Thursday, August 29, 2024 Singapore Tourism Board and Helloworld sign a three-year deal to boost Singapore as a top travel destination for Australians and New Zealanders, starting April 2025. The Singapore Tourism Board (STB) and Helloworld Travel Limited have entered into a significant three-year Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to elevate Singapore’s profile as a must-visit destination for travelers from Australia and New Zealand. The partnership, set to commence on April 1, 2025, aims to position Singapore beyond its traditional image as a mere stopover, offering a more immersive and value-driven travel experience.
Under this new agreement, both organizations will collaboratively develop attractive travel packages that include flights, accommodation, and a variety of unique experiences, encouraging travelers to explore the diverse offerings of the Lion City. This initiative is part of a broader strategy to sustain and accelerate the robust recovery of visitor numbers from these regions, which have already shown promising signs. From January to July this year alone, Singapore welcomed 664,000 Australian visitors and over 90,000 travelers from New Zealand, surpassing pre-pandemic levels recorded in 2019.
In addition to creating enticing travel packages, the MOU outlines a commitment to enhance the skills and knowledge of Helloworld’s travel agents. Through access to up-to-date information, specialized training, and familiarization trips, agents will be better equipped to promote Singapore’s diverse offerings. The agreement also includes conducting trade and consumer surveys to gain deeper insights into the preferences and expectations of travelers from Australia and New Zealand.
The formal signing of the MOU took place at Helloworld’s head office in South Melbourne, with STB’s chief executive, Melissa Ow, and Helloworld’s CEO and managing director, Andrew Burnes AO, officiating the agreement. This partnership marks a continuation of the successful collaboration between STB Oceania and Helloworld, which has previously resulted in several successful campaigns. Notably, a recent campaign focusing on encouraging stopover stays in Singapore, conducted from January to February this year, led to a 28% increase in room bookings compared to the same period last year.
The recent surge in visitors from Australia and New Zealand is bolstered by Singapore’s expanding range of accommodations, dining experiences, and attractions. The city-state has seen the introduction of several new offerings in the past two years, such as Bird Paradise, The Palawan @ Sentosa, Mr. Bucket Chocolaterie, Sentosa Sensoryscape, Children’s Museum Singapore, and Central Beach Bazaar.
These attractions are complemented by new hotels including 21 Carpenter, Artyzen Singapore, The Singapore EDITION, and Mercure ICON Singapore City Centre, making Singapore an increasingly attractive destination for international travelers. As this new partnership unfolds, the Singapore Tourism Board and Helloworld Travel Limited are poised to further strengthen Singapore’s appeal, ensuring that more travelers from Australia and New Zealand view it as a compelling and enriching destination in its own right..
