Geography Reference
In-Depth Information
As tourist taste and markets have changed over time, 'Singapore has constantly strove to
recreate its resources in order to remain competitive' (Teo and Chang 2000:117). The
government's changing focus over time has been reflected in shifts in tourism policy;
from the development of local resources in the 1986 plan to the creation of a 'regional
tourism economy' in 1996 (Chang 1998). However, regardless of changes in marketing
strategies, the government has consistently sought to emphasise and reinforce
Singapore's location as a gateway to South East Asia and as a transport hub. As Teo and
Chang (2000) observed, as an air travel hub, a business centre and a node for
tourism/lifestyle companies, the foundation of Singapore's ability to survive in the
tourism business is to take advantage of its sophisticated infrastructure to position itself
as a gateway.
In 1996 Singapore set itself a target of 10 million arrivals and S$16 billion in tourism
receipts at the end of the year 2000 (C.M.Hall 1997a). In order to achieve these goals
Singapore launched a new tourism plan Tourism 21: Vision of a Tourism Capital' in July
1996 (Singapore Tourism Board 1996). The goal of the plan is to make Singapore the
tourism hub of South East Asia. In order to achieve this, six strategic thrusts were
identified:
•
Redefining tourism:
widening the focus of tourism from destination marketing to
developing Singapore as a tourism business centre and a tourism hub
•
Reformulating the product:
developing new themes, events and infrastructure and
linking Singapore products with those of the region
•
Developing tourism as an industry:
adopting a cluster development approach, creating
investment incentives, and developing a competent tourism workforce, information
networks, and branding strategies
•
Configuring new tourism space:
encourage tourism-related investment overseas by
Singaporean companies and develop partnerships with neighbouring countries in
product development
•
Partnering for success:
encourage tourism development partnerships at all levels
•
Championing tourism:
the STPB will take on an enlarged role as a one-stop tourism
agency with activities in tourism business development as well as its traditional
promotional function. The Singapore Tourism Promotion Board's name will
eventually change to the Singapore Tourism Board to reflect its new role.
Singapore received a total of 7,691,090 visitors in 2000, the highest number of visitors
ever recorded. Visitor arrivals from most of the regions, namely Asia, Europe, Oceania
and the Americas, also reached historical highs. Given the impact of the Asian economic
crisis on tourism in the region, this figure was a substantial achievement and testimony to
the Singapore's tourism planning strategy.
Details of the plan are available from the Singapore Tourism Board's website:
http://www.stb.com.sg/
