STB launches Uniquely Singapore Weekends to Boost Weekend Visitor Arrivals

The Singapore Tourism Board (STB) launches the Uniquely Singapore Weekends campaign this week in an attempt to position Singapore as a top-of-mind weekend destination in the region. Seven cities have been chosen for this campaign aimed also at attracting more visitors to experience weekend getaways, any time throughout the year. These cities - Bangkok, Chennai, Guangzhou, Hong Kong, Jakarta, Johor Baru and Kuala Lumpur - have been chosen based on their proximity and ease of travel to Singapore.

To generate awareness of the Uniquely Singapore Weekends, a series of marketing communications activities will be implemented as part of an integrated and sustained campaign plan. These include advertisements in print and broadcast media; outdoor advertisements on subways and billboards; online and search engine marketing via MSN, yahoo and hotmail; familiarisation visits for media; contests as well as consumer and media events. Advertisements in various cities will start to run this week, followed by other marketing and promotional initiatives in each market leading to the weekend celebration at Clarke Quay on 10-12 August which will mark the first weekend of the 52-weekend campaign.

The concept for the Uniquely Singapore Weekends campaign rests on the fact that on any given weekend in Singapore, there are already many exciting experiences that visitors can enjoy. These include partying up a storm, shopping for leading edge products and international brands, indulging in exquisite international and local cuisine or attending world-class events alongside other weekend revellers. The Uniquely Singapore Weekends campaign profiles Singapore as a vibrant and exciting lifestyle destination where visitors can soak in a weekend of fun and revelry without disrupting their work schedule.

Being in Singapore over the weekends also means better value for visitors looking for short getaways, since more rooms are available during the weekends and hotels are already offering value-for-money weekend deals. In addition to the current deals, special weekend packages under the Uniquely Singapore Weekends programme will provide visitors with value added services, including spa and dining privileges. Visitors can also enhance their Uniquely Singapore Weekends experience by taking advantage of the special discounts offered by a wide range of food and beverage establishments, spas, shopping malls and attractions, which are applicable only on weekends.

“Given our unique strengths as a destination, there is potential for us to grow the weekend visitor arrivals by positioning Singapore as the weekend destination for regional travellers. As the work week winds down, visitors from around the region can visit Singapore and enjoy its vibrant nightlife scene, quality leisure options and world-class events all year round. I am confident that given our range of quality lifestyle offerings, visitors will find that there is so much to experience during weekends in Singapore that they will return for repeat visits,” said Mr Quek Swee Kuan, Deputy Chief Executive, International Group, STB.

An exciting line-up of weekend events awaits visitors in August. To kick off Uniquely Singapore Weekends on 10-12 August (Friday-Sunday), popular entertainment precinct Clarke Quay will be transformed into a colourful and lively party zone with special deals and premiums given out to visitors to sample Clarke Quay’s many lifestyle offerings. Visitors can take advantage of discount vouchers offered by various establishments at Clarke Quay and enjoy priority queues and premiums such as complimentary drinks at Attica, Fashion Bar, Indochine’s Forbidden City and the Ministry of Sound. Come 17-18 August (Friday-Saturday), world-class producers from Europe and Asia will stage spectacular pyro-musicals that will set the Singapore night skies ablaze with beautiful fireworks at the annual Singapore Fireworks Festival, to be held on the brand new floating platform at the Marina Bay for the first time.

The fun continues on 24-26 August (Friday-Sunday) as WOMAD Singapore 2007 celebrates its 10th year in Singapore and musicians from around the globe will once again explode in the historical Fort Canning Park for a 3-day weekend performance. Visitors can also choose to catch the official launch of WaterFest 2007 which will take place on the same weekend on 25 – 26 August (Friday-Saturday) at the floating platform at Marina Bay. For some star gazing, fans of successful hit TV series “Heroes” will get to meet the cast on 31 August (Friday) in Singapore, their only stop in Southeast Asia as part of the Heroes World Tour.

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