Integrated resorts to draw up to 3m more tourists

Average stay of these visitors likely to increase, fuelling greater tourism demand come 2010



SINGAPORE is banking on the two integrated resorts at Marina Bay and Sentosa to bring in an additional two to three million visitors a year when they start operating in 2010.

And with the average stay of these visitors expected to increase, the tourism boom will create a strong demand for hotel rooms, hospitality workers and other facilities and services, which businesses should be poised to exploit.

Trade and Industry Minister Lim Hng Kiang, speaking at the groundbreaking ceremony for Genting International's Resorts World at Sentosa yesterday, said the Government expects the resorts to boost the country's visitor arrivals to 13 to 14 million, a 25-per-cent jump over the projected number for 2009.

These visitors are also expected to linger, increasing the average length of stay from 3.4 days last year to 3.6 days in 2010.

The two resorts, which should create some 50,000 to 60,000 additional jobs when fully operational, are likely to begin recruiting in earnest in 2009.

To encourage more people to join the service sector, the Singapore Tourism Board will be launching a three-year campaign to highlight rewarding career options.

It will also work with agencies like the National Trades Union Congress and industry associations to redesign jobs to attract mature workers.

All these extra visitors will need places to stay - the two resorts have more than 4,000 rooms between them - so the Government has also put up more hotel sites for tender.

Finally, Changi Airport will be expanded with the opening of Terminal 3 next year. Its annual passenger handling capacity will hit 64 million, almost double the 35 million passengers handled by the airport last year.

If everything goes according to plan, Singapore will be receiving 17 million visitors a year by 2015.

Mr Lim said: 'This is a very stretched target. And if we can meet the targets that we set ourselves for 2015, I think this will be a very great achievement.'

Asked about the Government's plans for the Southern Islands, Mr Lim said it was still looking for ideas on how to develop them.

'We are in no rush, we can take our time,' the minister said.

An earlier report cited industry sources as saying the Government is considering housing another casino there. If that is so, the islands would not be touched for the next 10 years, as the Government has promised to give resort operators Las Vegas Sands and Genting International a decade's headstart before issuing a third casino licence.