A high-level economic official of Singapore Friday reaffirmed that
his country targets to achieve one million annual visitor arrivals
from China by 2005.
While responding a question at the parliament, Senior Parliamentary
Secretary of the Ministry of Trade and Industry Tang Guan Seng
said: "Due largely to China's strong internal economy, the STB
(Singapore Tourism Board) targets to achieve one million PRC (the
People's Republic of China) visitor arrivals to Singapore by
2005."
This will place PRC as one of Singapore's largest tourism market
and Singapore intends to tap this market to the fullest extent
possible, he added.
Tang drew attention to the fact that PRC tourist arrivals to
Singapore during the Asian financial crisis continued to grow at
double-digit level and in the wake of September 11 incident PRC
tourist arrivals to Singapore registered an increase of 12.87
percent during the period from September 11 to 27 compared to the
same period of last year, he added.
On
steps being taken to tap China tourism market, he said that STB is
working closely with other government agencies on increasing
airlinks between Singapore and China, more streamlined visa
procedures and setting up more offices in China to promote
Singapore, noting the quantum of the Bankers' Guarantee has been
lowered for the 96-hour Collective Gratis Visa.
He
also said that STB will work closely with local industry members as
well as neighboring countries to conduct collective marketing and
develop new products for the China market.
China is currently the sixth largest visitor-generating market for
Singapore that received more than 400,000 visitors from China last
year.
( 10/06/2001)