TravTalk India Online Magazine
Singapore Tourism Board recently conducted a mega virtual event for its trade partners, thereby raising the bar and setting new standards for the travel industry in organising a virtual event. GB Srithar, its Regional Director (India, Middle East and South Asia), tells us more.
Hazel Jain
What was the idea behind organising the virtual familiarisation event for the trade in India?
With the SingapoReimagine Virtual Experiences Familiarisation Day, we wanted to create a differentiated and immersive experience for the travel trade fraternity in India, and to reimagine and evolve their definition of travel. It was a great opportunity for us to connect with our Indian travel trade partners, and let them virtually experience Singapore and its offerings through a fresh lens, while we await the return of physical travel. It was held on two days, on July 27 for travel agents from the South and West region and then on July 31 for travel agents from North and East India. It was a fun-filled day with diverse experiences specially curated for our travel agents. Many travel agents have uncovered the potential of promoting Singapore virtual experiences to their customers and MICE corporates. We will be exploring with interested agents and our stakeholders to actively push these products to the market.
What went behind the meticulous planning of the event?
The event was attended by over 200 travel agents from 29 cities across India who sat through the seven-hour programme and found it thoroughly entertaining and engaging from start to end. This is due to the various creative and immersive elements that were seamlessly executed and delivered with customised features, branding and animations on the Zoom Chrome platform.
Keeping in mind that the audience may already be fatigued from attending virtual sessions over the past one year, we had to ensure that our programme was well thought through and differentiated to engage the audience as if they are physically experiencing Singapore, while delivering our marketing objectives.
We went the extra mile in ensuring audiences were treated to a Singapore-themed lunch personally delivered to them, including a cocktail-making kit to get them actively engaged during the masterclass and have a hands-on experience. We also carefully selected and engaged two emcees who were able to sustain the audiences throughout the day with fun banter and keep their energy levels up.
Does India remain an important source market for Singapore?
India is a highly important source market for Singapore. Prior to the pandemic, India was Singapore’s third largest market for visitor arrivals, the top cruise source market and a key market for MICE travel. Since COVID-19, STB India has been constantly engaging our partners to show our solidarity and to discuss how to make travel better, safer, and more seamless once travel resumes. We ramped up engagement efforts by adopting the #UnitedWeStand trade engagement theme through our regular and consistent communication in the form of virtual platforms, e-newsletters, videos, industry update sessions.
To ensure that Singapore remains top-of-mind prior to the resumption of travel, STB India has been actively engaging consumers to strengthen Singapore’s brand and destination image. We have stepped up digital marketing efforts to engage Indian consumers meaningfully since mid-2020.
A straw poll of all participants found that more than 80% of the agents would recommend such a session to their customers while physical travel is not possible. More than half of them would price such sessions to be between `500 to `1,000. These are good indications of how such virtual experiences may be positioned to interest consumers before travel reopens.
What is the current situation like and what is the possibility of allowing completely vaccinated tourists in near future?
The Singapore government will synchronise Singapore’s reopening with the vaccination coverage of its overall population and its most vulnerable seniors. It is expected that around 80 per cent of the population would have received two doses of the vaccine by September. The Multi-Ministry Task Force in Singapore has said it will progressively review the COVID-19 situation, but any easing of measures will be only for vaccinated people who are much better protected against the virus.
In its next phase of reopening from August 10 onwards, vaccinated people will get to dine out in up to groups of five, and they will also get to do indoor sports and exercise at gyms and fitness studios with masks off, as well as attend larger events.
Singapore considers an individual to be fully vaccinated two weeks after receiving the second dose of any vaccine approved under the World Health Organization’s emergency use listing. Singapore will begin to progressively reopen its borders and allow vaccinated people to travel.It will start by setting up travel corridors with countries or regions that have managed COVID-19 well, and where the infection is under control.People vaccinated against COVID-19 will be given some concession when travelling to Singapore, said the Singapore authorities.
What agents say
Prashant Binnany, Director, Discovery Holidays
STB has always been thorough and put into action their plans way ahead of time, creating ripples and setting standards. The virtual Fam was nothing short of a great idea. The whole experience, starting with the SQ plane taking off to the three curated virtual experiences, made one feel physically present in Singapore. We understood the product has potential with corporates, kitty groups and short school programmes. We see the possibility of a virtual school trip to Singapore as a regular programme.
Sunita Amarnani, Vice President – FIT, MICE, Operations and Trade Relations, Hyperlink Brand Solutions
The entire virtual familiaritsation programme was well-executed. The experience had me nostalgic for travelling to Singapore. While I have visited some of these places before, the depth and detail of the tours made me feel like it was my first time visiting them. I felt encouraged by Singapore Tourism Board’s call to reimagine, re-energise and reconnect. Now more than ever, we cannot wait for the borders to open and to return to Singapore.
What the event entailed
The event kicked off with a virtual in-flight experience of landing in Singapore on Singapore Airlines. There were edutainment tours arranged for travel agents by Wildlife Reserves Singapore, getting up close virtually with the animals at the Singapore Zoo, and a virtual stroll down by the Singapore River, one that was livened up by games, quizzes and nuggets of trivia by Monster Tours. They also toured the Brass Lion Distillery, a full-fledged working distillery known for its special Singapore dry gin. The highlight of this session was a cocktail making masterclass conducted by the Distillery’s brand ambassador and mixologist.
