Multi-year partnerships inked with four major Chinese digital players; launch of new YourSingapore WeChat Service account and Baidu Connect service to provide in-destination mobile services for Chinese visitors
Singapore, October 21, 2015 – Chinese visitors can soon search for Singapore destination offerings, navigate Singapore and share their travel experience at their fingertips, as the Singapore Tourism Board (STB) launched today its most comprehensive suite of digital and mobile services for the Chinese market to date.
STB today entered into four Memorandum of Understandings (MOUs) for the first time with online travel services Alitrip and Tuniu, and social review sites Dianping and Mafengwo, to curate and distribute compelling content on Singapore's destination offerings over a period of two to three years. The signing took place at TravelRave ITB Asia's Navigating China's Digital Travel Landscape (领航中国在线旅游全景) MOU signing ceremony and panel discussion today.
In addition, STB also launched a new YourSingapore WeChat Service account (新加坡旅游局官方微信帐号) and Baidu Connect (直达号) service that will provide consumers with real-time location-based services via their mobile to explore Singapore with ease.
Please refer to Annex A for more information on STB's China digital initiatives launched today.
The integrated suite of digital and mobile services allows STB to extend its digital presence in the important key-source market of China, which has seen a surge in the number of Free and Independent Travellers (FIT)1 and the proliferation of mobile usage to search for travel information2. These partnerships will enable STB to engage these digital-savvy visitors at various junctures, from attracting them to visit Singapore, to delivering an enhanced visitor experience here, and encouraging them to share their experiences post-trip.
The initiatives are also expected to amplify STB's current digital marketing efforts for China, which include STB Weibo (440,000 fans) and WeChat Subscription3 (76,000 followers) accounts, and collaborations with video portals such as Youku (11 million views for STB-commissioned micro-movies) to push out Singapore content.
"We are seeing more Chinese FIT or free-and-easy visitors in Singapore in recent years4. Besides the need for comprehensive information for trip planning, they also desire real-time useful tips, navigation, payment and translation tools to explore a destination independently," says Mr Edward Chew, Regional Director (Greater China), Singapore Tourism Board (周振兴 新加坡旅游局大中华区首席代表兼署长).
He adds: "China's digital landscape is unique, and I am thus excited to work with some of the most influential Chinese digital players in the market currently to provide innovative content and services for the Chinese visitors. This includes driving awareness and conversion for Singapore pre-trip, to equipping the visitors with necessary tools to explore Singapore with ease, and sharing their experiences with the online community thereafter. We are definitely keen to work with even more Chinese digital players in the near future to further widen STB's digital footprint in China."
The partnerships will help ensure Singapore continues to attract visitors from China, Singapore's second-largest contributor of international visitor arrivals (1.7 mil) and tourism receipts (S$2.6 bil) in 2014. For 2015, the number of China visitor arrivals for January to August has increased by 19% year-on-year to 1,462,974.5
Singapore's tourism industry players are also expected to benefit from these digital partnerships with increased exposure to their product offerings in the Chinese market. For instance, attractions such as River Safari and Gardens by the Bay will be featured in the new YourSingapore WeChat account, while the offerings of Sentosa-HarbourFront precinct will be detailed in the new Baidu Connect service. More precincts and attractions will be added to these two platforms at a later date.
"We are very excited to be part of STB's continued expansion into the Chinese digital marketing landscape. The Chinese visitors will be able to discover the many hidden gems of the Sentosa-HarbourFront precinct easily through the YourSingapore Baidu Connect service. This platform will open doors of opportunities for the businesses and attractions of the precinct to connect with the Chinese visitors and deliver in-depth experiences and storytelling services to them," says Mr Khoo Shao Tze, Chairman of Sentosa-HarbourFront Business Association (邱韶智, 主席, 圣淘沙港湾商联会).
STB will also continue to conduct its regular trade marketing workshops with the local industry to raise awareness of the various digital marketing platforms available.
Mr Lionel Yeo, Chief Executive, Singapore Tourism Board (杨汉忠 新加坡旅游局局长) says: "The digital and mobile revolution has drastically changed the way visitors research for and consume travel products, and underscores how we must stay ahead of the curve to adapt to the changing needs of our visitors. Only by doing so are we able to ensure Singapore remains top-of-mind as a destination. Visitor-centric experiences and marketing are both integral to our drive towards Quality Tourism6; this expansion of digital services for China is a strong illustration of our commitment."
Reference materials:
Annex A: Impact of STB's China digital initiatives launched today
Annex B: Quotes from Chinese digital players
Annex C: Profiles of Chinese digital players
1 More than 65% of the Chinese travellers in 2014 were independent travellers (Source: China Tourism Academy; http://www.scmp.com/news/china/money-wealth/article/1862971/you-it-more-chinese-travellers-take-tailored-tours-deeper)
2 77% of Chinese travellers would search for online travel services on mobile device. Source: China Online Travel Market Overview in 2014
3 The WeChat subscription account allows marketers to send information and updates on their products, and is different from the new WeChat service account function that allows companies to provide interactive content, customer, e-commerce, navigation and location-based services to users.
4 63% of Chinese visitors to Singapore in 2014 are FITs. Those on free-and-easy packages (meaning flight and hotel only, or on-ground transport and sightseeing only) make up another 17% of the Chinese visitor arrivals in 2014. Source: STB
5 STB tourism statistics https://www.stb.gov.sg/statistics-and-market-insights
6 Quality Tourism is a model of tourism development that emphasises strong economic contribution, innovative and productive enterprises and local engagement.
About the Singapore Tourism Board
Singapore Tourism Board (STB) is a leading economic development agency in tourism, one of Singapore's key service sectors. Known for partnership, innovation and excellence, STB champions tourism, making it a key economic driver for Singapore. We aim to differentiate and market Singapore as a must-visit destination offering a concentration of user-centric and enriching experiences through the "YourSingapore" brand. For more information, please visit www.stb.gov.sg or www.yoursingapore.com
About TravelRave
TravelRave, Asia's premier travel and tourism week, will take place from 19 to 23 October 2015 with an exciting line up of quality events featuring thought-provoking content, influential speakers and the chance to network with some of the leading names in the travel and tourism industry. Leveraging Asia's growing potential, TravelRave 2015 will provide a dynamic platform for business leaders and industry professionals to convene, share knowledge and insights, network and discover new business opportunities and celebrate Asian tourism at its best. Find out more at www.travelrave.sg.