Singapore Tourism Board (STB) will focus on creating buzz in source markets including India about the new attractions the destination has added in the recent past. With the first phase of the ambitious Gardens by the Bay project on the Marina Bay opened for visitors, STB is all set to change its global position from a ‘Garden City’ to ‘City in a Garden’. Introducing the attractions in New Delhi recently, Chang Chee Pey,
Executive Director – South Asia, Middle East & Africa, Singapore Tourism Board said the new attractions like Universal Studios, Integrated Resorts, Gardens by the Bay, and River Safari will give more options to visitors within a small area.
Pey said that the Tourism Board will ask travel agents and tour operators to incorporate these new attractions into their itinerary as a “must-visit”.
“You will see Gardens by the Bay in all the Singapore itineraries now. We have added a number of new products in the last couple of years. My job now is to create awareness about these new products in the market,” he said. The River Safari, a stand-alone attraction close to Night Safari and Singapore Zoo, is ready for a soft launch this month, and will start full-fledged operations by the end of this year, Pey informed. Similarly, the construction of Resort World Sentosa has been completed with the opening of Universal Studios and Marine Life Park this year, he added.
“These major tourism projects have transformed the tourism landscape of Singapore in recent years," he noted.
Speaking on the occasion, Dr Kiat W Tan, CEO, Gardens by the Bay, said that it was the visionary leadership of the country which helped transform Singapore an otherwise land-challenged country into a lively destination for people and visitors alike. The Gardens by the Bay, a world-class greening project planned on 101 hectares on the Marina Bay, will capture the essence of Singapore as the premier tropical city in a garden with the perfect environment to live, work and play, he informed. The Bay South Garden, which is spread on 54 hectares, by the water, opened in June 2012. So far it has attracted almost 3.5 million tourists. Furthermore, work is underway on the Bay East and Bay Central Garden.