<TABLE border=0 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%"><TBODY><TR>Shifting gears to woo F1 fans
</TR><!-- headline one : end --><TR>STB packing 'quality' activities into shortened GP Season; hotels drop minimum-stay requirement, slash room rates </TR><!-- Author --><TR><TD class="padlrt8 georgia11 darkgrey bold" colSpan=2>By Lim Wei Chean
</TD></TR><!-- show image if available --></TBODY></TABLE>
<!-- START OF : div id="storytext"--><!-- more than 4 paragraphs -->NO MORE sky-high hotel rates for fans of the Singapore Grand Prix (GP) this year.
Gone too - or cut back - will be the requirement that the race fan book a room for a minimum number of nights.
The Singapore Tourism Board (STB) will also make some changes to the programme: The 'GP Season' will be shortened from three weeks to 10 days and packed with 'quality' events.
STB will also put extra effort into pulling in non-F1 fans who may want to come here to soak up the electric atmosphere and also pack in shopping and sightseeing. Tie-ups with retail and tourist spots are on the cards.
These changes are a result of lessons drawn from what worked out less than well last year. But because of the global economic crisis, the tweaks will not necessarily put a shine on the numbers - be they room takings, number of visitors or how much they spend in that September race week.
Hoteliers have tamped down their expectations. They have held out early-bird offers with attractive room rates and dropped or shrunk the minimum-stay requirement.
A Fairmont Singapore spokesman, noting that there were more queries than bookings, said F1 fans are 'definitely shopping around' this year.
Hotels like Meritus Mandarin and Rendezvous Hotel have extended their special offers till next month; still others like Amara Sanctuary have put no end-date on their offers. Rendezvous Hotel manager Kellvin Ong said, instead of looking towards having a high room rate to offset low occupancy, the hotel will sacrifice room rates for occupancy.
What a difference a year makes.
Hotels set sky-high rates last year and bore the brunt of the complaints for it. Rooms overlooking the race track in Marina Bay were priced at more than $1,500 a night - and only if a booking was made for at least five nights at that; rates for rooms further afield cost between $550 and $1,500 for a minimum of three nights' stay.
When the bonanza that hoteliers expected did not come, they were forced to drop rates to get race fans to fill their rooms; they had by then lost their regular business clients, who stayed away.
STB admitted to reporters that the going will be tough this year. It has, however, kept its targets from last year: 100,000 visitors to F1, 40 per cent of them from overseas.
Mr Edmund Chua, STB's assistant chief executive of the destination experience group, said that last year, visitors had the impression that nothing else was happening outside of the race. This year, more will be organised on the sidelines.
Ms Margaret Teo, STB assistant chief executive of the development group, added that getting funding and sponsorship this year was tougher too.
Despite these difficulties, a Singapore GP spokesman was optimistic. Ticket sales have been encouraging, he said, with more than half the tickets in a number of categories sold and five early-bird categories sold out.
[email protected]
<HR SIZE=1 width="50%">
Highlights
HERE are some of the events lined up for this year's Singapore Grand Prix season:
Sept 18 to 27: Asia on the Edge
This festival, staged by The Arts House, features events that focus on the art of design, fashion, food and craftsmanship.
Sept 25 to Oct 25: Britto in Singapore
An exhibition of more than 60 works by Brazilian pop artist Romero Britto on Orchard Road, organised by the Opera Gallery.
Sept 15 to Oct 9: The First Night Race Outdoor Photo Exhibition
A free public exhibition featuring pictures taken of last year's race by French photographer Paul-Henri Cahier.
Sept 21: Evening with Il Divo
A concert by the world-famous group featuring a new high-tech stage and a digital light show.
Sept 26 to 27: Amber Lounge
An exclusive party where those invited can catch a glimpse of F1 drivers, famous models and celebrities. For details and a full listing, go to www.visitsingapore.com/sgpseason/
</TR><!-- headline one : end --><TR>STB packing 'quality' activities into shortened GP Season; hotels drop minimum-stay requirement, slash room rates </TR><!-- Author --><TR><TD class="padlrt8 georgia11 darkgrey bold" colSpan=2>By Lim Wei Chean
</TD></TR><!-- show image if available --></TBODY></TABLE>
<!-- START OF : div id="storytext"--><!-- more than 4 paragraphs -->NO MORE sky-high hotel rates for fans of the Singapore Grand Prix (GP) this year.
Gone too - or cut back - will be the requirement that the race fan book a room for a minimum number of nights.
The Singapore Tourism Board (STB) will also make some changes to the programme: The 'GP Season' will be shortened from three weeks to 10 days and packed with 'quality' events.
STB will also put extra effort into pulling in non-F1 fans who may want to come here to soak up the electric atmosphere and also pack in shopping and sightseeing. Tie-ups with retail and tourist spots are on the cards.
These changes are a result of lessons drawn from what worked out less than well last year. But because of the global economic crisis, the tweaks will not necessarily put a shine on the numbers - be they room takings, number of visitors or how much they spend in that September race week.
Hoteliers have tamped down their expectations. They have held out early-bird offers with attractive room rates and dropped or shrunk the minimum-stay requirement.
A Fairmont Singapore spokesman, noting that there were more queries than bookings, said F1 fans are 'definitely shopping around' this year.
Hotels like Meritus Mandarin and Rendezvous Hotel have extended their special offers till next month; still others like Amara Sanctuary have put no end-date on their offers. Rendezvous Hotel manager Kellvin Ong said, instead of looking towards having a high room rate to offset low occupancy, the hotel will sacrifice room rates for occupancy.
What a difference a year makes.
Hotels set sky-high rates last year and bore the brunt of the complaints for it. Rooms overlooking the race track in Marina Bay were priced at more than $1,500 a night - and only if a booking was made for at least five nights at that; rates for rooms further afield cost between $550 and $1,500 for a minimum of three nights' stay.
When the bonanza that hoteliers expected did not come, they were forced to drop rates to get race fans to fill their rooms; they had by then lost their regular business clients, who stayed away.
STB admitted to reporters that the going will be tough this year. It has, however, kept its targets from last year: 100,000 visitors to F1, 40 per cent of them from overseas.
Mr Edmund Chua, STB's assistant chief executive of the destination experience group, said that last year, visitors had the impression that nothing else was happening outside of the race. This year, more will be organised on the sidelines.
Ms Margaret Teo, STB assistant chief executive of the development group, added that getting funding and sponsorship this year was tougher too.
Despite these difficulties, a Singapore GP spokesman was optimistic. Ticket sales have been encouraging, he said, with more than half the tickets in a number of categories sold and five early-bird categories sold out.
[email protected]
<HR SIZE=1 width="50%">
Highlights
HERE are some of the events lined up for this year's Singapore Grand Prix season:
Sept 18 to 27: Asia on the Edge
This festival, staged by The Arts House, features events that focus on the art of design, fashion, food and craftsmanship.
Sept 25 to Oct 25: Britto in Singapore
An exhibition of more than 60 works by Brazilian pop artist Romero Britto on Orchard Road, organised by the Opera Gallery.
Sept 15 to Oct 9: The First Night Race Outdoor Photo Exhibition
A free public exhibition featuring pictures taken of last year's race by French photographer Paul-Henri Cahier.
Sept 21: Evening with Il Divo
A concert by the world-famous group featuring a new high-tech stage and a digital light show.
Sept 26 to 27: Amber Lounge
An exclusive party where those invited can catch a glimpse of F1 drivers, famous models and celebrities. For details and a full listing, go to www.visitsingapore.com/sgpseason/
