Singapore advised to diversify events for year-round tourism boost

Strategic event placement and hospitality packages key to maintaining tourist influx.

Singapore's tourism sector is poised for growth by strategically diversifying its entertainment offerings and enhancing hospitality packages to ensure a steady influx of tourists year-round, according to Guy Llewellyn, Assistant Professor at EHL Hospitality and Business School.

He emphasised the importance of utilising Singapore's established events and public holidays to strategically place various entertainment offerings throughout the year.

“We have a wide range of already established events, of all of the public holidays that we already have, that we can utilise,” Llewellyn said. “What we have to do is make sure that those events, the F1 events, the World Aquatics Championships, are equally spread out across the calendar year.”

By coordinating with event organisers, tour operators, and government agencies, Singapore can ensure a continuous influx of tourists, attracted by both major and minor events. “If we can make sure through the event organisers, the tour operators, the government agencies, that we strategically place those different events across the entire calendar, then we can start adding in some of the smaller events,” Llewellyn explained.

While digital and virtual events played a significant role during the pandemic, Llewellyn noted a shift back to in-person events. “Virtual events, during the pandemic, were great. They really kept people thinking about Singapore. Digital events really were the cause of the boom of tourists that came back because they wanted to experience it on their own.”

Llewellyn also stressed the importance of incorporating digital elements in marketing to attract undecided tourists. “Now what tour operators and event managers can do is also offer a portion to be digital, because that way those people that are still undecided about where to go for their next destination can still be a part of it and see what it looks like.”

To further enhance tourism, Llewellyn recommended creating comprehensive hospitality packages that cater to different financial tiers. “What we could do is incorporate the flight tickets, the hotels, the transportation credits, and even potentially some F&B credits, and that way people can kind of feel like they have almost an all-inclusive from when they leave to when they arrive.”

Offering tiered packages, including ultra-luxury, middle-tier, and budget options, can ensure inclusivity and attract a broader range of tourists. “There has to be many different levels. So you have to have the ultra-luxury versions, you have to have the middle-of-the-road versions, and you have to have the budget versions to make sure that they fit into everybody's financial portfolio.”