Singapore Tourism Board unveils incentives for Indian corporates

Bangalore, Sep 1 (UNI) Keeping in view the rapidly growing Indian tourists inflow into the Island city, the Singapore Tourism Board (STB) has unveiled a suite of value incentives for Indian corporates to attract them to hold their meetings, and conventions and there.

STB,in this regard, has embarked on a four city road show in Mumbai, Delhi, Chennai and Bangalore commencing from August 29 to September 7. The Singapore government has earmarked Singapore Dollars 170 million for the purpose towards the scheme made available to the corporates across the world over next five years.

Giving a presentation on this, STB Regional Director for South Asia, West Asia and Africa Kang Siew Kheng said the new initiative would also provide Indian companies to have access to a great number of business opportunities and new ideas generated by industry verticals present in the country. Key Industry bodies in India such as the Federation of Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) and other commerce bodies would be engaged to promote the initiative, she explained.

She said Business Travel, Meetings, Incentives, Conventions and Exhibitions (BTMICE) segment accounted for 25 per cent of the total global visitors of nearly 9 million to Singapore in 2005. Last year nearly six lakh Indian tourists visited Singapore, an increase of 24 per cent over the previous year. This year the number of Indian tourists had already crossed 3.85 lakhs from January to June, she pointed out.

She observed that only 12 per cent of the total visitors belonged to the BTMICE segment and hoped that it would increase further rapidly considering the numerous Information Technology destinations especially in the Southern India.

UNI SR MSP YA RK1425