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SINGAPORE: Some tourism companies here are cautiously optimistic about the benefits of SingapoRediscover coupons, hoping they will give business a new boost after the recent resumption of tours and hotel stays.
The Singapore Tourism Board (STB) announced on Wednesday (16 September) that all Singaporeans over the age of 18 in 2020 will receive SingapoRediscovers coupons worth S $ 100, which can be used for stays, attraction tickets and tours. .
They can be used between December of this year and the end of June next year, with more details on the redemption mechanism to be announced in November.
READ: Singaporeans 18+ to Receive $ 100 Local Tourism Coupons
READ: FAQ – What you need to know about SingapoRediscovers coupons
Tour operators CNA spoke with said they expect more business from the coupons, launched to support the local tourism industry, which has been hit by COVID-19.
Oriental Travel and Tours founder Stanley Foo told CNA that he has already received several inquiries from interested customers who want to use their coupons on their trips.
“I think, in the future, what we are planning to do is create a series of tours that attract locals, because we are aware that most locals … seek unique experiences,” he added.
Currently, the company’s offerings include their Creepy Tales Of Singapore paranormal tour, as well as tours to Pulau Ubin.
“So we can’t have the traditional tours. We need to find something more exclusive, something that will entice them to spend their tourism vouchers, ”said Mr. Foo.
While he expects the company to definitely see an increase in bookings after the coupons are released in December, he is not sure how big the increase will be.
In addition to estimating an increase in bookings of about 30 percent from coupons, Foo said he believes hotel stays will be the most popular use of coupons, ahead of tours and tourist attractions.
And vacations at home are not cheap. S $ 100 is not a lot of money, once you stay in a hotel the game is over, you still have to top up some money. And children do not receive the vouchers, only adults. So a young couple with some children under 18 … what can they do with S $ 200? “she added.
A young childless couple is even more likely to spend the money on a vacation home, he added. “And once they spend it on a vacation at home, that means they won’t spend it on field trips anymore. I think maybe 20 to 30 percent of the population spends it on tours. A good 50 percent maybe in stays, and another 20 to 30 percent in attractions. ”
READ: Are you looking forward to receiving your S $ 100 tourism voucher? Here are some experiences you may want to explore
READ: Why wait for your S $ 100 tourist vouchers? Our selections of discounted activities to enjoy right now
Let’s Go Tour Singapore founder Robin Loh shared Foo’s prediction that travel companies may not be the main recipients of coupons. While the plan is “very good news”, he is “a little unsure” if it will give his business a big boost.
“I think the most common way Singaporeans can use the coupons would be for a hotel stay, a stay,” he told CNA, adding that the hotel sector would probably get “the lion’s share” of the coupons.
Noting that hotels are experiencing high demand for their rooms, Loh said: “They are players like us, travel agencies in general, large or small, we are the ones who are really suffering and we are not getting much traction.
“I really hope these coupons help us, but I’m not sure because it really depends on the spending pattern of the locals, if they would just go on vacation, the easiest way to spend it.”
Speaking to the CNA, Ngee Ann Polytechnic Senior Lecturer in Tourism Michael Chiam said Singaporeans are likely to use coupons across different sectors as they have “diverse interests.”
“For example, families with young children and older people may want to go on vacation, while younger ones may be more interested in joining a walking tour.”
However, the most popular hotels or attractions are likely to see a surge before others benefit from indirect demand, Chiam said.
“It is important for all hotels or attractions to select packages that attract and attract local consumers so that they can benefit from the SingapoRediscovers campaign.”
Lloyd’s Inn boutique hotel manager Mr. Kelvin Soh said the hotel has partnered with online booking platform Klook to promote SingapoRediscovers.
STB and Klook recently launched a Singapore $ 2 million marketing partnership to promote local tourism and lifestyle offerings under the SingapoRediscovers campaign.
The hotel also plans to allow coupons to be used and stacked for all package bookings, offering food, spa treatments, and an in-room stay.
This “offers guests excellent value for money,” as these packages are discounted with hotel partners, Mr. Soh said.
Hospitality businesses have seen increased activity since the government allowed local stays to resume, he added, and the industry can expect “a slight boost” in business with the S $ 100 coupons.
MORE STAFF TO FACE THE INCREASE OF BUSINESS?
To attract local clientele, tourism companies have had to make changes to the programming of their programs. Some even hope to expand their equipment to accommodate more bookings.
With the expected increase in business, Mr. Foo from Oriental Travel and Tours intends to grow his team of independent tour guides and hire more full-time administrative staff.
“We believe that once the tourist vouchers come out we will be quite busy and perhaps with some paperwork and all the different reservations that will be made, so we are looking to hire administrative staff,” he added.
During the “breaker” period, Mr. Loh and his team met to prepare to resume operations with new programs targeting the local population. When allowed to reopen their tours in July, the tour company launched a program to tour a kelong, or traditional fishing platform, and the response has been “pretty good,” he added.
The team also launched a series of educational tours for parents with young children, addressing topics from the school program.
“We are actually in a constant mode of content creation, trying to reach as many local people as possible. We also hope that by doing this we will have more to offer and possibly have a better chance of reaching coupon users, ”said Mr. Loh.
Let’s Go Tours’ Mr. Robin Loh (left) takes guests on a kelong tour. (Photo: Gaya Chandramohan)
Increased visitors are likely to lead to increased demand for labor, Mr. Chiam said. “Some companies may rehire as these personnel are familiar with business operations and require minimal training.”
Lloyd’s Inn has not made staff reductions or revised staff salaries this year, Soh said, and the hotel is hiring for marketing and guest relations positions.
“We will monitor the rally closer to date, as hiring new workforce requires time to train. We are likely to give our employees overtime first instead of coping with the increasing workload, ”he added.
READ: Need a vacation but can’t travel? How to get away during your stay in Singapore
While he used to see only one or two locals attending the tours each week before the pandemic happened, Foo now sees 15 to 20 locals joining the tours each week.
“People are just trying to find ways to do something in Singapore. Everyone is bored, no one can travel, so what are we going to do? So most likely either on vacation or on tour, “she added.
Ms Serene Pek, founder of Cuddlefish Divers, which offers dive tours in local waters, told CNA that she has seen an 80% increase in business compared to before the pandemic, and that the business “really does recovered “after the second phase of Singapore’s reopening. .
She attributes it to divers who cannot travel abroad amid the pandemic but want to continue their hobby. Cuddlefish Divers also offers the Open Water Diving Course, held in Singapore.
“I think the coupons would really help attract Singaporeans who are currently stuck in Singapore to maybe buy something new,” Ms Pek said.
“We want to attract photographers, people who love underwater photography to come and join us in Pulau Hantu, there are many creatures that they can take photos of.”
A group of Cuddlefish Divers students with their instructor on a guided diving tour of Pulau Hantu. (Photo: Serene Pek)
The company received around 30 inquiries after the coupons were announced, but has not yet accepted any reservations, he added. “Because the thing is obviously that the coupons have not yet been delivered, and we definitely need more clarity from STB on these coupons as well, like for example, how it is going to work for us as an operator.”
By adapting to safe management measures, the company obtained approval to take 15 people to dive sites on a boat. The group is divided into smaller groups of five and relegated to different areas of the ship after their temperatures are taken. Your data is also captured for contact tracing purposes.
Most commercial establishments would likely launch special offers to take advantage of the S $ 100 vouchers, especially to attract families with children during the end of the year school holidays, Chiam said.
These offers could come in the form of discounts or bundles of products with other companies, he added.
Colin Startup, co-founder of bike tour company The Cycle Startup, said he plans to submit a new deal for tours starting in December in time for the launch of SingapoRediscovers coupons.
To comply with safe management measures, Startup, who runs the company with his wife, had to reduce its full-day tours to half-day. Business is still “pretty low” compared to before the pandemic, he added, describing it as having had “a massive impact.”
“We have shifted the focus from foreign visitors to the local population,” he said, adding that the longest tour they take now takes only five hours. Before the pandemic, they used to take eight-hour tours focusing on Singapore’s gardens.
He added that he expects to see an increase in bookings starting in December, he said: “I think November is going to be a bit quiet because people will be waiting for coupons and therefore if they are interested in doing any tours, ( the) possibilities are they will wait.
“Overall, the scheme is very, very positive, so I expect a big rebound when we enter the scheme in December.”
He added that he hopes that people who have never considered taking local tours will start thinking about how they are going to spend their S $ 100, Mr. Startup said, “And we hope that we will be one of those who will consider when it comes to spending that money.”
