'Phua Chu Kang' and Ning Baizura Appointed as Celebrity Ambassadors for Singapore

The Singapore Tourism Board (STB) today announced that Malaysian entertainer Ning Baizura and the much-loved television character "Phua Chu Kang" (PCK), played by MediaCorp artiste Gurmit Singh, will be its Celebrity Ambassadors for Singapore in Malaysia. This appointment brings PCK and Ning into a special collaboration with the STB to promote Singapore as a vibrant and exciting destination with much to offer to all Malaysians.

To kick things off, Ning and PCK will star in a prominent print and broadcast advertising campaign, which STB will launch across Malaysia from September. Running over the next four months, the advertisements, which will appear in the major Malaysian dailies and on billboards, as well as on terrestrial and satellite TV and on radio, will reinforce the positioning of Singapore as THE place to be.

The Malaysian public can also look forward to seeing both celebrities making special performances in selected cities as part of a series of nationwide consumer roadshows planned for the months of September and October, as well as other publicity events throughout the year.

STB's Regional Director for ASEAN (Mainland), Mr Dayne Hakim Lim, said that PCK's infectious humour and huge appeal with Malaysian viewers and Ning's star appeal made them natural choices to front STB's 'Singapore Roars' advertising and promotional campaign to woo Malaysian consumers.

Said Mr Lim: "In many ways, PCK is a living Singaporean icon that Malaysians can relate to. His persona gels well with Singapore's destination qualities that we want more Malaysians to know better about - fun, spontaneous and energetic. This complements perfectly Ning's glamorous and cosmopolitan profile to reinforce the essence of Destination Singapore. We are optimistic that their infectious chemistry will connect well with Malaysians and help to enhance Singapore's overall destination appeal."

"Having PCK and Ning on board for our tourism promotional efforts in Malaysia will also add a more personal touch to our efforts to communicate Singapore's multi-faceted attractions," he added.

The appointment of PCK and Ning as STB's ambassadors in Malaysia and the launch of the advertising blitz and consumer roadshow are the latest initiatives by STB in a concerted plan to attract more Malaysian visitors. Earlier this month, it launched its Regional Office in Kuala Lumpur and in conjunction, also organised a Singapore TravelMart and a weekend carnival at Bintang Walk, with the objective of providing more timely and effective customer service to Malaysian consumers and forging stronger collaborative  partnerships with the Malaysian travel trade.

The announcement on STB's latest tourism ambassadors was made at a press conference in Kuala Lumpur earlier today. Speaking at the conference, Ning said that she is thrilled with her ambassadorial role:

"My affection for Singapore stems from my experience of travelling to the country for both business and leisure. Over the years, I have come to know Singapore as a fun, vibrant city, with exciting attractions, events and entertainment offerings. Not to mention the great shopping every time too! Singapore offers a unique and diverse destination experience that appeals so much to Malaysians,'' she said.

PCK added: "Ning and I are such good friends. When she came over to Singapore recently, I brought her to the Esplanade for a musical, to Zouk and many great eating places. Plus shopping at Orchard Road as well, of course. Next time round, I will introduce her to more exciting experiences such as Sentosa, the Night Safari and maybe even shopping in Toa Payoh!"