4 things that spur hope amongst hoteliers in Singapore

The tourism board signing a 3-year collaboration with Walt Disney is one.

The Singapore Tourism Board has expressed its commitment to boost the city-state's tourism industry, much to the delight of hoteliers.

According to UOB KayHian, STB launched a number of new initiatives for the said sector, including signing a 3-year collaboration with Walt Disney. Experiential attractions and Disney-themed events will be rolled out starting this year.

Another initiative is the revitalising of the Orchard Road. Short-term plans include the closure of a road lane to widen pedestrian space, a “scramble walk” like Tokyo’s Shibuya Crossing, as well as tapping upon existing state land to facilitate street performances and the incorporation of a design incubator.

"The possibility of the complete pedestrianising of Orchard Road in the long term was also touched upon," UOB KayHian said.

Meanwhile, STB was also able to discern accommodation preferences across different markets using Big Data.

"They found that visitors from India, South Korea and the Philippines are most likely to switch hotels. South Koreans tend to round up their trip by ‘upgrading’ to a higher-tier hotel, with many choosing to stay at the integrated resorts," the brokerage firm said.

Interestingly, STB also renewed its collaboration with Changi Airport Group and Singapore Airlines. The goal is to boost attraction of Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions (MICE) travellers.