STB gave grant for Taylor Swift concerts, event likely to generate major benefits for S’pore economy: Govt

 

Taylor Swift will hold six shows at the National Stadium from March 2 to March 9. PHOTO: EPA-EFE

Sarah Koh and Elaine Lee

FEB 23, 2024


SINGAPORE – The upcoming Taylor Swift concerts in Singapore, which are likely to generate significant benefits for the economy, got the support of the authorities in the form of a grant.

In response to queries from The Straits Times, the Singapore Tourism Board (STB) and the Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth (MCCY) said in a joint statement that tourism sectors such as hospitality, retail, travel and dining are likely to benefit from the event, just like they have in other cities the pop star has performed in.

More than 300,000 tickets have been sold for the concerts in Singapore, with a large number of fans travelling in from other countries, they added.

Tourism in 2023, 13.76 million tourists to Singapore

That's about 70% of pre-pandemic arrivals. 

For 2024, tourists arrivals is expected to be as between 15 - 16 million. (Which probably means that we could expect maybe 17 million or more because Singapore tends to be conservative in our estimates.)

Street survey reveals S'porean men more likely to pick Wi-Fi over their wiv

By Team HardwareZone

10 Jan 2024

PHOTO: GETTY IMAGES

In a Kiss92 street survey conducted by The Big Show radio duo Glenn Ong and The Flying Dutchman (FD), it appears that the majority of Singaporean men would indeed give up their wives for Wi-Fi access.


“Wi-Fi”, says the first male participant they interviewed, without missing a beat, while holding hands with his wife of three months. “I hope you make it to six,” quips FD to the couple.

A warmer Singapore could spell trouble for its tourism industry, say experts

To mitigate the effects of the heat, various tourist attractions have put in place initiatives to keep people and places cool.

FILE: Tourists shield themselves with umbrellas on a hot day at the Merlion Park in Singapore on Jun 21, 2017.
(Photo: REUTERS/Edgar Su)

Nadirah Zaidi
Darrelle Ng

16 Jan 2024

SINGAPORE: A warmer and wetter Singapore could dampen the appeal of the nation as a tourist destination, experts warned. 

US intel shows China's army had missiles filled with water instead of fuel in a corruption scandal that led to Xi's military purge: Bloomberg

Matthew Loh

Jan 8, 2024

Chinese soldiers atop mobile rocket launchers in a parade in Beijing's Tiananmen Square in 2019 to celebrate the 70th Anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China.Kevin Frayer/Getty Images

• US intelligence said China's military purge stemmed from serious equipment issues, Bloomberg reported.
• Examples of these included missiles that had been filled with water instead of fuel, the report said.
• The problems are a blow to Xi Jinping's focus on the Rocket Force, China's main nuclear arm.

What makes Singaporeans happy

Jan 7, 2010 

Tambyah Siok Kuan & Tan Soo Jiuan 

The Straits Times

THE media gives some insight into what makes Singaporeans happy or upset.

[An article from 14 years ago. Is it still relevant?]

Botero's "Happy Singaporeans"?

China’s Difficult Challenge to Reach the Middle (Or why China won't surpass US GDP)

Growth dreams deferred. 

China’s per capita income of $21,400 places it just above the 60th percentile of the global income distribution.

By Enda Curran

October 23, 2023

An unlikely geopolitical subplot of 2023 is the emerging view that China’s economy isn’t going to overtake the US after all.