Dr Kazuo Yanagi a Japanese Tourist wins Singapore's first 'Roaring SurPrizes!' Grand Prize worth $20,000

The Singapore Roars Campaign, the latest phase of the recovery programme for the tourism industry organised to attract visitors back to Singapore during the post-SARS period, gave a resounding roar as it handed out its first grand prize today. The lucky 'Roaring SurPrizes!' grand prize winner, Dr Kazuo Yanagi, aged 45 from Tokyo, had much cause to celebrate yesterday when he hit the "jackpot" at the 'Roaring SurPrizes!' gazebo - situated between the Heeren Shopping Centre and Faber House - right in the heart of Orchard Road.

Dr Yanagi, who is in Singapore for a five-day holiday with his daughter, won a S$20,000 Shop-Till-You-Drop Experience at Tangs. He was presented the grand prize at the 'Roaring SurPrizes!' gazebo at 2pm today, by Mr Shigeru Kikuchi, STB's Deputy Director of Leisure Attractions. To date, the draw has attracted nearly 2,000 participants. A simple process, a visitor just needs to go down to the gazebo with the Roaring Great Deals card to play the game. In the style of a jackpot fruit machine, a button is pushed which sends reels on the  machine spinning. The prize is determined by the combination of pictures displayed after the reels stop spinning.

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"Winning this prize has been a very pleasant surprise and it has made my stay even more memorable for my daughter and I. It is our first time in Singapore and we have enjoyed ourselves tremendously. I look forward to spending this unexpected $20,000 Tangs shopping voucher!", said Dr Yanagi.

STB has put together a promotional package called the Roaring Great Deals which in addition to the base offers, there are also themed deals each month. The month of July is dedicated to Yuppies, August to ladies, September to men, October to professionals, November to couples and December to families and seniors.

This promotion will run from 1 July to 31 Dec 2003. Each month, a lucky grand prize winner will walk away with prizes worth more than S$20,000. For the month of August, dedicated to ladies, the grand prize winner will get to choose between a diamond worth more than S$37,000 from Lee Hwa Jewellery or a S$20,000 Robinsons Shopping voucher. More great prizes such as shopping vouchers, electronics coupons, spa and dining vouchers and resort getaways can be expected from September through to December.

Mr Gerald Lee, Chief Business Operations, STB said: "As part of the Singapore Roars Campaign, Roaring Great Deals is one of the most extensive projects STB has undertaken with the support of the local tourism industry. This is the first time since the turn of the millennium, that we are offering such a wide variety of unprecedented prizes and discounts. It is our way of expressing our sincere thanks to our friends from across the world for their unyielding support during these challenging times."

Overseas visitors also stand a chance to win instant prizes, including dining vouchers, hotel stays and shopping vouchers by producing the Roaring Great Deals! card at the Roaring SurPrizes! gazebo between the Heeren Shopping Centre and Faber House. Besides offering overseas visitors a chance to win attractive 'Roaring SurPrizes!', the Roaring Great Deals! card also features an array of irresistible one-for-one offers on dining, spa treatments, retail purchases and admission charges to Singapore's famous attractions. Over 300 shops in Bugis Street, Chinatown, Clarke Quay, Boat Quay, and Marina Bay have participated in this programme.

The Roaring Great Deals! card is found in the Roaring Great Deals! complimentary booklet that visitors can pick up from any of our Singapore Visitor Centres, brochure racks at hotels, tourist attractions and the airport.

The Roaring SurPrizes! gazebo is opened from 4p.m. to 11p.m. from Mondays to Fridays and 1p.m. to 11p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays. Visitors must produce their passports for verification purposes in order to participate in the Roaring SurPrizes! draw.