FROM having to top-up additional cash to bad experiences, the SingapoRediscovers Vouchers (SRV) scheme is getting a bad rap - to the point where over 2 million eligible adults have still not redeemed their vouchers.
The scheme, which is overseen by the Singapore Tourism Board (STB), aims to boost local spending in the beleaguered tourism sector. Each adult citizen can redeem S$100 in voucher credits, which are to be spent on hotels, tours and attractions. A major gripe is that such outings are usually family affairs, which means a fair bit of money will have to be topped up for the kids.
"Most consumers would look at their total cost of a visit to an attraction or for a staycation and not in isolation… Both a pull and push strategy might work to stimulate the utilisation of the stimulus vouchers that is needed for the economic growth to pick up," he said.
Many who have made purchases using the vouchers have also reported bad experiences, leading to complaints about merchants on social media or in feedback to the Consumers Association of Singapore (Case).
A key gripe: merchants' alleged failure to deliver promised products and services, especially as purchases made using the vouchers are generally not refundable under STB rules.
In one case, a customer had booked a yacht tour for two but was told later that the tour could not proceed as at least eight people were needed to set sail. The consumer was asked to accept another tour of lower value, which he did not agree with.
In response to queries from BT, STB said as at end-March that it had not delisted any merchants over "unethical business practices" - such as not delivering products or services that had been bought with SRV.
But the agency will not hesitate to penalise errant merchants, by removing them or their products from the scheme, a spokesperson added.
Only merchants that already meet certain STB criteria can have their products put up for sale on the authorised booking platforms.
Despite the low take-up, the Ministry of Trade and Industry (MTI) has no plans to extend its end-June deadline for the scheme, and industry watchers said full participation would be an uphill battle anyway.
The scheme, which is overseen by the Singapore Tourism Board (STB), aims to boost local spending in the beleaguered tourism sector. Each adult citizen can redeem S$100 in voucher credits, which are to be spent on hotels, tours and attractions. A major gripe is that such outings are usually family affairs, which means a fair bit of money will have to be topped up for the kids.
"Most consumers would look at their total cost of a visit to an attraction or for a staycation and not in isolation… Both a pull and push strategy might work to stimulate the utilisation of the stimulus vouchers that is needed for the economic growth to pick up," he said.
Many who have made purchases using the vouchers have also reported bad experiences, leading to complaints about merchants on social media or in feedback to the Consumers Association of Singapore (Case).
A key gripe: merchants' alleged failure to deliver promised products and services, especially as purchases made using the vouchers are generally not refundable under STB rules.
In one case, a customer had booked a yacht tour for two but was told later that the tour could not proceed as at least eight people were needed to set sail. The consumer was asked to accept another tour of lower value, which he did not agree with.
In response to queries from BT, STB said as at end-March that it had not delisted any merchants over "unethical business practices" - such as not delivering products or services that had been bought with SRV.
But the agency will not hesitate to penalise errant merchants, by removing them or their products from the scheme, a spokesperson added.
Only merchants that already meet certain STB criteria can have their products put up for sale on the authorised booking platforms.
Despite the low take-up, the Ministry of Trade and Industry (MTI) has no plans to extend its end-June deadline for the scheme, and industry watchers said full participation would be an uphill battle anyway.
