http://www.traveldaily.co.uk/AsiaPacificNews/Detail.aspx?Section=22369
Singapore’s two integrated resorts (IRs) have not made the expected impact on the city’s attractions, according to a new survey.
A membership poll undertaken by the Association of Singapore Attractions (ASA), found that 45 percent of attractions had seen a decline in visitor numbers, with figures dropping by as much as 28 percent. This is despite a 20.2 percent rise in visitors to Singapore.
“Our inaugural survey revealed that while national tourist arrivals grew by one-fifth in 2010, its influence wasn’t evenly felt across Singapore attractions,” said Kevin Cheong, chairman of ASA. However, the country’s Sentosa Island has taken a large chunk of tourists, registering a 185 percent rise in visitor arrivals due to the opening of Resorts World Sentosa.
“We’ve also discovered that the IRs tend to benefit the attractions on Sentosa Island more so than any other location,” said Cheong.
On Sentosa, 76 percent of total visitors were tourists - 8.1 percent more than in 2009. Collectively, Singapore’s attractions sector reported a total attendance of more than 34 million visitors last year, of which 49.8 percent were international tourists. This represented a 56.3 percent increase over the previous year’s figures. However, paid attractions in Singapore, excluding those on Sentosa, registered a 0.2 percent decline in visitor numbers in 2010, with those in the city centre experiencing a 4.4 percent decline. Tourist figures also dropped 3.2 percent.
Visitation to free attractions however, jumped 120 percent year-on-year due to the opening of several new attractions during the year.
Singapore’s two integrated resorts (IRs) have not made the expected impact on the city’s attractions, according to a new survey.
A membership poll undertaken by the Association of Singapore Attractions (ASA), found that 45 percent of attractions had seen a decline in visitor numbers, with figures dropping by as much as 28 percent. This is despite a 20.2 percent rise in visitors to Singapore.
“Our inaugural survey revealed that while national tourist arrivals grew by one-fifth in 2010, its influence wasn’t evenly felt across Singapore attractions,” said Kevin Cheong, chairman of ASA. However, the country’s Sentosa Island has taken a large chunk of tourists, registering a 185 percent rise in visitor arrivals due to the opening of Resorts World Sentosa.
“We’ve also discovered that the IRs tend to benefit the attractions on Sentosa Island more so than any other location,” said Cheong.
On Sentosa, 76 percent of total visitors were tourists - 8.1 percent more than in 2009. Collectively, Singapore’s attractions sector reported a total attendance of more than 34 million visitors last year, of which 49.8 percent were international tourists. This represented a 56.3 percent increase over the previous year’s figures. However, paid attractions in Singapore, excluding those on Sentosa, registered a 0.2 percent decline in visitor numbers in 2010, with those in the city centre experiencing a 4.4 percent decline. Tourist figures also dropped 3.2 percent.
Visitation to free attractions however, jumped 120 percent year-on-year due to the opening of several new attractions during the year.
