Don't rely on tired formula'
The New Paper
3 March 2005
East Coast GRC's Mr Tan Soo Khoon again stirred the hornet's
nest.
Think last year's 8.3 million tourist arrivals and $9.6 billion in
tourism receipts is worth shouting about?
Think again, he says.
The tourism sector's contribution to GDP has actually fallen by
half from 6 per cent in 1993 to the current 3 per cent.
Mr Tan's call?
Don't ape what others do. Come up with original ideas. Capitalise
on our unique strengths.
And he added that relying 'on the same tried and tired formula by
simply repackaging it under a new slogan' won't work
Already, he argued, Singapore's had two golden opportunities
snatched away by its regional competitors.
One, we lost the Formula One Grand Prix event to Malaysia.
Result: They get an estimated RM$1 billion ($428m) injection into
their economy each year.
Two, we lost the Disneyland 'super theme park' to Hong Kong.
The result: Millions of extra tourists, thousands of extra jobs
headed Hong Kong's way.
What we're left with, he says, is 'neither-here-nor-there'
attractions like Haw Par Villa, and Sentosa's 'artificial
beaches'.
Oh, and as he puts it, 'one ageing musical fountain'.
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We lost ground and they are trying to get in another half-f8cked
casino which will eventually be neither here nor there.
