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S'porean surprised he's paying more for Bird Paradise admission than tourists
PHOTOS: STOMP, THE STRAITS TIMES
Published Oct 13, 2025, 11:27am
UpdatedOct 13, 2025, 11:52am
Submitted by
Jackson
A Singaporean was surprised to learn that he was paying more for admission to Bird Paradise than tourists.
Stomper Jackson shared screenshots showing the price difference of the tickets for the same day.
For two adult residents, the WildPass for Sept 21 cost $88.20 after a $9.80 online discount.
For two adult tourists, the online price of Bird Paradise admission on the same day was $60.
The Stomper made the discovery while reviewing the pricing information on the Mandai Wildlife Reserve website
"To my surprise, I noticed that Singapore residents are paying more than non-residents for the same experience," said the Stomper.
"Even after applying the WildPass discount intended for locals, Singapore residents still pay $28.20 more than the Tourist Online Exclusive promotion available to overseas visitors."
The Stomper wants to know the rationale behind the prices.
He said: "As a Singaporean who contributes to taxes and nation-building, I find this pricing structure puzzling and somewhat discouraging.
"While I understand that special promotions can be used to attract international tourists and encourage spending in Singapore's broader economy, it feels counterintuitive that local residents - who support and sustain Mandai Wildlife Reserve year-round - are paying a premium."
The Stomper asked: "Could Mandai Wildlife Group kindly clarify the reasoning behind this pricing difference?
"It would also be encouraging to know if there are plans to extend similar promotional opportunities to Singapore residents, so that locals feel equally valued and motivated to visit."
In response to a Stomp query, a spokesperson from Mandai Wildlife Group said: "The specific promotion was a limited-time flash deal targeting tourists in their home countries before arrival in Singapore, as part of our seasonal marketing efforts to encourage tourist visits to the Mandai Wildlife Reserve.
"Such offers are tactically launched and timed with various inbound travel periods.
"Our approach for the local community goes beyond seasonal campaigns. We focus on local resident discounts as well as memberships which are suited for families who want repeated access to our parks all-year round. This year, we also launched a series of SG60 promotions.
"We deeply appreciate the support of Singaporeans and local residents, and we remain committed to making the Mandai Wildlife Reserve a vibrant place for our local community to enjoy."
