Record numbers at Night Safari Halloween event
By Shaiful Rizal bin Abdul Malek
SINGAPORE’S wildlife theme park, Night Safari, is reporting a record number of visitors this October as a result of its ongoing Halloween attraction.
The “Halloween Horrors” programme transformed the wildlife park into a haunted rainforest filled with Western and Asian ghosts scaring visitors at every corner. The month-long programme has already attracted almost 5,000 visitors on one of the nights – a 35% jump from the usual visitorship per night. The activities take place mainly over the weekends and with two more weekends to go till October 31, the organisers are expecting more to join in the scare fest.
“On October 31 last year, we had close to 8,000 visitors. This is a record in terms of visitorship for one night,” said Ms. Zoei Lee, Assistant Operations Managerof Night Safari .
“Judging from last year’s massive turnout, we’re expecting even more to come this year. We’re already seeing a steady increase in the number of visitors every week,” she said.
According to Ms. Lee, the increase can be attributed to local youths and young adults visiting on top of the usual tourist groups. She said that viral marketing through word-of-mouth and social networking sites have played an important role in increasing the publicity of the event. After visiting the park, these youths shared their experiences on web blogs and networking sites like Facebook.
With more crowds expected, the organisers are beefing up its staff volume in the coming Friday and Saturday nights. According to them, they have spent more money for elaborate props and additional scare actors this year. However, they declined to reveal the exact figures.
Even at the entrance, visitors were already treated to a scare fest in the form of long queues at the ticket counters stretching at least 10 metres. This excludes the additional 30-minutes waiting time to hop on the tram.
Alex Thompson, 26, a tourist from Australia said: “We didn’t mind queuing, actually. It just made us more excited. Plus, we were entertained by the jesters spooking us while we were getting tickets!”
The highlight of the Halloween programme is its 50-minute tram ride. Called the “Train of Terror”, visitors on board the tram are brought into a rainforest where “creatures of the dark” roam. These “creatures” are, of course, scare actors dressed as ghosts, witches and vampires planted in the forest to spook visitors from every corner. This year, visitors can expect bloodied interpretations of fairy tale characters as part of the “Scary Tales” theme.
“The tram ride was fun with all the screaming! The dark setting is perfect for some good old scare. It was interesting to see the scary versions of Snow White and Beauty and the Beast!” said Siti Zakiah, 23, a final year undergraduate at the Nanyang Technological University.
Last year, some visitors objected to the Halloween programme, stating that the screaming would affect the animals. However, the organisers explained that the activities took place only at the undeveloped section of the forest with no animals in the area.
According to Ms. Lee, there were guests complaining about the long queues for tickets this year but she explained that measures have already been taken to speed up the buying process. These include extra booths for walk-in purchases and online collection of tickets.
For more information, visit http://www.halloweenhorrors.com.sg
__________________________________________________________________
‘Travel Malaysia’ Fair reaps $5 million in sales
By Lee Min Kok
SINGAPOREANS spent a whooping $5 million dollars on tours and bus fares to Malaysia at the recent ‘Travel Malaysia’ fair, proving that our closest neighbour is still very much a viable holiday destination for Singaporeans.
A record turn-out of more than 50,000 visitors – almost double the size compared to last year’s 30,000 – was at the fair, held from 16 to 18 October at the Suntec City Convention Centre.
The three-day event featured more than 140 booths with over 100 exhibitors, including express bus ticketing agencies as well as key Singaporean and Malaysian service providers.
Besides the usual tour packages and coach fares on offer, this year’s event came with an added twist – Tourism Malaysia had shifted its emphasis to the promotion of home stay holiday escapades and lesser known destinations in a bid to attract more Singaporeans.
Retiree Lim Ah Chew, who makes his bi-annual trip to Genting Highlands for the various concerts on offer, was surprised at the crowds who turned up at the fair.
“Last year’s event was not as crowded. The lucky draw prizes are also quite attractive, which could have motivated people to visit the fair,” Mr. Lim said.
Despite recent money woes and increasing competition from regional low-cost carriers, organisers Express Bus Agencies Association (EBAA) stated that the success of the event was never in doubt.
“Timing could also have been a factor. Our event coincided with the end of the school exams, so naturally a lot of families would have been sourcing for their end-of-year holiday trip,” said Mr. Tan Kah Hin, the overall event organiser and manager from EBAA.
Indeed, popular bus tour operators such as Transtar Travel and Five Stars Tours enjoyed brisk sales.
Transtar Travel even conducted a special promotion low-cost carrier style – by offering 9,900 luxury coach seats at just 9 dollars each.
According to the EBAA, half of the 22 million visitors to Malaysia from January to December 2008 came from Singapore, with about 5 to 6 million of that number travelling on land by coach.
“The main draw for this event has always been our luxury coaches. Even though this year’s emphasis is on home stays, we strive to improve and innovate on our coach features each year,” said Mr. Tan.
Concurring with this assessment was civil servant Eugene Tay, who had opted for a cheaper alternative for his family during the approaching December holidays instead of the expensive trips to Japan and Europe in previous years.
“I’ve never visited Cameron Highlands before, and I thought it would be a good experience for my family on a luxury coach. With modern amenities like massage chairs, PC games and Wifi, who needs budget airlines?” said the 35-year-old.
Also present at the launch of the event was Tourism Malaysia Deputy-General, Datuk Mirza Mohammad Taiyab, who noted that Singaporeans are now looking for adventure and eco-tourism, besides experiencing Malaysia’s rich culture, heritage and lifestyle.
“Singaporeans form an important part of our tourist arrivals. Even though Singapore’s population is only slightly over four million, a Singaporean makes an average of three trips to Malaysia. We need to offer fresh, year-round attractions in order to attract them,” Datuk Mirza said.
__________________________________________________________________
JewelFest Banks on Mass Appeal to Dazzle Singaporeans
21 October 2009
By Rosmayati Tay Shieh Ting
Diamonds are a girl’s best friends, and the recent Singapore JewelFest 2009 merely strengthened common beliefs that most women are unable to resist fine jewellery.
This year’s edition of the prestigious jewellery festival held at the Ngee Ann City Civic Plaza saw more than 20,000 visitors grace its sumptuous surroundings, a marked increase from the 15,000 that visited the event last year.
Held over the course of ten days from 9 to 18 October, the annual event dazzled audiences with over $120 million worth of fine jewellery from 36 international brands on display.
This year’s event offered a wider range of fine jewellery to encourage consumer spending at the exhibition, including easily-identifiable local brands such as Goldheart, Poh Heng and Tian Po.
Organiser Lizard Storm said that the average consumer has joined regular high-society collectors in this year’s spending.
The show extravaganza, a diamond choker named “Grandiosa” by Goldheart Jewellery, is priced at an astounding S$6.4 million, while the more affordable pieces started from as low as S$68.
“For the past two years, we’ve seen a lot of high society buyers. But recently, more people are upgrading and coveting more luxury items. This time they buy 0.5 carat and the next time they’d buy 1-carat. These people are now spending more,” said Ms. Angela Loh, a director at Lizard Storm.
While there was a drop in overseas visitors, this was compensated by Singaporeans who viewed the festival as the annual season for jewellery shopping.
“The JewelFest is the perfect place to shop for jewellery because there’re so many brands there. You’re spoilt for choice. I saved up my money in order to shop during the JewelFest,” said jewellery lover and advertising executive Widya Hamir, 26.
Besides attracting connoisseurs and shoppers, JewelFest also received its fair share of window shoppers.
Far from displeased, the JewelFest organisers were thrilled with the exposure that its jewellers were given.
Mr Joseph Hong, the chairman of this year’s JewelFest, explained: “Singapore JewelFest has always been about jewellery appreciation and the promotion of fine jewellery of high quality and design excellence.”
Other than the usual marquee brands on show, this year’s event also saw the introduction of two other new brands – Pooja and Zydo, both with Italian roots – to add further flavour to the international festival.
“JewelFest gives such new jewellers the exposure that they need and providing them with an opportunity to grow in a highly fragmented market”, said Ms Loh.
_____________________________________________________
Healthy Food Steals Limelight from Fashion Show
18 October 2009
By Tan Xiu Fang
SINGAPORE – Shoppers yesterday thronged the basement at Isetan, a Japanese departmental store in Scotts Road, to get a taste of the longevity-boosting cuisines at its annual Okinawa Fair. The fair was also held in conjunction with its first “Japan Fashion & Lifestyle Festival”.
This year’s Okinawa Fair has brought in health foods commonly consumed by the Okinawan people. Some of the featured products include the Jimami Tofu, also known as Peanuts Tofu, which is a jelly-like beancurd made using seawater.
The food fair turned the supermarket basement into a lively marketplace as shoppers crowded round the food demonstrations, sampling and asking about the benefits of these “Healthy & Natural” Okinawan cuisines.
Vivan Tan, 65, a food promoter at Isetan Supermarket said: “When there are Japanese fairs, it is always very crowded. But it is more crowded this time, even during the last two days (Thursday and Friday).”
The most popular product was the Beniimo Sesame Dango, a sesame-sprinkled Okinawa purple sweet potato ball, sold at $4.50 for six pieces. “It was the fastest-selling snack at the fair,” said stall owner, Akira Nakasone. “The purple Okinawa sweet potatoes are good for the eyes,” he added.
Even the Director of Okinawa Prefectural Government, Ken Yamashiro, was manning a booth at the fair. He hoped to promote a healthy diet amongst people.
Yamashiro said: “One of the keys to longevity for Okinawa people is our healthy diet.”
According to the World Health Organisation report, Okinawa has the highest longevity rate in the world. The Okinawa Prefecture consists of 160 islands and is located at the south of Japan.
Housewife Joan Chia, 60, said that the Okinawa Fair was “a good experience” for her.
“You can taste their (Okinawan) food without travelling there. The food is very nice, very healthy. Yes, they should organise more of such fairs,” said Chia.
However, the Japanese Fashion Show, which was also one of the main highlights in Isetan’s first Japan Festival, received a different response from some shoppers.
Raymond Liau, 29, engineer, said: “It’s okay. Nothing special, just a fashion show.”
During the fashion show, models wearing traditional Japanese-inspired modern apparels, such as the doll-like “Lolita” dresses, paraded down the escalators of the shopping mall from the second level to the first.
Some Singaporeans also felt that the fashion on display was impractical for Singapore.
Rasna Bhatia, 42, management assistant, who had never seen a fashion show being held on escalators before, said: “the models’ leggings and boots don’t look like normal clothes that people wear.”
When asked to comment on which is the more appealing event, Liau said: “The Okinawa Fair of course. People are getting more health-conscious. And Singaporeans love food.”
__________________________________________________________________
Travel Malaysia 2009 Brings New Surprises
By Ong Yuan Sen Sebastian
MALAYSIA is coming up with new ways to appeal to Singaporeans as a preferred holiday destination this year.
A three-day exhibition, Travel Malaysia 2009 showcased many new tourist destinations in Malaysia. Apart from the hotspots like Malacca or Genting Highlands, new places like Kedah, Labuan and Terengganu are aggressively being promoted.
At these new areas, tourists can take in the sights of untouched natural surroundings, away from the bustles of the city.
Many of the tour packages focused on activities that bring tourists and their surroundings together. In Kedah for example, tour packages include sport fishing and visiting Geoparks in Langkawi.
Speaking at the opening of Travel Malaysia 2009, Tourism Malaysia Director-General, Datuk Mirza Mohammad Taiyab, said that they are trying to promote new destinations which are not “that well-known” to Singaporeans.
He said: “Malaysia needs to offer fresh, all-year round attractions, to ensure their stay was fun and worthwhile as well as to keep them (Singaporeans) coming.”
Special offers and attractive tour packages were offered by different agencies at the fare. Packages to Genting Highlands for 2 days 1 night cost as low as S$69, and bus fares to Kuala Lumpur cost from S$9 onwards.
Civil engineer, Alan Lim, 45, father of two, said that with the economic downturn, their holiday destinations will have to be affordable especially when travelling as a family.
He said: “Pricing is the most important factor when the family travels now, with two kids, but the attractions that they offer must also appeal to the young ones.” He added: “Maybe this year I will bring my family to somewhere we have not been before in Malaysia.”
Among the commercial operators, there was a section solely dedicated to home-stays in Malaysia. The home-stays provided an alternative to the hotel stays in Malaysia and promised a more immersive experience for tourist.
Tourists can look forward to enjoying traditional economic activities such as rubber tapping, traditional games, songs, dances and local recipes. All of these will give tourists a sense of belonging to the village and ensure repeat tourists. Singaporeans can choose to experience a home-stay holiday from 15 different parts of Malaysia.
Researcher, Sandy Tan, 25, said that she have heard of home-stays in Australia but never before in Malaysia.
She said, “Maybe I will try a home-stay in Sabah, I like the greenery and the nature. This will be a good opportunity for me to understand how the people go through their daily life.”
According to Tourism Malaysia, a record 22 million tourists arrived in Malaysia from January to December 2009. Singaporean tourists make up about 50 percent of that number or 11 million tourists. This has also shown an increase of 4.9 percent compared to the same period in 2007.
This year’s Travel Malaysia 2009 featured 85 exhibitors in more than 130 booths including key industry players like express bus ticketing agents and service providers from Singapore and Malaysia.
Travel Malaysia 2009 is held at Suntec Covention Centre and will last from 16 October to 18 October 2009.
The fair is organised by the Singapore Express Bus Agencies Association.
