<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR>Has PM sparked a dating rush?
</TR><!-- headline one : end --><TR>Dating agencies report spike in membership after ND Rally speech </TR><!-- Author --><TR><TD class="padlrt8 georgia11 darkgrey bold" colSpan=2>By Jamie Ee Wen Wei
</TD></TR><!-- show image if available --></TBODY></TABLE>
<!-- START OF : div id="storytext"--><!-- more than 4 paragraphs -->If more people get married in the months ahead, some credit could arguably go to Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong.
Since he urged singles to consider joining a dating agency during his National Day Rally speech on Aug 17, singles, and parents, have taken the cue.
A Sunday Times check reveals that membership in at least seven dating agencies has increased by up to 20 per cent.
Ms Jennifer Yeo, 33, founder of Heart2Heart Connect, said membership has risen by 20 per cent over the past month.
She has also received more inquiries from singles on her matchmaking services, which cost between $360 and $1,200. In the past, she would get one inquiry in a few days. Now, she gets about five daily.
'They may have thought about joining a dating agency but did not have the courage to do so. After the PM's speech, there has been a lot of media publicity,' she said.
Dating agencies also note several trends. At least two said they have drawn more male customers in the past month.
Ms Cynthia Lee, 51, founder of My Exclusive Match, observes that most of her new business is from men.
'They are beginning to see it as a modern and hip thing. Especially when they hit 30, they realise that they have to start looking for a partner,' she said.
John (not his real name), 30, a teacher, is one of them. Discouraged by a third failed relationship, he joined My Exclusive Match, which charges between $200 and $1,200.
'It takes a lot of effort to get to know somebody. And after you know her, there's still a lot of uncertainty, like whether she likes you or not. It's very frustrating.'
Through My Exclusive Match, he has met two women. One, a teacher, has caught his eye and asked for a second date.
Three dating agencies that The Sunday Times spoke to also said they have received calls from parents. Ms Ada Wong, 30, co-founder of The Dating Loft, said she has fielded at least a dozen such calls in the past month.
'Two of the parents even insisted on sending us cheques without their children knowing. But we told them we can't do that. It's our policy to meet the single person first,' said Ms Wong, who charges from $400 to $2,000 for her services.
Matchmakers said they are under pressure to meet higher expectations from singles and their parents.
There are about 200 dating and matchmaking agencies, according to the number registered under the heading of Friendship, Matchmaking and Dating Services by the Accounting & Corporate Regulatory Authority. It also includes social escort and foreign bride agencies.
Over the years, dating agencies have begun targeting niche markets like professionals and 'clueless men' and launched a wider range of programmes.
Most agencies said they have no plans to start parent-based matchmaking sessions. Ms Annie Chan, 39, co-founder of Club2040, which offers matchmaking exclusively for men at $988, said: 'I think singles still want to find their own partners.' [email protected]
</TR><!-- headline one : end --><TR>Dating agencies report spike in membership after ND Rally speech </TR><!-- Author --><TR><TD class="padlrt8 georgia11 darkgrey bold" colSpan=2>By Jamie Ee Wen Wei
</TD></TR><!-- show image if available --></TBODY></TABLE>
<!-- START OF : div id="storytext"--><!-- more than 4 paragraphs -->If more people get married in the months ahead, some credit could arguably go to Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong.
Since he urged singles to consider joining a dating agency during his National Day Rally speech on Aug 17, singles, and parents, have taken the cue.
A Sunday Times check reveals that membership in at least seven dating agencies has increased by up to 20 per cent.
Ms Jennifer Yeo, 33, founder of Heart2Heart Connect, said membership has risen by 20 per cent over the past month.
She has also received more inquiries from singles on her matchmaking services, which cost between $360 and $1,200. In the past, she would get one inquiry in a few days. Now, she gets about five daily.
'They may have thought about joining a dating agency but did not have the courage to do so. After the PM's speech, there has been a lot of media publicity,' she said.
Dating agencies also note several trends. At least two said they have drawn more male customers in the past month.
Ms Cynthia Lee, 51, founder of My Exclusive Match, observes that most of her new business is from men.
'They are beginning to see it as a modern and hip thing. Especially when they hit 30, they realise that they have to start looking for a partner,' she said.
John (not his real name), 30, a teacher, is one of them. Discouraged by a third failed relationship, he joined My Exclusive Match, which charges between $200 and $1,200.
'It takes a lot of effort to get to know somebody. And after you know her, there's still a lot of uncertainty, like whether she likes you or not. It's very frustrating.'
Through My Exclusive Match, he has met two women. One, a teacher, has caught his eye and asked for a second date.
Three dating agencies that The Sunday Times spoke to also said they have received calls from parents. Ms Ada Wong, 30, co-founder of The Dating Loft, said she has fielded at least a dozen such calls in the past month.
'Two of the parents even insisted on sending us cheques without their children knowing. But we told them we can't do that. It's our policy to meet the single person first,' said Ms Wong, who charges from $400 to $2,000 for her services.
Matchmakers said they are under pressure to meet higher expectations from singles and their parents.
There are about 200 dating and matchmaking agencies, according to the number registered under the heading of Friendship, Matchmaking and Dating Services by the Accounting & Corporate Regulatory Authority. It also includes social escort and foreign bride agencies.
Over the years, dating agencies have begun targeting niche markets like professionals and 'clueless men' and launched a wider range of programmes.
Most agencies said they have no plans to start parent-based matchmaking sessions. Ms Annie Chan, 39, co-founder of Club2040, which offers matchmaking exclusively for men at $988, said: 'I think singles still want to find their own partners.' [email protected]
