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Follow UsThe Singapore Tourism Board (STB) is seeking collaborations with leading film production houses to showcase Singapore in upcoming Bollywood movies.
Singapore has been host to many Bollywood blockbusters, such as Krrish, Badrinath ki Dulhania, Dear Zindagi, De Dana Dan, Pyaar Impossible!, and many more.
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According to Markus Tan, regional director of India, Middle East, South Asia & Africa at Singapore Tourism (STB) "while partnering with Bollywood movies, our focus is not solely on promoting travel but rather to captivate audiences before they consider making travel plans." This approach aims to spark interest and curiosity around the city.
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To push Indians to travel to Singapore for their summer vacations, STB has collaborated with 45 SOCIAL restaurants across nine cities on Zomato, Pass Code Only (PCO Cocktail Bar) locations across Mumbai and Delhi, additionally with TwentySeven Bakehouse in Bandra, Mumbai. It has also curated a limited edition menu showcasing the diverse culinary spirit of Singapore.
“The campaigns in other countries were solely focused on social media and out-of-home (OOH) without any food elements. From a Skyscanner (search aggregator and travel agency) report, we witnessed that Indians love food during travel. Therefore, we decided to make these collaborations," says Tan.
Singapore Tourism Board has also installed a 3D anamorphic installation at Phoenix Palladium Mall in Lower Parel, Mumbai and has partnered with content creators and influencers to target markets other than Mumbai.
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"We've partnered with lifestyle media to invite their tastemakers and content creators to Singapore, encouraging them to capture and reinterpret the essence of Made in Singapore. This collaboration involves exploring various attractions, and museums of the city,” Tan added.
STB is also partnering with Thomas Cook and RMT for a promotional campaign. “The goal is to create a 360-degree presence in the consumer engagement space. It’s about creating a gradual build-up, ensuring consumers consider exploring Singapore. Our approach is to weave the city into various aspects of consumer’s lives,” he adds.
Indians travel to Singapore during the summers, or the year-end. However, according to Tan, the pattern is evolving, and the outbound travel market in terms of visitors from Indians are visiting Singapore is increasing rapidly. “Singapore witnessed a significant number of Indian visitors during traditional peaks (summers and year-end)), representing various segments such as families, friends and (tourists of) different age groups,” he emphasises.
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For Singapore, the top three countries in terms of outbound travel is Indonesia and Malaysia, followed by China. India was at the top in 2019 but slipped to fifth position last year. “Before the pandemic, Singapore approximately welcomed 1.4 million Indian tourists. India accounted for nearly 75% of travelers until 2023, outpacing several major destinations; however, this number has not fully rebounded.,” Tan added.
Singapore Tourism Board’s primary goal is to drive India's visitor arrivals in Singapore to pre-covid levels. “With direct access to 17 cities in India through various airlines including Singapore Airlines, Air India, Indigo, Air India Express and Vistara, the interest from both private and public sectors presents a promising opportunity for a swift recovery,” he says.
To achieve this, the board is planning to conduct roadshows in cities like Chandigarh, Surat and Jaipur, and launch vernacular content to connect with a diverse audience.