Western Australia has been witnessing a rising trend in women-only tourism in the past six to 12 months. The development echoes a broader global movement towards creating safer, more inclusive travel opportunities tailored specifically for women.
“This year marked the launch of four innovative women-only travel products, reflecting a strong demand for experiences that allow women to connect deeply with both themselves and nature,” said Sueanne McCumstie, acting lead public relations manager, Tourism Western Australia.
Swimming Women offers a tour that comprises scenic swims in rock pools, rivers, and the Indian Ocean
“It aligns with the global trend of inclusivity and accessible tourism for all – including LGBTI, people living with accessibility needs and people seeking exclusive experiences,” she added.
Among the new offerings is a Bardi and Jawi Cultural Experience, on the Dampier Peninsula north of Broome. It invites women to explore the ‘secret women’s business’ of local indigenous women through activities like fishing, oystering, and bush tucker gathering. The four-night experience provides an immersive look into the roles and skills of indigenous women.
Another product is the Reddell Beach Walk and Talk Experiences by a local elder from Jarndu Ngaank Tours. Guests are introduced to significant cultural ceremonies, including a Welcome to Country, Smoking Ceremony, and Water Ceremony designed to blend education with personal healing and well-being through cultural insights.
In Margaret River, Swimming Women has expanded its offerings with a tour that takes participants through scenic swims in rock pools, rivers, and the Indian Ocean, exploring unique aquatic spots with regional stories and nourishing food.
The fourth tour is a Yorgars basket-weaving workshop which also promotes female empowerment through artistic expression through understanding the matriarchal legacies of the indigenous Nyungar people.
These developments were highlighted at a media event where nearly 80 international media members were updated on the latest tourism developments across Australia, before the launch of the Australian Tourism Exchange 2024 in Melbourne today (May 20).
This year’s event has attracted over 1,500 seller delegates and 700 global buyers, marking a 10 per cent increase in buyer participation from last year.
Launched in May this year, all inbound travellers to Singapore can now use the automated lanes at Changi Airport to clear immigration without any prior enrolment in the system.
This makes Singapore among the first in the world to introduce passport-free and contactless immigration clearance, a goal the city-state has set to achieve by the end of 2024.
All foreigners visiting Singapore can now use the automated immigration lanes at Changi Airport (Photo: Fotos593)
As part of the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority’s (ICA) new clearance concept announced in 2019, which aims to provide faster and more secure immigration clearance, the system will be able to clear travellers using facial and iris scanning.
Previously, only Singapore residents and passport holders from 60 jurisdictions were allowed to use the automated lanes. In 2023, more than 160 automated lanes were installed, with another 230 lanes to be set up this year. ICA intends to install about 800 such lanes across all of Singapore’s checkpoints by 2026.
Aside from Changi Airport, Singapore residents and all departing travellers will be able to enjoy contactless immigration clearance at Changi and Seletar airports, as well as Marina Bay Cruise Centre, by the end of the year.
A novel Porsche experience venue, new dining and entertainment destinations, and popular-culture attractions are among the many fresh tourism draws that have been lined up for visitors to Singapore and locals alike.
Starting the end of May, Singapore will see new dining, arts, entertainment and retail facilities mushrooming on the grounds of the former Nan Chiau High School, which is being transformed by The Lo & Behold Group into a vibrant and creative cluster for locals and visitors to enjoy.
An impression of the new Porsche Experience Centre Singapore, which will open in Changi by 2027
The riverside destination, CQ @ Clarke Quay, has also been revitalised, launching on April 26 with a new positioning that underlines its all-day welcome. An asset enhancement initiative has expanded the destination’s range of day activities and nightlife attractions for locals and tourists. There are now about 60 dining, retail and lifestyle concepts in CQ @ Clarke Quay, half of which are new to the destination, such as Swee Lee Clarke Quay, which houses a bar and café, an artist lounge, vinyl listening stations, a creator corner with music editing set-ups, and a large hall that doubles as a dining space and performance venue; and Home Singapore, where brunch is served in the day and live music flows out at sundown. More dining venues and activity centres will launch in the coming months.
Later this year, the ArtScience Museum at the Marina Bay Sands will unveil The World of Studio Ghibli, an immersive exhibition celebrating some of the studio’s most iconic animation films while Harry Potter fans can head to Resorts World Sentosa to relive his enchanted journey in life through The Harry Potter: Visions of Magic, an interactive immersive experience presented by NEON and Universal.
A highlight in Singapore’s attraction pipeline is the Porsche Experience Centre Singapore, which will open in Changi by 2027, next to the Changi Exhibition Centre and 20 minutes from Changi Airport. It will be the world’s first regional Porsche Experience Centre, featuring a dynamic handling track over two kilometres in length for demonstrating the prowess of two- and four-door Porsche sports cars, an aftersales facility, and a range of activities for families and experiences for car enthusiasts both locally and within the South-east Asian region.
Meanwhile, two MoUs were inked last week to reflect deeper commitment among partners to enliven Singapore’s Marina Bay and Sentosa precincts.
Further, Singapore Tourism Board (STB) will issue a call in the coming months for a tender for the development of a wellness attraction at the southern coast of Singapore, on a plot located close to the Marina Barrage and Gardens by the Bay.
Melissa Ow, chief executive of STB, said this development “will enable Singapore to capture new opportunities in the wellness travel space and contribute towards greater vibrancy of the Marina South precinct”.
“While details for this tender will only be revealed later, we hope that this would be an attraction that offers a myriad of different wellness experiences, such as therapeutic arts, light-and-frequency-based types of therapy, complimentary health facilities, and indoor and outdoor water- and equipment-based types of exercises. I think this will allow Singapore to tap into the global wellness movement,” she shared.
These developments will further augment the city-state’s tourism offerings, which have continued to evolve and advance as Singapore works towards its Tourism 2040 goals, of which one vision is for the country to be a world-class destination with diverse, unique and inspiring experiences for visitors.
Singapore’s two integrated resorts announced expansion plans earlier on. Resorts World Sentosa will present Illumination’s Minion Land at Universal Studios Singapore and the new Singapore Oceanarium, an expansion of the S.E.A. Aquarium. Marina Bay Sands is adding on another tower and a 15,000-seat entertainment arena, which will be ready in July 2029.
These new and refreshed activities and experiences are as much meant for Singapore residents as they are for tourists, Ow told TTG Asia.
“It was great to see this great outpouring of love from domestic visitors for our tourism businesses during the pandemic. Locals have continued to embrace and participate in many of the tourism, leisure and lifestyle activities that our industry partners have put out. This pride in our local offerings will remain, and I hope more of our new stakeholders and partners will bear in mind and think of the accessibility of their products and services to our domestic audience,” said Ow.
Skyscanner has launched its app-exclusive Savvy Search tool, powered by Open AI’s Chat GPT technology, to offer travellers an easier way to plan their trips.
Currently available in Australia, Canada, India, Singapore, the UK and the US, travellers can now simply tell Savvy Search what kind of trip is on their mind and the app will find the best spots – from the most common queries like “a cheap European city break in October” to something more specific like “a 30th birthday trip with fun nightlife and a great food scene”. The tool will then generate up to three curated destination recommendations.
Savvy Search makes recommendations based on the traveller’s search request
Following extensive traveller testing, imagery is combined with rich destination descriptions to highlight the unique characteristics of each recommendation. Upon deciding a destination, travellers are taken straight into Skyscanner’s flight search funnel to compare prices and pick their perfect flight.
Piero Sierra, chief product officer at Skyscanner commented: “Globally, 44 per cent of travellers are using AI to help them plan and research travel, but its use varies a lot depending on the market. For example, 23 per cent of Singaporean travellers are already using AI on their phones compared to just eight per cent in the UK.
“The next logical step is to use the AI technologies now available to us to help these travellers in the discovery phase of their travel planning journey.”
To celebrate the launch of the Savvy Search tool, Skyscanner has delved into the usage data collected during its beta phase to reveal some of their favourite queries so far.
These include “Somewhere to get lost and forget about all my life’s worries”, with recommendations like Santorini, Greece; “Birthday trip with fun night life and great food scene” which shows destination ideas like New York in the US; “Warm holiday where I can skateboard” suggests Spain’s Barcelona, a burgeoning destination for skateboarders due to its vibrant skateparks and diverse street skating scenes; and even Astrophotography highlights like a journey to Norway to witness the Northern Lights.
Cross Hotels & Resorts is expanding its portfolio with the introduction of its new destination-centric brand, Lumen, in partnership with Italmar (Thailand) Co. – its first property, Lumen Bangkok Udomsuk Station, recently opened in Thailand.
Lumen is a hybrid hotel that amplifies the character of its neighbourhood and celebrates the community. With the tagline A Brighter Way to Stay, the brand is aligned with the company’s vision to redefine the hospitality experience by creating memorable stays for guests.
Cross Hotels & Resorts debuts its new destination-centric brand, Lumen, in Bangkok, Thailand
Each Lumen hotel is infused with local flair through curated signatures tailored to the setting, with offerings like local dishes, light displays, and more.
The 102-key Lumen Bangkok Udomsuk Station features a rooftop infinity pool offering panoramic views, and an array of amenities. With its prime location and convenient access to Suvarnabhumi International Airport, the hotel serves as an ideal base for exploring Bangkok’s famed retail landscape including Bangkok Mall – The Grand Metropolis, said to be the largest shopping centre in South-east Asia.
The hotel is located in Bangkok’s newest district, Suburban Udomsuk, which remains unique with its neon-lit cafés and bars, as well as traditional shophouses. It is also right on the doorstep of the Thai capital’s skytrain network, with easy access to BITEC Bangna, a premier business and entertainment venue, as well as a wide variety of dining, entertainment, and cultural experiences. There are local highlights such as the Udomsuk Walk night market and Train Night Market Srinakarin.
“Lumen is a special hospitality brand that truly matches the destination to the product, making it a really unique proposition. It is a brand that adapts to its neighbourhood and brings the local community into its fold. Our unique firefly icon symbolises the constant sparkle and warmth that we aim to add to every guest’s experience,” said Harry Thaliwal, CEO of Cross Hotels & Resorts.
Direk Vongvairoj, chairman, Italmar (Thailand) Co., shared: “Lumen is an exciting offering that allows us to pioneer the development of Udomsuk and the eastern part of Bangkok. We believe in a fruitful partnership with Cross Hotels & Resorts, leveraging our combined strengths to achieve our business goals and unlock the full potential of this project.”
IHG Hotels & Resorts will introduce Hotel Indigo and Vignette Collection in Vietnam this year with the launch of Hotel Indigo Saigon The City in Ho Chi Minh City, and the upcoming Vignette Collection hotel in Hoi An, which is situated close to the famous UNESCO Heritage Site in the historic central coast city.
In addition, IHG will also open its first property in Ha Long City with InterContinental Halong Bay Resort, followed by Holiday Inn Resort Halong Bay in 2026. The company also plans to introduce its InterContinental brand in Thanh Xuan Valley within the city of Vinh Phuc – its first valley resort project in Vietnam – within the next few years.
IHG will debut its Hotel Indigo brand in Vietnam with the opening of Hotel Indigo Saigon The City in Ho Chi Minh City
Paul Cunningham, senior director, operations, South-east Asia and Korea, IHG, said: “Our growth in Vietnam is buoyed by a positive outlook for travel in the country, where domestic demand remains strong and international demand continues to grow, especially within Asia thanks to its growing middle class and expanding GDP. With new flight routes from major cities including New Delhi, Manila, Sydney and Munich set to further increase demand, we have strong aspirations for our growth in the market.”
He added: “With 18 hotels and 26 properties in the pipeline, we’re seeing many great new opportunities for growth in Vietnam as we enter new destinations including Ha Long Bay, Hoi An and Vinh Phuc.”
From cocktails made with native Asian botanicals and handcrafted spirits by homegrown Asian distillers to rattan bags handwoven by indigenous tribeswomen, local flavours, brands and artisans are getting more air time at country pavilions led by Asian CVBs at IMEX Frankfurt this year.
At the Singapore pavilion, a lively bar presenting cocktails crafted by Singapore-based The Orientalist Sprits welcomes buyers and show visitors and offers a peek into the city-state’s growing movement in craft spirits and hints at the vibrant cocktail culture that can be found in Singapore. On the morning of May 15, the quintessential Singaporean breakfast favourite, sweet kaya (coconut jam) toasts, were dished out to media guests ahead of a press briefing led by the Singapore Tourism Board.
Aiman journeys from Penang to Frankfurt to showcase the Malaysian state’s well-loved roti canai to show attendees
Over at the Sarawak pavilion, visitors can dig into a hot bowl of laksa (noodles in creamy, spicy broth) or knock back cocktails made with native ingredients, like torched ginger flower and langkau (traditional rice wine), while browsing an extensive collection of products from small-scale entrepreneurs with a sustainable and responsible business practice.
Business Events Sarawak (BESarawak) spokesperson, Rose Bruce, told TTGmice that the Sarawak Entrepreneur Product Showcase and local F&B service would often be done at tradeshows where the CVB has its own destination pavilion, as that would mean more floor space to use to present unique destination experiences.
Seoul Tourism Organization hosts a K-Food Fiesta on the first two days of the trade event, feeding pavilion visitors with Korean beer and fried chicken – a favourite meal combination among South Koreans. At the Macao X Hengqin joint destination pavilion, visitors can get their caffeine fix from traditional claypot-brewed coffee or sip a glass of Sangria, which highlights Macau’s Portuguese and Spanish heritage.
However, showcasing local products and brands at destination pavilions is more than just a means of attracting and entertaining buyers.
Jessie Heng, regional director of Singapore-based events specialist MICE Maestro, which exhibits with Team Singapore this year, is giving away little jars of Tiger Balm, a local analgesic heat rub that is present in every Singaporean household. Previously, popular local snack brands like Irvins, known for its addictive salted-egg coated chips, have also been gifted to buyers at B2B meetings. All gifts come with a story of the brand, product, and relation to Singapore’s way of life.
“These are uniquely Singapore brands and products, and will remind our clients of the destination. Some clients also draw inspiration from these gifts for their delegate goody bags and destination experiences,” said Heng, adding that events’ inclusion of made-in-Singapore products would also allow more businesses to share the prosperity of the country’s business events industry.
Business Events Sarawak brings the Sarawak Entrepreneur Product Showcase to its destination pavilion at IMEX Frankfurt 2024 to connect responsible local SMEs with event organisers looking for meaningful local engagements
BESarawak’s Sarawak Entrepreneur Product Showcase prioritises local brands with local owners, are small and medium enterprises (SMEs), and whose work support and build local communities. Different brands and products are presented each time. This initiative has a positive business impact on featured SMEs. Take for instance the Penan Women Project, whose handwoven rattan products, from purses to shoulder bags, have charmed event organisers keen to present their guests with authentic Sarawakian welcome gifts that have a meaningful backstory. These rattan products use sustainable materials, ensure the longevity of a heritage craft, and direct earnings to women weavers and their families.
“The whole idea behind the Sarawak Entrepreneur Product Showcase is to support such companies and give them an international exposure because we can – we have the privilege of showing this off to the world when we lead destination showcases at such major tradeshows,” explained Bruce.
Ashwin Gunasekaran, CEO of Penang Convention & Exhibition Bureau (PCEB), said local F&B could be a lasting hook for destination awareness and recall. He said: “I tasted local coffee at a Tourism New Zealand pavilion years ago, and can still remember the flavour and aroma today. Now, good coffee reminds me of New Zealand. Similarly, I want Penang’s tau sar piah (a sweet and savoury pastry with green bean paste fillings) and roti canai (local flatbread) to connect MICE buyers with us.”
The Penang pavilion at IMEX Frankfurt 2024 dishes out roti canai with curry and cups of teh tarik all day – and not just regular ones. Aiman, a young man whose family has been serving both for generations in Penang, prepares these local refreshments at the pavilion for event attendees. At certain intervals of the day, he swirls and flips dough masterfully, drawing cameras and eyeballs alike.
“We are trying to get the younger generation to be involved in the MICE business ecosystem. Aiman’s parents were once part of PCEB’s destination promotion activities, and now it is his turn,” remarked Gunasekaran.
Constellar, one of Asia’s largest trade show and exhibition organisers and manager of Singapore Expo convention and exhibition centre, has taken a team to IMEX Frankfurt this week to highlight its festivalisation-as-a-service forte to the community of European event planners.
Elaborating on this specialisation, Khoo Yew Jin, vice president, brand & customer experience at Constellar, told TTGmice: “This is where we help organisers design, curate, and bring to life unique event experiences. From concept services like one-of-a-kind F&B zones and food trucks; unique networking areas; branded activations; alfresco spaces for open-air events, and more, we have a suite of products that are easily customisable and scalable according to the needs of each event, extending visitor experiences beyond our exhibition halls.”
Singapore Expo completed its delivery of the high profile ITI World Symposium 2024 on May 11, a meeting of the Europe-based International Team for Implantology that was held in Asia for the first time
“We know European event planners are expected to increase budgets and are looking to hold large-scale in-person events in the coming years,” said Khoo, adding that a Cvent study also found that European event organisers included hybrid event tools, sustainability, and the ability to offer attendees a unique and unforgettable experience among their venue considerations.
“Singapore Expo has the capability to meet such demands and deliver the holistic experience needed for a successful event,” he added.
Singapore Expo offers organisers with flexible options for interconnected spaces spanning 10 halls, 32 meeting rooms and three atriums, covering 123,000m2, with additional alternative spaces providing creative event possibilities. Its outdoor atrium that stretches from Hall 4 to 6, for example, is a blank canvas for a wide range of activations, be it for networking beyond show hours or themed dining functions.
Constellar recently added the multipurpose Arena@Expo (Hall 7) to its venue mix. Arena@Expo has so far “generated increasing interest among European event planners and organisers”, with most complimenting its “versatility, high-quality acoustics and tech systems, and customisation capabilities”.
Khoo also expects Apex@Expo (Hall 1) to do well with European event organisers, as it features advance technology in an immersive space that accommodates a plenary hall, broadcast studio, and a configurable screen of 54m by 5m.
Additionally, Constellar’s 2-seat K2 chef’s table, where a farm-to-table dining concept is presented in a private venue, may appeal to planners who appreciate a unique dining experience that can easily transition from meetings. The venue is flexible, with an opaque mobile wall transforming K2 from a boardroom into a dining hall with live cooking presentation.
Furthermore, with greater focus on sustainable venues, Constellar is confident that Singapore Expo will rank high in the minds of European event organisers.
The venue is Building & Construction Authority (BCA) Green Mark Platinum-certified; is powered by on-site solar panels the size of eight football fields; and has various urban farms providing sustainable harvest to its kitchens.
“Through plastic-free packaging and eco-friendly F&B offerings, we aim to help event organisers integrate sustainability throughout their event planning process,” said Khoo.
When asked how else would Singapore Expo stand out as a venue of choice for European event planners, Khoo pointed to the Expo Advantage Program, where organisers can take leverage exclusive partner privileges to enhance their event. For example, the programme’s discounted rates with local media partners will enable international event organisers to better plan and execute their event promotions in Singapore.
Through her interactions with European buyers at IMEX Frankfurt this week, Eileen Quek, head of international sales, said confidence in Singapore’s stability and support from a knowledgeable CVB team were also crucial in shaping decisions.
She said: “Singapore is still one of the top cities for European associations and event organisers. Many of them learnt through Covid that many things have changed… and some relationships with suppliers today have become less flexible. Several buyers have told me that relationships with venues and CVBs in Asia have, however, remained strong.
“And within Asia, Singapore stands out favourably because of good governance. When planning meetings three or four years in advance, organisers want to be sure that their plans will remain valid down the road, that the government, the CVB, and how things are in the destination will still be the same.”
Quek said she has seen good leads at the show, with one association head making a swift decision by the second day to bring her international congress to Singapore Expo in 2028.
Emirates has reaffirmed its strategic cooperation with Tourism Seychelles and the Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau, and has forged a new partnership with the Hong Kong Tourism Board, to boost tourism to these destinations.
The airline signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Tourism Seychelles to support travel agents and tour operators in their efforts to promote Seychelles as a leisure destination. This includes the development of special holiday packages among other incentives, marketing support and familiarisation trips.
Becky IP, deputy executive director of Hong Kong Tourism Board (front left) and Orhan Abbas, senior vice president Commercial Operations Far East (front right)
Emirates also reaffirmed its long-standing commitment to promoting tourism to Sri Lanka. Now in its 38th year of operating in Sri Lanka, Emirates will continue efforts to support the island nation’s tourism by developing special packages and familiarisation trips from key feeder markets.
As part of its wider efforts to support the Indian Ocean nation, Emirates will also engage closely with travel agents and tour operators in key strategic markets to help showcase the destination’s offerings to customers across its global network.
With the Hong Kong Tourism Board, Emirates aims to boost inbound tourism into Hong Kong from key target markets in the Middle East and Europe. The MoU with HKTB will see various joint activities including familiarisation trips, a comprehensive promotional plan, and targeted advertising campaigns.
Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL) has released itineraries for the Norwegian Sun’s debut in Asia-Pacific for the 2025 season.
The ship will first make her Australian debut in Brisbane and Melbourne on December 18 and 21 respectively, and offer three new sailings to the Great Barrier Reef and South Pacific, three island-hopping French Polynesia cruises between Fiji and Tahiti, and two in Asia.
Norwegian Sun will sail 35 voyages in Asia-Pacific from October 2024 through March 2026
This deployment marks NCL’s most extensive South Pacific offering with first-time visits to Port Douglas and Townsville in Australia, Aitutaki in the Cook Islands, and Suva, Fiji.
It will also be the first time that Norwegian Sun visits several other ports including Mystery Island and Port Vila in Vanuatu; Dravuni, Fiji; Noumea, New Caledonia; and the popular port of Kushiro, which is known for some of the most unspoiled scenery and wildlife habitats in Japan.
“This new collection of voyages provides even more choice for those who prefer to explore close to home with more South Pacific destinations than ever before, including Far North Queensland, where we will be returning for the first time since 2019,” said Ben Angell, vice president and managing director, NCL APAC.
Altogether, Norwegian Sun will sail 35 voyages in this region from October 2024 through March 2026.
A novel Porsche experience venue, new dining and entertainment destinations, and popular-culture attractions are among the many fresh tourism draws that have been lined up for visitors to Singapore and locals alike.
Starting the end of May, Singapore will see new dining, arts, entertainment and retail facilities mushrooming on the grounds of the former Nan Chiau High School, which is being transformed by The Lo & Behold Group into a vibrant and creative cluster for locals and visitors to enjoy.
The riverside destination, CQ @ Clarke Quay, has also been revitalised, launching on April 26 with a new positioning that underlines its all-day welcome. An asset enhancement initiative has expanded the destination’s range of day activities and nightlife attractions for locals and tourists. There are now about 60 dining, retail and lifestyle concepts in CQ @ Clarke Quay, half of which are new to the destination, such as Swee Lee Clarke Quay, which houses a bar and café, an artist lounge, vinyl listening stations, a creator corner with music editing set-ups, and a large hall that doubles as a dining space and performance venue; and Home Singapore, where brunch is served in the day and live music flows out at sundown. More dining venues and activity centres will launch in the coming months.
Later this year, the ArtScience Museum at the Marina Bay Sands will unveil The World of Studio Ghibli, an immersive exhibition celebrating some of the studio’s most iconic animation films while Harry Potter fans can head to Resorts World Sentosa to relive his enchanted journey in life through The Harry Potter: Visions of Magic, an interactive immersive experience presented by NEON and Universal.
A highlight in Singapore’s attraction pipeline is the Porsche Experience Centre Singapore, which will open in Changi by 2027, next to the Changi Exhibition Centre and 20 minutes from Changi Airport. It will be the world’s first regional Porsche Experience Centre, featuring a dynamic handling track over two kilometres in length for demonstrating the prowess of two- and four-door Porsche sports cars, an aftersales facility, and a range of activities for families and experiences for car enthusiasts both locally and within the South-east Asian region.
Meanwhile, two MoUs were inked last week to reflect deeper commitment among partners to enliven Singapore’s Marina Bay and Sentosa precincts.
Further, Singapore Tourism Board (STB) will issue a call in the coming months for a tender for the development of a wellness attraction at the southern coast of Singapore, on a plot located close to the Marina Barrage and Gardens by the Bay.
Melissa Ow, chief executive of STB, said this development “will enable Singapore to capture new opportunities in the wellness travel space and contribute towards greater vibrancy of the Marina South precinct”.
“While details for this tender will only be revealed later, we hope that this would be an attraction that offers a myriad of different wellness experiences, such as therapeutic arts, light-and-frequency-based types of therapy, complimentary health facilities, and indoor and outdoor water- and equipment-based types of exercises. I think this will allow Singapore to tap into the global wellness movement,” she shared.
These developments will further augment the city-state’s tourism offerings, which have continued to evolve and advance as Singapore works towards its Tourism 2040 goals, of which one vision is for the country to be a world-class destination with diverse, unique and inspiring experiences for visitors.
Singapore’s two integrated resorts announced expansion plans earlier on. Resorts World Sentosa will present Illumination’s Minion Land at Universal Studios Singapore and the new Singapore Oceanarium, an expansion of the S.E.A. Aquarium. Marina Bay Sands is adding on another tower and a 15,000-seat entertainment arena, which will be ready in July 2029.
These new and refreshed activities and experiences are as much meant for Singapore residents as they are for tourists, Ow told TTG Asia.
“It was great to see this great outpouring of love from domestic visitors for our tourism businesses during the pandemic. Locals have continued to embrace and participate in many of the tourism, leisure and lifestyle activities that our industry partners have put out. This pride in our local offerings will remain, and I hope more of our new stakeholders and partners will bear in mind and think of the accessibility of their products and services to our domestic audience,” said Ow.