Singapore: We won’t get hung up on price

SINGAPORE – The Singapore Tourism Board has taken the opportunity to dismiss renewed suggestions that it is an expensive destination compared to its neighbours in south east Asia.

STB said it had no reason to apologise for putting value before price.

Chew Tiong Heng, STB director of destination marketing, said consumers would pay a premium to visit Singapore because of the enhanced value.

“We are competing on value, not price, that’s our approach,” he said.

Singapore’s upcoming attractions include two casino resorts, Universal Studios and the south east Asian premiere of the Broadway Musical, the Lion King at Marina Bay Sands resort in September 2010.

Mohammad Rostam Omar, STB executive director of communications, added, “We can’t get hung up by people asking, ‘are you cheaper than the other guy’.

“If we provide the right value proposition, people will pay.”

He said that market conditions would also have an influence and this had been evident at the second Singapore F1 Grand Prix this year when hotels lowered prices in line with demand.

Omar added, “Yes, we want to be the strongest tourism player in the ASEAN region, but it’s our view that the stronger every player is in the region, the stronger ASEAN tourism is overall.”