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STB developing new tourism roadmap
Posted: 12 October 2009 1610 hrs


Singapore's Merlion

SINGAPORE: The Singapore Tourism Board (STB) is developing a new tourism roadmap and the public is invited to contribute ideas and shape the future of Singapore's tourism in the next 10 years.

STB says Tourism Compass 2020 will be an enhancement of Tourism 2015, a tourism blueprint launched in 2005 with a vision to become Asia's leading MICE city, leisure destination, and services centre.

Tourism 2015 targeted to achieve S$30 billion in tourism receipts and 17 million visitor arrivals to Singapore by 2015.

Since 2005, the Singapore landscape has undergone a dynamic change in the last four years, and a dramatically different Singapore skyline will emerge over the next few years as tourism products such as the integrated resorts, the Gardens by the Bay project and the International Cruise Terminal come on stream.

Global events such as the current economic slowdown and health scares like the H1N1 pandemic and bird flu have also had a significant impact on the tourism landscape. Against this backdrop, STB believes that the development of this new roadmap is timely.

"Singapore as a destination has undergone a rapid transformation in the last few years. While the current environment may be challenging, we are upbeat about the long term prospects for growth in tourism. This is why we are developing Tourism Compass 2020 – to identify and capitalise on emerging opportunities afforded by new travel trends, so that we can further tourism's contribution as a key driver of Singapore's economy," said Ms Aw Kah Peng, STB's chief executive.

Ms Aw is also the co-chair of the Tourism Compass 2020 Steering Committee set up to provide strategic direction for future tourism development in Singapore.

The steering committee includes members of the Tourism Consultative Council (TCC), who are leaders in the business and tourism sector.

Five taskforces have also been set up to map out tourism strategies specifically pertaining to the areas of Business, Enrichment, Lifestyle, Marketing, and Travel and Hospitality.

Each taskforce is led jointly by STB and Tourism Consultative Council (TCC) representatives, and is supported by members of various backgrounds from the private and public sectors who provide valuable insights and perspectives.

Adding a further dimension to this broad-based approach is STB's call for ideas from members of the public who may not be part of the industry but are equally passionate about shaping the future of Singapore tourism. They can contribute their ideas by sending in comments, suggestions, images and videos to the Tourism Compass 2020 website over the next four months.

http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stori...010821/1/.html

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