SINGAPORE (July 22): Enterprise Singapore (ESG), Sentosa Development Corporation (SDC) and Singapore Tourism Board (STB) announced the launch of SingapoRediscovers, a campaign that supports local lifestyle and tourism business and encourages Singaporeans and residents to explore different sides of Singapore.
The agencies have set aside $45 million for the campaign and its supporting marketing initiatives. Through a wide range of partnerships with lifestyle and tourism businesses, business associations, community groups, and e-commerce platforms, the campaign will offer unique and value-for-money experiences, packages and promotions for locals.
This is the largest campaign introduced in Singapore to drive local demand, and the first since Step Out Singapore after SARS in 2003, and BOOST (Building on Opportunities to Strengthen Tourism) in 2009 after the Global Financial Crisis.
The Covid-19 pandemic has caused several flights to cancel, as overseas travel have been discouraged to prevent imported cases of Covid-19. Furthermore, many cities around the world are under lockdown and tourist attractions remain closed.
According to the United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO), Singaporeans in 2018 spent more than $34 billion on overseas travel. And STB is hoping to capture just a fraction of this amount to be spent locally.
With hardly anywhere to go for holidays, STB is encouraging Singaporeans to take a second look at Singapore and rediscover parts of the country that they have never ventured into. STB will be working with various partners to launch programmes and initiatives for locals to enjoy.
Apart from that, hotels are slowly reopening and able to host locals for staycations, while retail shops and cinemas are already open and F&B outlets are accepting dine ins. On that end, STB is also encouraging Singaporeans to support these local businesses.
To encourage more local support, businesses and associations such as the Singapore Retailers Association, Singapore Hotel Association, Association of Singapore Attractions and Chinatown Business Association will rally members to collaborate on marketing and promotions. around 40 businesses have come on board to offer some 80 promotions, including attractions, tours, and hotel stays.
Apart from scoring value from promotions, consumers can also enjoy upcoming virtual events such as the Singapore Food Festival in August, the eGSS: Shop.Win.Experience in September, and Singapoliday offers from 4Q20.
STB Chief Executive Keith Tan says, “Covid-19 has had a severe impact on many sectors of our economy, and it will take time for consumer confidence and international travel to recover. We will need a collective effort by the Government, community and industry stakeholders, and all Singaporeans, to sustain and support great local businesses.”
“With SingapoRediscovers, we have collaborated with various partners to create value for consumers through engaging content, quality experiences and attractive promotions. Through this campaign, we hope that Singaporeans will gain fresh perspectives, and take a short holiday – or a Singapoliday – to rediscover their own country and help support local businesses,” Tan adds.
