GEK2001/SSA2202/GES1003

Changing Landscapes of Singapore

Bicentennial Version
(2019 only)

LECTURE 4 TOURISM LANDSCAPES

DR . KAMALINI RAMDAS
 Outline
 Mini Quiz 4
 Recap
 Bicentennial and Tourism
 Today’s objectives
 Tourism themes over the decades
 Tourism Landscape Changes and Challenges
 Regionalisation and Regional Tourism (Scale)
 Local/Global Tourism Landscapes (Regionalisation 2000)
 Recent issues in Singapore tourism
 Summary/Conclusion
Recap
 Heritage landscapes serve two purposes: nation-building and tourism
 Lost heritage landscapes: development, pragmatic urban planning
 Post-independence nation-building: shared values (e.g. multi-
racialism) or shared journey to becoming an independent state
(Singaporean shared roots of British colony), way of differentiating us
from our neighbours (Raffles not earlier Malay heritage)
 Challenges to nation-building: other groups? Heritage is contested,
whose heritage should we value?
 Tourism: inauthentic heritage landscapes? Moving away from
heritage (refer to today’s lecture on tourism). What will happen to
conservation in future if tourism is not key factor? (e.g. Dakota
Crescent)
Singapore Bicentennial and
the Tourism Landscape
Fort Canning: Segments titled “Time
Traveller” and the “Pathfinder”
provide affective, visual and sensory
experiences of Singapore’s history
before the arrival of the British in
1819.

The i Light Singapore - Bicentennial

Edition: Light artworks in major
tourist attrction sights such as
@Marina Bay area; @Singapore River;
@Kampong Glam. Source: https://www.todayonline.com/
Bicentennial:
What can we learn?
 Example of how heritage can be used for nation-building. Many
Singaporeans also attended/attending the Fort Canning exhibition
 It is an opportunity for them to learn about Singapore’s history
 Bicentennial is also a theme to attract more visitors to Singapore,
special events like the iLights Bicentennial version.
 Tourism is about marketing and branding place. We need to
showcase what is unique (Bicentennial is a unique moment/theme).

 Heritage can be also used in tourism

 Today’s Objectives
 Understand the scale: region
 Understand landscape change through tourism examples
 Identify recent developments and challenges in tourism development
(Politics & Power)
 Link to Lecture 2: Tourism Landscapes are another form of ‘urban space’
(Urbanisation in Singapore)
 Link to Lecture 5: Historic districts are tourist attractions (Heritage
Landscapes)
 Tourism
Themes/Slogans
 Singapore’s tourism development has evolved beyond its borders. While
earlier focus has been on the local scale, the present focus is mainly at the
regional/global scale
 Instant Asia
 Surprising Singapore
 New Asia Singapore
 Uniquely Singapore
 YourSingapore
 Passion Made Possible
Tourism Landscape
Changes
 Singapore’s changing tourism landscape reflect changing policy
priorities over time
 Development of Local Landscapes for Tourism: Culture and Nature
(1980s)
 Development of Regional Tourism Projects: Investments Beyond
Singapore (1990s and beyond)
 Development of Tourism Landscapes of Global Standards (2000s)
Challenges for
Singapore Tourism
 Small island, not much in terms of natural landscape or built
landscapes to attract visitors
“Instant Asia” (1964)
Is this enough? Focusing on the
local cultural landscapes?

Easier to work with what we have,

post-independence  other
concerns
 “Surprising Singapore” (1984)

Tourists: Singapore not what they expected, a different kind of tropical

island, not like other cities in the region?
Development of Local
Tourism Landscapes (1980s)
Developing Heritage Landscapes
◦ “As a result of our modernisation, we have removed aspects of our
Oriental mystique and charm which are best symbolised by our old
buildings, traditional activities and roadside activities such as the pasar
malam.” (Tourism Task Force, 1984)
◦ Eg. Bugis Street, ethnic districts, museums, Raffles Hotel

◦ “We made our share of mistakes in Singapore. For example in our rush to
rebuild Singapore, we have knocked down many quaint Singapore
buildings. Then we realised we were destroying a valuable part of our
cultural heritage, that we were demolishing what tourists found attractive
and unique in Singapore. We halted the demolition.” (Then SM Lee Kuan
Yew, 1995)
Development of Local
Tourism Landscapes (1980s)
First Tourism Master Plan: Tourism Product Development Plan (1986)
created in reaction to tourism slowdown in 1983-1985

SGD 1 billion government budget to target 5 areas focused on local

culture and nature:
◦ Colonial Heritage
◦ Exotic East
◦ Tropical Garden
◦ Garden City
◦ Sporting Events
Local Challenges for
Singapore Tourism
i. Inauthenticity effects: tangible heritage/hardware
conserved but not intangible/ software. [E.g.
Chinatown & Bugis Street’s loss of traditional
businesses, residents, charm]

ii. Commercialisation effects: attractions that restrict

local access by way of pricing. [E.g. Haw Par Villa]

iii. Carrying Capacity effects: overcrowding & congestion

in many local recreational sites. [E.g. Sentosa]
Regional Challenges for
Singapore Tourism
 Nothing really surprising about us? We don’t have a monopoly on
Instant Asia? (e.g. Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia)
“New Asia Singapore”(1995)
Singapore at the crossroads of the East
and West, tradition and modernity

Focus on Singapore’s location as a hub in

the region
Regionalisation
 Two concepts relevant in understanding Singapore’s evolving tourism
landscapes especially since 1996 and into the new millenium:
 Regionalisation
 Regionalisation: Broad economic strategy that transcends national
boundaries  ‘external arm’ or ‘second wing’ to complement the
national economy (development of the immediate economy).
 Former PM Goh Chok Tong launched regionalisation drive at
Singapore Forum in London (1994) with the slogan “Singapore
Unlimited: Bringing the World to Singapore, Bringing Singapore to
the World”
Regionalisation
Why go regional?
◦ “Going regional is about investing our expertise in growth areas in the
region, interlocking them with our domestic economy. It strengthens our
economy, expands our natural economic zone and [improves] our standard
of living” (Former PM Goh)

Big or small Singapore?

◦ “Managed well, we can be much larger than what we are geographically… A
Small Singapore mentality finds the region with all its problems
uncomfortable and our diversity a source of friction. A Big Singapore
mentality engages the region, celebrates and uses it to access economic and
cultural spaces all over the world” (Former Minister for Trade and Industry,
George Yeo)
Development of Regional
Tourism Landscapes (1990s)
 Second tourism master plan: Tourism 21 (1996) created to develop a
‘second wing/external arm’ for tourism

 STB’s pursuit of regional tourism in line with government’s Singapore

UnLimited agenda (even the slogan is similar!)

 Vision: Singapore as a Tourism Capital for the 21st Century

Tourism 21: Tourism
Capital
Tourism 21:
1 Vision: Tourism Capital

3 Goals:
Destination
Business Centre
Hub/Gateway

6 Strategic Thrusts:
Redefine tourism
Reformulate product
Configure new tourism space
Partner for success
Champion tourism
Develop tourism industry
 Development of Regional
Tourism Landscapes (1990s)
 Singapore as Regional Hub for Tourism Businesses
◦ Singapore as a regional business hub for all forms of tourism businesses, be it local or
foreign-owned (RHQ/OHQ concept)
◦ Cirque du Soleil; Club Med Hotels and Resorts; Sotheby’s; Star Cruises; Carnival

 Exporting Tourism Expertise to the Region

◦ Packaging tourism expertise and knowledge that Singapore is good at, for ‘export/sale’ to
countries in the region (tourism consultancies)
◦ Hotel management skills and the training of staff (SHATEC)
◦ Setting up and managing national air carriers
◦ Building hotels and resorts (Raffles Hotel Int.; HPL; Banyan Tree; Millenium)
◦ Implementation of tourism masterplans
◦ Consultancies by private-sector:
◦ Wildlife Reserves Singapore
◦ Changi Airports International (CAI): Build, Operate, Manage, Transfer
Regional Tourism
 Tourism development on regional scale: cities and countries across
national borders tied together forming new geographic alliances
 Countries ‘share’ scenic, historic, cultural and infrastructural
resources and promote each other as a single destination zone
 Examples: IMS-GT [Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore]; ‘Jewels of the
Mekong’ [Yunnan, China; Laos; Vietnam; Cambodia; Thailand];
Northern Growth Triangle [Penang, Medan, Phuket]; Pearl River Delta
[Hong Kong, Macau, Guangdong]; BIMP-EAGA [Brunei, Indonesia,
Malaysia, Philippines]
 More recently: Singapore
as a Cruise Hub
• 16th -17th April 2015: Singapore-
Vietnam Memorandum of
Cooperation for cruise workshops and
encourage exchange of information
on regional cruise tourism
developments.
• Assist Vietnam and ASEAN
• 11th June 2015: Singapore –
Thailand Memorandum of
Understanding on Cooperation in
the Field of Cruise Tourism to
open more cruise routes between
Singapore and Thailand
• Joint Cruise workshops, exchange
of information, cruise tourism
and development
 More recently: Singapore
as a Cruise Hub
• 17th August 2015: Royal Caribbean has signed
a marketing deal with the Singapore Tourism
Board and Changi Airport Group to attract
overseas fly-cruise tourists to Singapore over
the next three years.

• Aims to attract 170,000 tourists between

2015 and 2018.

• Increase sails from 30 to 40 per annum, with

longer cruise periods.

• Generate over $100 million in tourist receipts

per annum
 Medical Tourism in
Singapore
Defined as “the organised travel outside one’s natural healthcare
jurisdiction for the enhancement or restoration of the individual’s
health through medical intervention” (Carrera and Bridges 2006)

Singapore’s healthcare sector:

◦ Balanced private and public mix (NHG, SingHealth, Parkway Health, Raffles
Medical, IHH Healthcare)
◦ Corporatised public sector
◦ Economic growth strategy to develop biomedical industries
◦ Regional service hub
◦ Medical R&D support
Medical Tourism in
Singapore
Singapore as Tourism Hub for Medical Visitors
◦ Medical tourist numbers: 410,000 (in 2010)  850,000 (2012; creating
13,000 jobs)
◦ 2010: medical tourism revenue = S$856 million (2012: S$1.11 billion)
◦ Tie-ups with international partners eg. John Hopkins University, Mayo Clinic,
Duke Medical School, Imperial College
◦ Rival medical destinations include India, Malaysia, Thailand (all are cheaper
than Singapore, but Singapore publicises its advanced infrastructure and
common use of English)
Regional Landscape
Challenges
◦ Competition to be hub: regional cities compete to be regional gateways
(Bangkok, KL); medical hubs (Bangkok, Penang)

◦ Local tensions/acceptance: G-to-G partnerships do not guarantee ground-

level acceptance of Singapore’s presence
◦ E.g.: Bintan (2000) where local villagers protest to demand compensation for loss of
land to Salim group; disruption to travel, supplies

◦ Shakkei cuts both ways: sharing one another’s attractiveness & problems –
Haze; Political Instability; SARS
Regionalisation 2000
 Regionalisation 2000: Policy aimed at developing Singapore as a
regional/global business hub and springboard to the region for
local/foreign TNCs [7-hour flight radius hinterland]
 Regionalisation/globalisation: inevitable means to tap foreign
markets and create a borderless space for economic advancement
 Unique global city in Singapore, also make use of IT, Technology to
carve out what is unique about Singapore, and your Singapore.
 “Uniquely Singapore”(2004)
To showcase Singapore’s uniqueness, especially in the wake
of SARS (2003), no one wanted to visit.
 “YourSingapore”(2010)
Customising your itinerary – different landscapes of Singapore,
choose what suits you
Selected CAI Global Airport
Consulting & Investment Projects
Region Facility
Singapore Changi Airport; Seletar Airport
China Beijing Airport, China-Singapore Aviation
Management Academy, Chengdu Airport,
Chongqing Airport, Nanjing Airport, Ningbo
Airport, Qingdao Airport, Shenzhen Airport,
Taiyuan Airport, Xiamen Airport
India Bangalore Airport, Bengal Aerotropolis Project,
Mumbai Airport, Nagpur Airport
Asia-Pacific Auckland Airport, Brunei Airport, Karachi
Airport, Manila Airport, Zamboanga Airport,
Male Airport, Nadi Airport
Europe Ciampino Airport, Fiumicino Airport, London
Luton Airport, Krasnodar Airport, Sochi Airport
Middle-East Doha Airport, Abu Dhabi Airport
Africa Kigali Airport, Seychelles Airport
South America Brasilia Airport, Lima Airport
More recently: Medical Tourism in
Singapore
Country Origin of Patients (Ranked in Specialities
Order of Volume)
Thailand Japan, USA, South Asia, UK, Cosmetic and Sex Change
Middle East, ASEAN Countries Surgery

Singapore Indonesia, Malaysia, Middle Cardiovascular, Neurological

East Surgery, Stem Cell Therapy,
Joint Replacement, Liver
Transplant

Malaysia Indonesia, Singapore, Japan, Cardiovascular and Cosmetic

India, Europe Surgery
 Development of Tourism
Landscapes of Global Standards
Tourism 2015 :
A number of Tourism 2015’s plans have come to fruition and the landscape and
skyline of Singapore have been altered by the landmark projects introduced
◦ Singapore Flyer
◦ Integrated Resorts: Marina Bay Sands (MBS) and Resorts World Sentosa (RWS)
◦ Gardens by the Bay (STB 2005)
◦ Singapore Airlines Formula 1 Grand Prix

The goal: promote tourism development as part of a larger national development

strategy to fulfil Singapore’s aspirations to be a global city hub for economics,
finance and trade.
Tourism developments are changing the landscapes of Singapore as part of
continuing efforts to rebrand Singapore’s entertainment, lifestyle and leisure
industries for tourists and Singaporeans.
Development of Tourism
Landscapes of Global Standards
Tourism 2015
In 2005, Minister for Trade and Industry, Mr Lim Hng Kiang;
Singapore Tourism Board’s (STB) targets 2015:

• Tripling tourism receipts to S$30 billion (2014: $23.6

billion)
• Doubling visitor arrivals to 17 million (2014: 15.1 million),
◦ Creating an additional 100,000 jobs in the services sector,
◦ Launching a series of iconic projects with the aim of
remaking Singapore into an appealing tourism destination
with world class attractions.
 “Passion Made Possible”(2017)
“Passion Made Possible is the first joint brand by the agencies, and aims
to attract tourism and business by showcasing Singapore’s attitude and
mindset as well as serving as a platform for Singaporeans to market
themselves globally, the agencies said in a joint press release.”
• Increasingly well-travelled and
discerning tourists demanding
authentic and local experience
• Especially among “millennials” born
between 1981-1995
• “People want to know what is the
heart of the country”
• Bukit Brown Cemetery, Kranji
Memorial, NUS Baba House
• Staying Longer (3.7 days, up from 3.5
days); Spending More ($23.6 billion
from $23.5 billion)
Changes to Singapore’s
Landscape over the
years
 Tourism development used not only to attract visitors, but to rebrand
Singapore into an exciting global city in which it is not only fun to
work but also live and play
 Shift from traditional model of cultural tourism to global tourism
landscape (e.g. from Little India, Chinatown and Geylang Serai to
MBS and RWS integrated resorts, and the F1 races)
 Developments for local and tourists to enjoy
Recent Issues in
Singapore Tourism
 Global tourism landscape challenges: values vs tourism $  MBS
RWS integrated resorts. Casinos vs other big attractions that come
with casinos.
 Other countries in the regions also use this strategy (Philippines,
Malaysia, Macao etc.)
 Other international festivals: Gourmet Festival, iLight Marina, Night
Festival. How do we showcase our uniqueness?
 International Events and
Their Impact on
Singapore’s Tourism
e.g. Formula 1; Music Festivals;
Jewel Changi

International Policy Mobility

City Branding and Visibility of

Singapore as an Attractive
Tourist Destination

Source: https://singaporegp.sg
iLight Marina and policy
emulations
Light festivals originated in Europe
but are now commonplace in
global cities, including Singapore
Top-down planning
‘Cut-and-paste’ from a global
template with local modifications
Benefits
Formula 1: Provides opportunities to
see other parts of Singapore such as
Orchard, Clark Quay and Kampong
Glam with race-themed parties
Jewel Changi: Allows international
travelers to enjoy ‘Singapore’ without
stepping out of the airport;

Lowers pressure on infrastructure in

the main city/event area
Challenges
Staying Ahead of
Regional
Competitiveness
Expensive, thus, Not
Accessible to All

Source: zoukout.com
Lecture Summary
 Tourism is an important part of the economic plan, adopted different
strategies over the years  scalar analysis (local, regional and global)
 Tourism affects Singapore’s landscape in a variety of ways
 Now  Tourism landscapes as simultaneously global and local (i.e.
two scales mutually impact each other)