“The really helped us a lot. During that period we were making more money than pre-COVID,” he said.
Likewise, Mr Colin Goh, head chef and tour experience manager of Let's Go Tour Singapore, has had to adapt his tours to suit local tastes by offering a more in-depth look into Singapore’s history and food culture through tours to places such as Kampong Lorong Buangkok and a kelong near Pulau Ubin. “With all the new rules coming up, we cannot have all our eggs in one basket … Once a market is closed, then the are gone.”Mr Ong Kian Ann, Gardens by the Bay's director of business development, said that over the past month, the attraction at Marina Bay saw a threefold jump in overseas visitors, with most coming from the United States, United Kingdom, Australia, South Korea and India.
“We recognise that markets need time to get accustomed to vaccination travel and we are looking forward to an increasing number of group and free independent travellers in the months ahead.” His firm caters primarily to inbound travellers from India, Indonesia, and the Middle East. So far, the bulk of bookings have been by travellers from India.
He added that regional tourists, such as those from Indonesia and Vietnam, are returning but they have not done so in large groups as well. With tourism here poised for a revival, businesses will have to learn how to adapt to longer term shifts in order to cash in, said experts. Mr Benjamin Cassim, a senior lecturer for hospitality and tourism management at Temasek Polytechnic's School of Business, noted that previously, Singapore had served as a stopover for visitors planning to explore tourist destinations in the region.
The website noted that this was due to the disruptions in global travel due to COVID-19, which resulted in longer durations of stays overseas due to mandatory quarantine periods, for instance. With longer stays becoming the norm, Dr Cheong said that Singapore needs to reposition itself as a “one-destination” holiday.
The initiatives include plans to position the city as an “urban wellness haven”, which is meant to “enhance the discoverability of Singapore’s wellness offerings, or wellness quotient”. For example, STB last year launched a one-year partnership with fitness company ClassPass, which typically offers yoga, gym, and meditation classes, among other activities.
“Singapore may be more expensive for these wellness and sustainable activities compared to Phuket and Bali but it does have some advantages such as security and personal safety, particularly in terms of COVID-19 response, which will make people feel more comfortable visiting,” he said. The RWS spokesperson said that with consumers attaching greater importance to wellness, the attraction will “concurrently create an urban wellness haven for our visitors, giving them a premium venue to rejuvenate their mind, body and soul while they stay at RWS”.
"We have made steady progress, with new differentiated experiences beyond retail that cater to the varied interests of visitors," she said. Mr Walton said that for Orchard Road and other shopping centres to stay relevant, they need to"continue to develop the whole experience for visitors". The key is to ensure a good mix of establishments such as retail shops, food and beverage outlets, visitor attractions, green spaces and performance areas, he added.Most tourists whom TODAY spoke to earlier said that such initiatives will keep them coming back to Singapore.
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