Singapore prepares for record number of visitors

Singapore has been vocal about its desire to attract more visitors to the city-state, and there have been many plans to do so. Some have been popular among locals and some haven’t. Plans to build yet another giant shopping complex has irked Singaporeans even more than the plans to hold a Singapore Grand Prix. Many claim that these attractions are tacky and take away form the local culture.

The Singapore Tourism Board has announced over 4.9 million visitors have swung through Singapore from January to June this year. The fastest growing region for Singapore is no doubt the Middle East, especially, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia and Qatar, with visitors from the regions rising 23% each year.

Some upcoming events are hoped to bring in even more visitors, like the inaugural flight of the brand new superjumbo from Airbus, the A380, which will make its debut commercial flight with Singapore Airlines. Siew-Kheng kang, regional director for the Singapore Tourism Board has this to say:

“We have a packed series of events lined up for 2007 and 2008, and our research demonstrates how receptive Middle East travellers are to the message that Singapore has something to offer for everyone. The Middle East region is a priority market for Singapore, particularly given our deepening bonds with countries in this area.”