Singapore tourism board to tab Indian market better this year

Mumbai, Feb 22 (UNI) Singapore Tourism Board (STB) has decided to take more initiatives in the Indian market now, after receiving an overwhelming response last year.

Making a presentation on 'New endeavours in Singapore for India', board's area director, western India, Rebecca Lim said, with nearly 5.83 lakh Indian visitors travelling to Singapore last year, India has become the fifth largest source market for Singapore.

Last year, STB had launched a new office in New Delhi as a part of its continuing effort to strengthen its position in the Indian market. This year will see more initiatives coming from STB in the Indian market, she said.

The potential of tourism sector in India is immense with increasing affluence among middle class and introduction of low cost carriers, Ms Lim said.

An estimated Singapore dollars eight billion are being invested into its famous resort island, Sentosa. It has already opened up a wide selection of beach bars, the Sentosa lounge and the 4-d animated theatre in recent months, she added.

The island city is investing around Singapore dollar 1.6 million to revitalise orchard road and make it one of the best shopping streets.

Singapore is positioned as the exchange capital of the world and already 1,500 Indian companies present there are well positioned to expand their business in China and other parts of Asia.

STB regional director for South Asia, West Asia and Africa, Kang Siew Kheng said, ''We have been seeing the evevolution of the Indian market since we stated our engagement more than a decade ago.

More Indians than ever are travelling. My immediate priority is to ensure that we keep communicating with our Indian visitors and our trade partners. We want to keep it up there in the top five nations of visitors coming to our shores.'' Singapore is also offering quality education to Indian students.

She said with the renowned universities like S P Jain already setting up campus and IIM-B and XLRI planning to set up base in Singapore ''we are carving out a niche in this segment in Asia and hope to attract more interested students from India into our city,'' Ms Kheng added.

UNI JM GK SB KN1700