Singapore is stepping up its efforts to attract tourists from Australia and New Zealand with a new three-year partnership. The Singapore Tourism Board (STB) and Helloworld Travel Limited have joined forces to promote Singapore as a must-visit destination, aiming to go beyond its traditional image as a stopover point and offer a more immersive and value-driven experience.
The partnership, which officially kicks off in April 2025, will see both organizations collaborating to develop enticing travel packages. These packages will include flights, accommodation, and a diverse range of experiences designed to showcase the Lion City’s unique offerings. The goal is to capitalize on the already strong recovery in visitor numbers from these regions. In the first seven months of 2024 alone, Singapore welcomed over 664,000 Australian visitors and over 90,000 travelers from New Zealand, surpassing pre-pandemic levels.
This partnership goes beyond simply creating attractive packages. The Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) also outlines a commitment to enhance the knowledge and skills of Helloworld’s travel agents. They will receive access to up-to-date information, participate in specialized training, and go on familiarization trips, equipping them to effectively promote Singapore’s diverse offerings. The agreement also includes conducting trade and consumer surveys to gain deeper insights into the preferences and expectations of travelers from Australia and New Zealand.
The formal signing of the MOU took place at Helloworld’s head office in South Melbourne, with STB’s chief executive, Melissa Ow, and Helloworld’s CEO and managing director, Andrew Burnes AO, overseeing the agreement. This partnership marks a continuation of the successful collaboration between STB Oceania and Helloworld, which has previously delivered several successful campaigns. One notable campaign, focused on encouraging stopover stays in Singapore from January to February this year, resulted in a 28% increase in room bookings compared to the same period the previous year.
The recent surge in visitors from Australia and New Zealand is further fueled by Singapore’s expanding range of accommodations, dining experiences, and attractions. The city-state has seen the introduction of several new offerings in the past two years, including Bird Paradise, The Palawan @ Sentosa, Mr. Bucket Chocolaterie, Sentosa Sensoryscape, Children’s Museum Singapore, and Central Beach Bazaar. These attractions are complemented by new hotels such as 21 Carpenter, Artyzen Singapore, The Singapore EDITION, and Mercure ICON Singapore City Centre, making Singapore an increasingly attractive destination for international travelers.
As this new partnership unfolds, the Singapore Tourism Board and Helloworld Travel Limited are poised to further strengthen Singapore’s appeal, ensuring that more travelers from Australia and New Zealand view it as a compelling and enriching destination in its own right.
