COVID-19 has made a hard-hitting impact on the tourism industry.
Singapore started off the year strong with 1.69 million visitors in January — an increase from 1.62 million the same month a year ago.
However, as travel restrictions were imposed to curb the spread of the coronavirus outbreak, numbers plunged about 99 per cent year-on-year in recent months.
“Given that we are a small country and we don’t have the benefit of domestic travel, what we are trying to do now is to encourage Singaporeans to visit some of our local tourist attractions,” said Chaly Mah, chairman of the Singapore Tourism Board (STB) on the sidelines of the Singapore Summit in July.
In other words, Singapore is trying to make up some of the shortfall in tourism revenue by turning to domestic tourism.
S$320M Worth Of “Tourism Credits” For S’poreans
Last month, Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat announced that S$320 million will be set aside for “tourism credits”.
Called SingapoRediscovers Vouchers, they aim to drive local spending in domestic travel.
The Ministry of Trade and Industry (MTI) recently shared that Singaporeans aged 18 and above this year will each receive S$100 in digital vouchers.
The SingapoRediscovers Vouchers will come in denominations of $10, and can be used at all licensed hotels, leisure attractions and for local tours by operators that are approved by STB.
It will be accessible via SingPass from December and can be used to offset ticket purchases and hotel stays through the end of June next year.
These vouchers complement the S$45 million SingapoRediscovers marketing campaign, launched in July to encourage locals to holiday at home and support local businesses as COVID-19 keeps borders closed.
The hope is that Singaporeans will inject a fraction of the S$34 billion they spent on international travel in 2018 into the domestic market.
Hotel Stays, Attractions Likely To Be Popular Choices
These tourism vouchers undoubtedly give locals an incentive to rediscover their backyard, but to what extent will it help boost the ailing tourism industry?
Richards Lee, Vice President of Operations (SEA) of Millennium Hotels and Resorts, is confident that it will have a “positive impact” on tourism.
Some of their hotels like Orchard Hotel and M Social have already seen an increased interest in their staycation packages since they opened doors to the public.
Samuel Tay, founder of axe-throwing range Axe Factor, echoes Richards’ sentiment, adding that Singaporeans will most likely spend the vouchers on staycations and local attractions.
“Staycation is one thing that Singaporeans, especially the millennials, would love. It’s like a small getaway for them,” he reasoned.
“Attractions would be the next in line, as nowadays people are more into buying experiences than material stuff. So with these vouchers, it will give them an opportunity to lower the cost of the activities and stays.”
For homegrown boutique hotel Lloyd’s Inn, they have observed many Singaporeans staying at their hotel for “staycations and workcations”.
I think (the SingapoRediscover vouchers) is a great initiative and campaign to raise awareness of a getaway in Singapore, and to aid spending in domestic tourism (and) help spending consumption for the economy. – Joan Chang, director and co-founder of Lloyd’s Inn
She added that the staycation market will benefit most from this initiative as it “helps to waive the rate of a hotel (stay) by S$100, which is significant”.
“And not being able to travel, Singaporeans want somewhere they can just escape or do their work outside the comfort of their home.”
Samuel also noted that beyond boosting the tourism industry, this initiative helps lighten the load on some Singaporeans who are in need of some form of relaxation during such trying times.
Not all of us have the spending power we used to have pre-pandemic, but all of us need to have some form of entertainment to get us through the stressful days. – Samuel Tay, founder of Axe Factor
Local Tour Operators One Of The Hardest-Hit In This Sector
Commenting on the SingapoRediscover vouchers, Stanley Foo, founder of Oriental Travel and Tours, feels that the S$320 million investment will not significantly impact the tourism industry.
S$320 million is a small amount, considering (that) the industry has been badly affected since March this year. If one is to spread out the S$320 million over several months, the amount is simply insignificant. However, although the amount is small, it is still better than none. – Stanley Foo, founder of Oriental Travel and Tours
His company has been badly hit by the pandemic as they have lost all income that were previously derived from overseas tourists.
“We can only depend on locals to attend our tours now,” he lamented.
While he agrees that hotels will probably benefit the most from this voucher, he finds that “S$100 is not a lot of money in the context of tourism.”
“If a couple combined their vouchers, the S$200 is not enough to even pay for a single night stay in a hotel,” he explained.
Since most tour packages cost under S$100, he remains optimistic that Singaporeans will utilise the vouchers for local tours and that there would be an increase in such sales.
Currently, the company’s offerings include its Creepy Tales Of Singapore paranormal activity tour, as well as tours to Pulau Ubin.
While they offer many tours, most of them are designed for tourists so they are now working on curating several unique tours to appeal to Singaporeans once they receive their vouchers in December.
How Tourism Industry Players Are Coping With COVID-19
With the decline in foreign visitorship, Richards admits that it has definitely been a challenging period.
However, this is also an opportunity to relook the future of hospitality by adapting to technology and reinventing new revenue streams to engage with our guests. One such example is the co-working space offered by Grand Copthorne Waterfront Hotel. (Since) restaurants (run) at lower capacity due to social distancing measures, we decided to revamp the hotel’s dining space to create a new offering that has seen positive response. – Richards Lee, Vice President of Operations (SEA), Millennium Hotels and Resorts
When they launched on 18 September, they received about 40 enquiries and the S$88 promotion for Grand Millennium package was fully sold out within three days.
As leisure travel will take some time to pick up for now, he stressed that the domestic market is the main focus so hoteliers need to think up of fresh ideas that can appeal to Singaporeans.
M Social, for one, has launched special interest-centric packages for guests who enjoy learning a new craft such as making cocktails or creating their own perfume.
According to Richards, these packages have seen strong take-up rates with both hotels running at almost full house on weekends.
“Singapore may be small, but we have many offerings that can rival holiday destinations,” said Richards, adding that he is confident that the SingapoRediscover campaign will revitalise domestic travel.
Sharing about the business challenges brought about by COVID-19, Samuel said his axe-throwing range has been unable to take in corporate bookings, which took up 50 to 60 per cent of their revenues pre-pandemic.
“On top of that, due to safe-distancing measures, there’s only a limited number of customers who can be in our venue at all times. This led to lesser bookings per hour, (which caused) lower revenues as well.”
However, the silver lining of the pandemic is that the travel ban has led Singaporeans to look for local activities, which have helped pushed their bookings.
With this new initiative, he expects an additional increase of 20 per cent in terms of bookings — “if we manage to be listed as one of the vendors for the campaign,” he added.
SingapoRediscovers vouchers scheme has been extended till 31 Dec 2021:
https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singapore/singaporediscovers-vouchers-scheme-extended-to-dec-31-14719978
Commentary: It’s a shame redeeming SingapoRediscovers vouchers can be such a hassle
https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/commentary/singaporediscover-voucher-redeem-booking-hotel-attraction-stb-14672900
About 2.2 million S’poreans have yet to redeem SingapoRediscover vouchers, but Govt will not extend redemption deadline for now: Minister Chan Chun Sing
Over 760,000 adult Singaporeans have used their SingapoRediscover vouchers (SRV) at least once as of 28 Mar, but about 2.2 million adult Singaporeans have yet to redeem their SRVs, said Trade and Industry Minister Chan Chun Sing in a Parliamentary written reply on Monday (5 Apr).
The Government has earlier set aside S$320 million for tourism credits called the SingapoRediscover vouchers to drive local spending to Singapore’s eateries, shops, hotels and leisure attractions.
Eligible users can redeem their vouchers through five online booking platforms – namely Changi Recommends, GlobalTix, Traveloka, Trip.com and Klook – until 30 Jun this year.
Responding to questions from several Members of Parliament (MPs), Mr Chan revealed that more than S$108 million in vouchers and additional expenditure have been spent under the scheme.
He noted that there will be no change to the redemption deadline of 30 Jun for now and that the Government will continue to monitor the redemption rate over the remaining months before considering if any extension of the redemption deadline is warranted.
“Meanwhile we encourage Singaporeans to redeem their vouchers early so that they are able to select their preferred products and timeslots,” said the Minister.
Mr Chan also said that the Singapore Tourism Board (STB), together with the onboarded merchants and authorised booking partners, will intensify efforts in the next few months to encourage more usage.
“This includes sharing products and promotions across attractions, tours, and hotels, through STB and the authorised booking partner channels.
“Merchants are also encouraged to continue creating interesting products or bundles that will appeal to different groups of Singaporeans, or to work with each other to create such products,” he added.
Workers’ Party (WP) MP, Louis Chua of Sengkang GRC asked whether the Ministry would consider reviewing the redemption method for the SRVs to facilitate wider redemption rates.
In response, Mr Chan stated in his written reply that the STB and its authorised booking partners have improved the user experience via means such as placing additional reminders on child discounts and booking of timeslots.
“We will continue to review and enhance the process where necessary,” he noted.
Mr Chan further explained that the SRV was designed as a digital scheme that is “readily accessible to Singaporeans”, as he noted that many Singaporeans are familiar with making online purchases.
Singaporeans can also seek guidance from the authorised booking partners who provide booking assistance at more than 60 locations across Singapore, said the Minister.
He added that a digital scheme also enables merchants to manage their capacity to be in line with safe management measures and minimises fraud.
“STB has been monitoring the usage of SRV closely. There have not been any cases of fraud or profiteering detected thus far,” said Mr Chan.
https://www.theonlinecitizen.com/2021/04/06/about-2-2-million-sporeans-have-yet-to-redeem-singaporediscover-vouchers-but-govt-will-not-extend-redemption-deadline-for-now-minister-chan-chun-sing/
Commentary: What is taking people so long to redeem their Singapore tourism vouchers?
SINGAPORE: On a recent staycation, I visited the Urban Redevelopment Authority’s City Gallery, as part of my hotel’s free walking tour of the precinct.
Reluctantly, I might add, as the outing had begun to feel too much like a school excursion at that point. But not wanting to appear like a spoilsport, I tagged along nevertheless.
In a plot twist, I was almost immediately proven wrong. I was enthralled by an exhibit that showcased the conceptual masterplan for Marina Bay that the country had commissioned renowned architect I M Pei to come up with in the 1980s.
What was particularly fascinating was how key elements of Pei’s plan, which included the waterfront promenade and the creation of spaces for landmark developments (the ArtScience Museum stands at one of these sites today) have become the reality that we live in today.
REDISCOVERING MY CITY
I can say with certainty that I would have not discovered this cool factoid about Singapore if the pandemic had not grounded me on this island for an entire year.
Knowing me, I probably would have never gone to the City Gallery on my own volition, if life had continued at its previous hectic pace.
But there is no denying that a year into widespread travel restrictions, a certain amount of cabin fever has set in.
Still, I am glad for this opportunity to explore the little red dot because otherwise, I may not have ever learnt how we are living and working in an architectural masterpiece that took decades to turn into reality.
My little walkabout around the central business district and Chinatown also left me wondering - where are all the local tourists?
During that two hours we were out and about, we only encountered a couple of other groups doing similar walking tours in an area, which happens to be one of Singapore’s most historically and culturally significant precincts.
The dearth of local explorers was even more confusing especially because every citizen has been issued with S$100 worth of SingapoRediscovers vouchers to be used on attractions, hotels and tours by June.
SOME ATTRACTIONS SEEM LACKLUSTRE
However, according to the most recent update, only about 530,000 Singaporeans have used their vouchers, with more than three-quarters of the S$320 million credits remaining unused as of Mar 1.
Even now, with just three months left to use the vouchers, it appears that many people I know have not even started making the most of this incentive, short of having a vague plan to eventually use the S$100 to offset a hotel staycation where they can hibernate or go on a cruise.
As for taking the time to go on tours or visit attractions - many are not even considering it, unless they have children they need to keep entertained.
Some of the most common reasons (or excuses) for being so slow to redeem their vouchers include wanting to avoid attractions overrun with families with children, that they have not yet found something they would like to do or simply because they think Singapore is boring.
To be fair, there is a grain of truth in these critiques. Not every attraction in Singapore is necessarily inspiring, even when one is bored to the point of tears.
When I looked through the list of SingapoRediscover Voucher redeemable attractions, they could be broadly categorised into two categories.
First, the usual blockbuster suspects like the zoo, River Safari or SEA Aquarium which we all already know about. Second, attractions that seem kind of contrived or appeal to rather niche interests like virtual reality experiences, NERF battles or bungee jumps.
Honestly, they do not exactly give rise to the Eureka moment that makes one want to rush out and visit these places pronto.
More at https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/commentary/singapore-tourism-vouchers-rediscovery-top-uses-list-discounts-14391288
https://homes.hmlet.com/en/singapore/cantonment/promotions/
1-Day Pass (10 hours, 8am to 6pm) - SG$25
Half-Day Pass (5 hours, 8am to 1pm) - SG$15
Fairmont is offering a rather reasonable daycation package at $145 per room + dining credits:
https://www.fairmont-singapore.com/offer/ultimate-daycation/
Escape to the Civic District Midweek for the Ultimate Daycation.
Enjoy our fantastic location above City Hall MRT station and take advantage of the wealth of facilities at Fairmont Singapore. Whether you are here for some "me-time" or simply need a quiet space to work from, you will have access to your own Fairmont Room, full hotel facilities and $75 dining credits to spend at our stunning restaurants & bars.
Spend some time visiting the sites at our historic precinct, shop at popular malls like the Raffles City Shopping Centre linked directly to our hotel or just enjoy a lazy day dining by the pool.
Available from S$145 per room from Monday to Thursday, 8am to 7pm.
Not sure when you would like to go on a daycation or looking for a unique gift for a family or friend? Purchase a gift voucher for this daycation.
Highlights
Day use of a Fairmont Room for 2 adults and 2 children from 8am to 7pm
Free unlimited high-speed Wifi for multiple devices
Nespresso coffee / TWG tea / Drinking water in room
S$75 nett dining credits that can be used at SKAI, Prego, Anti:Dote, Mikuni, and for in-room dining
Access to outdoor swimming pools, fitness centre and spa facilities that includes Jacuzzi, steam room, sauna and hot/cold plunge pools
Access to sunbeds, towel service, changing facilities
Only a hundred bucks per pax? The fuck that's gonna make any real difference to the local tourism industry.
Going to spend part of my $100 voucher on this WFH lobang by Furama Riverfront! :)