Singapore Tourism Board’s assistant chief executive has told the UK travel industry not to panic over the current downturn in bookings, saying: "Things will get better."
Chee Pey Chang suggested travel companies use the down time wisely, for example, to any upgrade work on properties and to train staff.
"Over the next two-three weeks, things will get better in the UK and people will start thinking about where they want to go on holiday. We just need to get over this travel hump and remain confident," he said.
Chang said Singapore is picking up after coronavirus cases were reported in the city-state last month. On March 3, there were 110 cases in Singapore, with 32 people remaining in hospital. There have so far been no recorded deaths.
"Over the last two weeks, things have been more settled in Singapore. We’re on the road to recovery. People are getting back to their daily lives, going shopping and visiting attractions.
"Four weeks ago, the government increased the threat from yellow to orange and it did cause a bit of uneasiness and panic buying.
"The outbreak in Singapore happened during a very busy travel time for China, but if we had not closed off and imposed travel restrictions at the time, then we would have been in a worse situation than we are now."
Singapore travel businesses are being incentivised to use the downturn to upgrade and train staff and make improvements to workforce with government grants.
A cleaning programme audit, SG Clean, has been set up, with a check list of cleaning standards for tourism establishments. Those that pass get a certificate that shows they have had put a protocol in place.
Occupancy rates are much lower than this time last year, when rates were at 87% and Singapore has already said it is expecting a decline in visitor numbers for 2020 of between 25-30%, but Chang said it was too early to say exactly what the full-year impact will be.
"Right now it’s ‘keep calm and carry on’."
Last year 608,000 Brits went to Singapore, the first time the destination crossed the 600,000 mark for UK visitors.
Image by Graham Hobster from Pixabay
