So, he was delighted to return to guiding last month, leading a series of SG55 tours that Monster Day Tours launched at the end of last month.
He says when tours came to a standstill, many in the industry took a wait-and-see approach, hoping that the pandemic would blow over. Some took the opportunity to take a break. It is priced at $55 for five people, with freebies thrown in. Until the end of the month, Changi Airport tour participants get items such as gift cards worth $20, snacks from coffee shop Mr Teh Tarik and discounted tokens at Zone X arcade.
These new offerings are his company’s bid for survival as Mr Suen says the next six months will be “do-or-die”. “If virtual tours can take off and the company can generate enough income, we will be able to survive and continue supporting the guides too.”Mrs Vandana Om Kumar, who founded the company that connects travelers with local guides and tour operators around the world, was initially at a loss when global lockdowns and border closures kicked in.
Mrs Om Kumar says although the company could not help every guide stay afloat, it was determined to try. So far, Singapore guides have led online group tours for about 125 corporate guests to the civic district, such as members of the PHD Chamber of Commerce in India, a trade and industry body.