sees growth in such new areas as working with low-cost carriers to bring in tourists for weekend get-away packages at affordable rates.
  
  'And if Singapore is an attractive destination, more people will want to visit, encouraging more airlines to fly here,' he said, referring to the 'symbiotic relationship' between the aviation and tourism industries.
  
  In turn, the convenience and improved accessibility brought about by a strong aviation hub enhances the destination as well, he added.
  
• nismoS132

  6 Apr 04, 15:49

  if i were a tourist, i wouldn't know what to do here. only thing marketable would be fun. our food is very much unique, even from those across the causeway.
  
  otherwise, what's so special about what we have here?
  
  i would go australia for the theme parks. japan/korea for the snow. china for the great wall and scenic plains.
• <sk>

  6 Apr 04, 15:50

  Space tourists could be taking off from Singapore
  By Natalie Soh
  
  HERE'S news that could give tourism in Singapore a real lift: Space Adventures, a company that plans to send people into sub-orbital flight, thinks the Republic has the right stuff to act as its launch pad.
  
  Watch Channel i news clip here
  
  An independent feasibility study has confirmed that Singapore has most of the infrastructure in place: Runways are long enough and the skies are not too crowded - so the special craft to send people above the Earth's atmosphere can take off, said Mr Rob Volmer, vice-president of communications for Space Adventures, which is based in the United States.
  
  Singapore's competitors for the project are the Bahamas, the United Arab Emirates, Australia and the US state of Oklahoma.
  
  When contacted, the Singapore Tourism Board said it was still in discussions with Space Adventures.
  
  Although the infrastructure is in place, more has to be done before Singapore can be used to launch tourists into space.
  
  For one, a training facility for space travellers will have to be built.
  
  Staff will also be needed to maintain the special aircraft.
  
  The good news is that about 2,500 jobs will be created, said Mr Volmer.
  
  The biggest boon will be for the tourism industry: The flights will attract individuals willing and able to spend US$98,000 (S$165,000) for a four-day experience.
  
  There are 2,000 people on the waiting list, including at least three Singaporeans, for the flights. Each has already paid about US$40,000 as a down payment.
  
  The space travellers will spend three days in training before the flight, which will take place at 100km above sea level.
  
  Commercial aircraft fly at between 6km and 12.2km.
  
  At 100km above sea level, the aircraft - which is still in testing stages - enters a window called the sub-orbital zone.
  
  This means the aircraft is just above the atmosphere but not high enough to be launched into orbit around the planet.
  
  Each craft will carry up to five people and the tourists will get to experience about seven minutes of weightlessness.
  
  The flights are due to start in 2006.
  
  Space Adventures will decide where to launch them by the end of the year.
  
  http://straitstimes.asia1.com.sg/topstories/story/0,4386,244222,00.html?
• [ Neo ]

  6 Apr 04, 17:18

  Tourism in Singapore for sure is a hard sector to rely on.
  
  They have to intergrate it together with another niche area eg tertiary education or convention/trade fair related backing to make the concept work.
  
  Otherwise, where got place worth going and keep on coming back for more?