TRAVEL consultants attending South Beach’s last North Asian roadshow pit stop in Hong Kong yesterday welcomed the leisure complex’s launch in April, saying it provided one more option for customers going to Singapore.
The showcase had travelled to Beijing, Taiwan and Hong Kong and will continue on through South-east Asia for the rest of the month, to be followed by India, Australia and the UK later on.
Wing On Travel, deputy general manager for South-east Asia and longhaul operations, Simon Ma, said his clients tend to stay in five-star hotels when in Singapore and South Beach is a new option. “Singapore is home to a range of hotels, from heritage hotel and integrated resorts to this new (development). It’s good to have something different.”
Lotus Tours, general manager, sales for corporate, whole and retail, David Law, said: “This creates more noise for the destination. Apart from business travellers, South Beach can also tap travellers who want an individualised place and premium experience.”
South Beach Consortium CEO, Aloysius Lee, commented: “The integrated resorts (Resorts World Sentosa and Marina Bay Sands) have been up for five years and hotels in town are quite full, especially for luxury hotels, which enjoy 85 per cent occupancy.
“It’s difficult for consultants to make bookings there so our property comes at the right time. It will coincide with Singapore celebrating its 50th anniversary of nationbuilding, so there will be a lot of promotions (for the travel industry).”
South Beach also held a roadshow in Tokyo earlier this month to entice the Japanese market.
