Uniquely Singapore: on the right track

From sunny Haiwaiian beaches (yes, even bikini babes) to shop-till-you-drop Bangkok to artsy Paris and its Eiffel Tower, great tourist destinations all have a unique brand, something they are famous for, and perhaps a stereotype firmly etched in the minds of billions worldwide. For Singapore to join this league of great tourist destinations, it must follow suit.

Mention "Singapore" to almost anyone overseas (apart from our neighbours), and you'll probably get "fine city" or "very clean and green" for a reply (and maybe occasionally "oh? that authoritarian place where they caned michael fay?" or "which part of China is it in?" as well). That doesn't sound like a very exciting tourist destination, does it? Well, that's the sad truth - in the recent past, at least. Average tourist stays in Singapore tend to be around 3 days or less (that's really short in comparison to other cities). Singapore used to be just clinically efficient and really boring to tourists with nothing much special (how's some "NO SMOKING: FINE $1000" signs for landmarks?) - after all, you can't expect rows after rows and malls after malls of the same shops ubiquitous in every bustling metropolis (not Bangkok's cheap bargains and fake goods) to be a tourist magnet, can you? For sure we had other things like Sentosa and Chinatown, but if Orchard Road is Singapore only "must-go" attraction, we're in pretty big trouble.

It's no secret that tourism is a lucrative business (tourism (including sex tourism) contributes to some 20% of thailand's GDP, directly and indirectly). And just as the other pillars of our economy and prosperity (value-added industries, commerce etc.) are threatened by other countries who might, in the future, be able to do it better and cheaper, the government finally realised what we're missing out on.

Singapore is a diverse melting pot of cultures East and West, complete with a whole contrasting spectrum from bustling malls to sunny beaches to lush green parks, and embellished with mouth-watering food. Emphasizing this diversity, while retaining the "clean and green" and "everything runs like clockwork" brands would probably be the best way to go. The "Uniquely Singapore" marketing campaign is indeed on the right track.

More needs to be done, of course, to make Singapore a much more interesting, fun, and vibrant place for tourists (and locals alike). We probably don't want to replicate Thailand's or Amsterdam's red-light districts, even though prostition and sex tourism is a guaranteed tourist magnet, because of the vagaries of problems it brings, but there are means other than "red lights" to bring vibrant colour to Singapore. Unquestionably, just as Paris has its Eiffel Tower, and Sydney its opera house, there needs to be ONE distinctive, recognised, and remembered Singapore landmark. In this respect, the recent Marina bay developments (Integrated resort, Singapore flyer, Bayfront avenue, Esplanade etc.) as well as their counterparts in Sentosa (Integrated resort II, revamping of Sentosa attractions etc) are much needed. Besides, I'm pretty convinced that the slew of govt measures ($100 entrance fee etc.) and social stigma are sufficient to deter almost all but the richest Singaporeans from both casual and hardcore gambling at the casino, thus minimising harm while maxising gains - it's no secret how profitable casinos are (that's why gambling odds are never in the player's favour) and how lucrative taxing them can be.

Of course not everything's about the big picture. The devil's in the details - every tourist must interact with cities on a personal level. That goes to say, how frontline service staff and on-the-street Singaporeans deal with these tourists do matter. There must be some warm personal touch to service excellence on the part of frontline service staff, and on-the-street Singaporeans must give the tourist a generally pleasant expericence (e.g. by being helpful when asked for directions, not swarming into the MRT without letting alighting passengers get out first) to leave a good impression on the tourists - like legendary Thai hospitality ("the land of a thousand smiles"). It's not only about 4 million smiles and coordinated flower blooms whenever delegates come to town.

Not that I'm saying the MICE (meetings, incentives, conferences/conventions, and exhibitions) market is unimportant - it's highly lucrative, especially since business travellers aren't on the same shoestring budget as tourists are. Singapore needs to capitalise on its famed clockwork efficiency and business-friendly environment, adequate and state-of-the-art facilites, as well as value-added services (like some of the things they did during IMF/WB - I don't mean ensuring roads are newly repaved all the time but rather things like ensuring big shots are taken care of from the moment they step out of the plane and nice "singapore goodie bags" and "singapore tourist guides" for all business tourists) to gain that edge.

Singapore is just beginning its metamorphosis from a boring city to a vibrant one, from a run-of-the-mill city to a unique and distinctive one. The uniquely Singapore train is on the right track. Next stop, "Uniquely Singapore, a great tourist destination".

Link: STB Visit Singapore website