STB launches S$45 million joint campaign to drive local tourism amid Covid-19 slump

It is the biggest campaign for local tourism.

Mandy How | July 22, 2020, 03:04 PM

Singapore Tourism Board (STB), along with Enterprise Singapore (ESG) and Sentosa Development Corporation (SDC), has launched SingapoRediscovers.

The campaign aims to drive local demand for Singapore's lifestyle and tourism businesses.

The three agencies have set aside S$45 million, making it the biggest campaign for local tourism.

SingapoRediscovers focuses on three broad areas:

  1. Partnering local communities to help locals discover hidden gems
  2. Curating precinct itineraries to create authentic experiences for locals
  3. Collaborating with hotels, tour operators, attractions and precincts to develop quality experiences and attractive promotions

According to the joint release, the first area will tap on the expertise of community and interest groups, while the second will allow locals to rediscover the heartlands through curated tours.

For the third area, retail, F&B, hotels, and tours will roll out promotions to encourage local support across the sectors.

These promotions are housed on the VisitSingapore app, as well as the new SingapoRediscovers microsite.

STB Chief Executive Keith Tan said, "Through this campaign, we hope that Singaporeans will gain fresh perspectives, and take a short holiday – or a Singapoliday – to rediscover their own country and help support local businesses.”

Decline in tourism

According to the Q1 2020 report by STB, Singapore recorded a 43.2 per cent decline in International Visitor Arrivals (IVA) compared to last year.

Tourism Receipts (TR) dropped 39 per cent over the same period.

Image via STB

Top image via Bna Ignacio on Unsplash