Singapore looks ahead to the future of travel

Singapore, 26 November 2020 – The Singapore Tourism Board (STB) today announced a new initiative to reimagine travel for Singapore and the rest of the world, by sparking conversations, stories and ideas to collectively shape the future of our sector.

Called SingapoReimagine, this platform will kick off with “Reimagine Travel - Global Conversations”, a series of forums around the world to catalyse discussions on how to reshape global travel. For a start, STB will share our learnings on how the public and private sectors have come together to create new possibilities for our visitors. As part of the forums, global partners will be invited to share knowledge and exchange ideas, with the first one in Singapore next year before being hosted in other parts of the world.

Closer to home, STB will also roll out “Reimagine Travel in Singapore”, a series of engagements with passionate members of the local community and tourism partners to co-create ideas and spur the renewal of Singapore tourism. This complements the SingapoRediscovers domestic campaign¹, which encourages locals to rediscover and reconnect with Singapore’s hidden gems and experiences.

Both initiatives will be launched in 2021, and more details will be announced in due course.  

STB Chief Executive Mr Keith Tan said, “COVID-19 is the biggest crisis we have ever faced in travel and tourism. But it also offers us an opportunity to reset and revive our industries in ways that we never imagined was possible a year ago. The journey to reimagine travel has already started in Singapore, and we want to continue this journey with those whose voices matter – our community in Singapore, and our partners here and around the world. We look forward to co-creating ideas and strategies with all of them, to make travel better.”

Increased traveller confidence to travel

While it will take time for mass international travel to resume, there are promising signs of future demand. In Singapore, a Brand Health Study across 14 markets², conducted by STB’s appointed market research company Ipsos in August 2020, revealed that leisure and BTMICE (Business Travel and Meetings, Incentive Travel, Conventions and Exhibitions) travellers maintain a strong perception of Singapore being a safe destination to visit, despite COVID-19.

According to the study, confidence in travelling overseas for leisure and business has been steadily increasing, with 76% of leisure travellers and 90% of BTMICE travellers indicating they are likely to travel in the next 12 months, if possible.

“We are extremely encouraged by the findings of our Brand Health Study, which points to positive traveller confidence in Singapore and is a broad indication of market readiness and appetite for travel. STB is confident in Singapore’s attractiveness as a leading business and leisure destination, and we will gradually commence our market engagement efforts in line with the health situation and prevailing travel policies,” Mr Tan added.  

A reimagined Singapore for visitors

SingapoReimagine is also about creating a new standard for travel. Over the past few months, Singapore’s tourism sector has shown both resilience and ingenuity, to meet the evolving needs of visitors and ensure that every aspect of their experience is safe, yet delightful.

Reimagine Safety - STB has been working closely with industry partners to elevate health and safety measures based on new national standards, so that future visitors can enjoy the city’s refreshed experiences with added peace of mind. Such initiatives include the SG Clean Quality mark, which requires tourism establishments to adhere to stringent levels of hygiene and sanitisation as well as Safe Management Measures (SMMs).

Reimagine Technology - Technology is at the heart of those efforts. From the use of contactless technology and cleaning robots, to the TraceTogether app and token (the world’s first national digital contact tracing tool), Singapore aims to make travel safer, yet seamless and efficient. Technology is also creating new possibilities for our tourism offerings. Virtual experiences, hybrid meeting venues and events, and even robot baristas are now offered, offering new ways for us to delight our visitors without compromising on safety.

Reimagine City & Nature - Looking further ahead, Singapore aims to be the world’s most sustainable urban destination. That is why we are investing in new products and pilots that take into account the needs of the community and the environment. In fact, we are on track to achieve this vision with nature-based concepts in places of interest such as Jewel Changi Airport and Gardens By the Bay. Other examples also include our ambition to transform Singapore into a City In Nature³ over the next decade, developing the Jurong Lake District Tourism Development to be a world-class lifestyle destination that features the best of sustainability, innovation, nature and science, and reimagining the Mandai Precinct as a world-class eco-themed nature cluster with the introduction of new wildlife attractions as well as eco-friendly accommodation offerings

For more examples of reimagined tourism products and offerings, please refer to the Annex.

SingapoReimagine as a platform for stories

As travel gradually resumes, the story of these new experiences – for both leisure and MICE – will be told through SingapoReimagine. We will be working with international and in-market media, key influencers as well as content and trade partners to engage our audiences in key markets to drive the anticipation for travel in Singapore.

STB will also use SingapoReimagine as a platform to step up marketing Singapore as a MICE destination known for Safety, Innovation, and Trust. This is to rebuild short to mid-term consideration of Singapore among MICE event planners, through media partnerships, digital and social channels, as well as increased business development efforts.

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About the Singapore Tourism Board

The Singapore Tourism Board (STB) is the lead development agency for tourism, one of Singapore’s key economic sectors. Together with industry partners and the community, we shape a dynamic Singapore tourism landscape. We bring the Passion Made Possible brand to life by differentiating Singapore as a vibrant destination that inspires people to share and deepen their passions.

¹The SingapoRediscovers campaign was launched in July 2020 by STB, Enterprise Singapore and Sentosa Development Corporation. The ongoing campaign seeks to encourage locals to support local businesses, through the exploration of hidden gems and discovery of experiences in Singapore.

²The 14 markets include Australia, China, Germany, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Philippines, South Korea, Thailand, UK, USA and Vietnam.

³The National Parks Board (NParks) will be working with the community to transform Singapore into a City in Nature. This vision builds on what Singapore has achieved today as a biophilic City in a Garden and seeks to integrate nature into our city to strengthen Singapore distinctiveness as a highly liveable city while mitigating the impacts of climate change: https://www.nparks.gov.sg/news/2020/3/nparks-to-work-with-the-community-to-transform-singapore-into-a-city-in-nature

Annex