Spreading information about the `Lion City'
IT is one of the vibrant destinations in South-East Asia and is acclaimed as a shopper's paradise. The Singapore Tourist Visitor Centre (STVC) in Chennai, under the Singapore Tourism Board (STB), is a "one-stop shop" for disseminating information to travellers and aggressively markets the educational opportunities in Singapore.
Opened in February, the STVC, which has a six-member staff headed by Bridget Goh, Area Director, southern and eastern India, Sri Lanka and Maldives, of the STB, is spreading information about the latest developments in the "Garden City or the Lion City" as it is popularly known. "We have opened a Singapore Education Resource Corner at the STVC providing the right kind of information to the student community. Fashion designing, management, hotel industry and engineering are the courses most sought after by the students from South India," said Ms. Goh and Nirmala D' Souza, Marketing Officer of the STB in southern and eastern India, Sri Lanka and Maldives.
Apart from promoting corporate education, the STB has unveiled campaigns on basic education and higher learning. Encouraging overseas school trips from India is the new concept to provide a glimpse of the "learning in a fun environment" in Singapore.
"We are facilitating a short five-day tour and a two-week educational tour for school students to discover and experience Singapore. They get a first-hand knowledge of the science city, the underwater world and other spots where learning can be a fun-filled experience," Ms. D'Souza said. Singapore offered more specialised Overseas Business Study Missions to cater to organisations and individuals.
"We have arranged special educational road shows in Chennai on September 4 and 5, on September 7 in Bangalore, September 9 and 10 in Mumbai and September 11 and 12 in New Delhi, covering the major metros of the country."
The STB plays a catalytic role connecting India and Singapore as Indians are among the high spenders. In 2002, over 3,75,000 Indians visited Singapore and in 2003, the number was lesser because of the SARS scare. In 2004, Singapore has already received over 20 per cent of the 2002 arrivals.
"We do not have any off season. It is a destination for all ages throughout the year," Ms. Goh said. The STVC in Chennai, which has jurisdiction over Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Kerala besides Sri Lanka and Maldives, is promoting its new brand "Uniquely Singapore," focussing on the Asia Pacific region.
With increased air connectivity on the cards with private domestic carriers in India being given "landing rights," the paucity of seat capacity is also set to ease.
T.S. SHANKAR
Singapore: Destination for Education
