What's the next stop for Singaporean tourism? (Part 1)

The recent MasterCard Global Destination Cities index showing Thailand rising to the top of the ranks as a tourist destination is both good and bad for Singapore. On the positive side of the ledger, international travel numbers are strong, and are growing at a good rate. Asia is a preferred destination. People are looking for the experiences we can provide. But, on the other side, competition is increasing—and Singapore, as a high-end destination must look for ways to keep ahead of the curve.

Singapore has, and always will, attract tourists from all around the world. It is, I believe, the world's premier travel hub. Simply, no one does the flying experience (SIA), arrivals (Changi International Airport), and hotel delivery (taxis) better. Where else in the world can you arrive at 4am and, as a new visitor, be sure you can get an honest cab to your hotel? These things make a huge difference to travellers and Singapore has a strong brand as the best Asian travel hub.

But this tends to attract a certain type of visitor. Singapore is not cheap. We are known for being clean, for things working, for being well ordered. All good stuff, but when you look at the tourist number growth in our regional competitors...perhaps the traveller of the future is looking for a different Asian experience.

We don't have elephant treks, jungle hide-outs, mountains to climb, coral to dive on, or grungy markets to explore. A Singapore river cruise is nice, but doesn't quite fall into the 'exhilarating' experience category. Is a redeveloped Sentosa enough to keep growing the numbers?

The space constraints we face are very real and, unlike our neighbours, it is difficult for us to accommodate an increasing number of visitors, who demand an increasing range of activities.

Tiong Bahru estate and market is, perhaps, a destination to attract tourists. But I fear that if it were promoted as such, it would soon be full of Prada, Louis Vuitton, Tag Hauer, and Zara. Who knows, the icing on the cake might be a Ferrari merchandise outlet. It would become a clone of Orchid Road.

So looking forward, with one eye on our competitors, we need to ask "is our product future-proof?" How can a country the size of Singapore keep adapting to the needs of the modern tourist? How can we keep attracting high-end, high-spending, visitors and provide them with an experience with an edge?

I believe the answer is actually quite simple. It may require some thinking about how we view our share of the tourist pie, but it is a way forward. But for that, you will have to read part 2 of this commentary.