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Thursday, 6 May 2010
Singapore : A Global City to Experience – Today!
True to her reputation as an exciting, evolving destination, 2010 will be a landmark year of amazing transformation for Singapore.
With a packed schedule of new events, products and venues, this year will see Singapore transformed into an even more appealing and enticing lifestyle destination offering a heady blend of five-star facilities, vibrant nightlife, warm hospitality, colourful heritage, fabulous food, cultural enclaves and sublime shopping – all waiting to be explored.
“We have seen many initiatives undertaken in recent years that have contributed towards a more vibrant and diverse tourism landscape. With the exciting line up of tourism experiences that will be available this year, 2010 will be a milestone year for the tourism industry, expanding the depth and breadth of what we have on offer,” said Singapore Tourism Board Chief Executive, Ms AW Kah Peng.
Key to Singapore’s vibrant new landscape is the opening of the two highly anticipated integrated resorts which will raise the bar on dining, entertainment, accommodation, leisure activities and business facilities not just in Asia - but worldwide.
Set amidst the lush tropical surrounds of Singapore’s island playground Sentosa, Resorts World Sentosa opened its doors on 14 February 2010 and is now home to Southeast Asia’s first Universal Studios theme park featuring 24 amazing attractions, 18 of which are either brand new or newly adapted for Singapore.
This is also the place to find a collection of world first’s, such as the largest single collection of DreamWorks Animation attractions, including the Far Far Away Castle from Shrek, a Madagascar-themed indoor boat ride, Lost World exhibit and WaterWorld stunt show. Visitors can choose to stay in any of six individually-themed hotels which boast more than 1800 rooms between them: Hotel Michael, the Hard Rock Hotel; Spa Villas; Equarius Hotel; Crockfords Tower; and the Festive Hotel.
The other integrated resort, Marina Bay Sands, is transforming Singapore’s downtown into the latest place to see and be seen, with top-end leisure, business and entertainment facilities: 120,000 square metres of state-of-the-art convention and exhibition facilities complemented by over 2,500 luxury guest rooms and suites are on offer for business travellers, while dedicated shoppers will be lured by an impressive line-up of 300 stores, which include the eagerly-anticipated Louis Vuitton floating flagship store, as well as other leading luxury labels such as Bvlgari, Prada and Christian Dior amongst others. Currently in its preview phase, 963 hotel rooms, several restaurants and bars, a range of retail outlets and part of the exhibition and convention center – including the event plaza, and the casino are already open for business.
Foodies will also be well catered for, with an eclectic mix of trendy cafes taking pride of place alongside restaurants with a mind-blowing casting call of celebrity chefs such as Mario Batali and Daniel Boulud from New York, Wolfgang Puck (Los Angeles), Santi Santamaria (Barcelona), Guy Savoy (Paris) and Sydney’s very own Tetsuya Wakuda.
Additional precincts opening soon in the Marina Bay area include: ‘Gardens by the Bay’ which will be home to more than 100 hectares of lush greenery, a new International Cruise Terminal which will double Singapore’s current cruise handling capacity and the Fullerton Heritage Precinct, which will boast waterfront facilities and a plethora of venues to attract signature events and business travellers.
Singapore is living up to its new accolade of being the second Ultimate Sports City in the World (as nominated by UK’s SportsBusiness Magazine) by playing host to the Youth Olympic Games (YOG) in August this year, when 5000 athletes and officials will be joined by 1200 media and 20,000 volunteers; and the World Netball Championships in July 2011.
These high profile celebrations of sport are exciting additions to Singapore’s year round calendar of signature events such as the Singtel Singapore Formula One Grand Prix; F1 ROCKS; Christmas In The Tropics; and the Great Singapore Sale.
Travellers who haven’t visited Singapore recently will have many fresh experiences to savour too, such as the revamping of Singapore’s waterfront nightlife Quay districts – Boat, Clarke and Robertson Quays; retail hubs VivoCity, ION Orchard and 313@Somerset; and a raft of new attractions on Sentosa like the Megazip Adventure Park and Wave House Sentosa, where anyone from beginners to pro-surfers can surf the waves.
Hot new bars and restaurants to check out include: 7atenine – Wine & Dine Magazine’s ‘Best Gastrobar 2009’, or The White Rabbit, which puts a new world twist on old world recipes. These new venues complement perennial favourites like Sentosa’s Café Del Mar; entertainment hotspot The Cannery with its line up of wine & dine venues (The Clinic, Lunar) and laid back watering holes (Mulligan’s Irish Pub); all-night clubbing hot-spots Zouk and St James Power Station; and Singapore’s star restaurants Iggy’s and Jaan par Andre, both nominated on ‘The World’s Best Top 50 Restaurants’ list.
Visitors can easily combine the latest Singapore has to offer with a taste of its rich history and cultural heart by taking a stroll through the bustling streets of aromatic Little India; roaming the Arab Street food stalls of Kampong Glam, the historic seat of Malay royalty; or spending a day wandering through Chinatown, with its boldly painted shophouses, intricate temples and popular night markets.
With a raft of old and new luxury and boutique hotels to choose from – including Singapore’s grand old dame Raffles Hotel, the premium-luxe Capella Resort, through to the business focussed Naumi Hotel or the uber-chic klapsons – visitors are sure to find their perfect home away from home while in Singapore.
As every Singapore visit can offer something different for every visitor, the new brand YourSingapore has been specially designed to respond to today’s discerning traveller who seeks a more personalised travel experience in every trip away.
And with more bold new ventures coming on line in the next few years such as a River Safari, Singapore Sports Hub, a National Art Gallery and the Changi Motorsport Hub, Singapore’s transformation will continue well beyond 2010 – bolstering the city’s reputation as a dynamic must-visit destination, and presenting visitors with a different experience on offer with every trip, encouraging longer stays and even more repeated visits.
For further information on YourSingapore log onto yoursingapore.com or contact the Singapore Tourism Board on (02) 9290 2888.