Planning for Tourism: Creating a Vibrant Singapore

Planning for Tourism: Creating a Vibrant Singapore

For a country once said to offer visitors little more than swamps, some fine buildings, and funeral parlours, Singapore has come a long way to become a vibrant global city with world-class tourist attractions and entertainment.

The seeds of transformation were sown in the early 1960s, when the nation’s founders identified tourism as a key industry along with trade, shipbuilding and manufacturing. Tourism has since been at the heart of Singapore’s economic plans, with supporting policies and strategies being developed alongside other national priorities.

Over the decades, tourism visibly shaped Singapore’s built environment and influenced conservation and heritage policies. The industry’s success enhanced Singapore’s global reputation and attractiveness as a place to conduct business, study and live, while enabling Singaporeans to enjoy wider entertainment and leisure options that otherwise may not have been locally viable.

In the 1960s and 1970s, Singapore was mostly a transit stop for tourists bound for the Indonesian island of Bali. Singapore made the most if its British colonial heritage and developed attractions such as the Jurong Bird Park and Sentosa.

The government worked with the private sector to build infrastructure such as hotels to support the fledgling industry, and orchestrated the development of conference and exhibition facilities. Rapid growth in air traffic and visitor numbers prompted the government in 1975 to develop Changi Airport, helping establish the city as a regional aviation and transit hub.

The 1980s and 1990s witnessed a greater emphasis on appreciating local heritage and culture, and efforts to restore and enhance historical and cultural landmarks such as Chinatown and the Civic District. Tourism became a highly visible industry by the early 2000s, featuring attractions like the Singapore River, Clarke Quay and Esplanade theatres.

However, visitor numbers stagnated amid regional competition and external economic shocks. This sparked a new drive to revitalise the industry and position Singapore as a leading convention and exhibition city, and to develop unique experiences along with high-end services like healthcare and education.

The country shed strait-laced image by building new and iconic attractions such as two multifaceted integrated resorts equipped with casinos, and adding top quality global sporting and cultural events such as the Formula One race and Broadway musicals.

Tourism accounts for about 4% of Singapore’s GDP and supports over 160,000 jobs. The industry could play an even bigger role as it develops in a manner suited to the unique characteristics of an urbanised global city-state.