To jumpstart its tourism sector, the Singapore government will set aside S$320 million (US$233m) in credits to encourage its citizens to participate in the SingapoRediscovers domestic tourism campaign, said deputy prime minister Heng Swee Keat on Monday.
The credits, dubbed SingapoRediscovers Vouchers, support the nine-month, S$45 million campaign launched last month by Singapore Tourism Board, Enterprise Singapore and Sentosa Development Corporation to drive local spend on tourism and lifestyle offerings.
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During his ministerial statement, Heng said: “Our foreign visitor arrivals have dried up because of the travel restrictions, but we are determined to support our tourism sector by encouraging local tourism. Local consumption will not fully make up for (international) tourist spending, but I hope Singaporeans will take the opportunity to explore our local culture and heritage, nature, art and architecture.”
He added that the Ministry of Trade and Industry will provide more details in September.
The SingapoRediscovers campaign will focus on partnering local communities to help citizens discover hidden gems; curating precinct-based tour itineraries; as well as collaborating with hotels, tour operators, attractions and precincts to develop new experiences and promotions.
In addition, Heng also announced a slate of new measures worth S$8 billion to support businesses that have been impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic. These include extending wage support by seven months up to March 2021, from the current August 2020.
Businesses in the aviation, aerospace and tourism sectors, which were the heaviest hit by the pandemic, can receive the maximum wage support of 50 per cent.
To jumpstart its tourism sector, the Singapore government will set aside S$320 million (US$233m) in credits to encourage its citizens to participate in the SingapoRediscovers domestic tourism campaign, said deputy prime minister Heng Swee Keat on Monday.
The credits, dubbed SingapoRediscovers Vouchers, support the nine-month, S$45 million campaign launched last month by Singapore Tourism Board, Enterprise Singapore and Sentosa Development Corporation to drive local spend on tourism and lifestyle offerings.
During his ministerial statement, Heng said: “Our foreign visitor arrivals have dried up because of the travel restrictions, but we are determined to support our tourism sector by encouraging local tourism. Local consumption will not fully make up for (international) tourist spending, but I hope Singaporeans will take the opportunity to explore our local culture and heritage, nature, art and architecture.”
He added that the Ministry of Trade and Industry will provide more details in September.
The SingapoRediscovers campaign will focus on partnering local communities to help citizens discover hidden gems; curating precinct-based tour itineraries; as well as collaborating with hotels, tour operators, attractions and precincts to develop new experiences and promotions.
In addition, Heng also announced a slate of new measures worth S$8 billion to support businesses that have been impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic. These include extending wage support by seven months up to March 2021, from the current August 2020.
Businesses in the aviation, aerospace and tourism sectors, which were the heaviest hit by the pandemic, can receive the maximum wage support of 50 per cent.