| Journal: TWUK | Section: |
| Title: | Issue Date: 24/07/00 |
| Author: | Page Number: 38 |
| Copyright: Other |
agents on the spot: singapore
Singapore Airlines and the Singapore Tourist Board joined forces to run an educational to Singapore in February. Agents stayed five nights in the city with time to travel to Bintan and the island of Sentosa. We asked three agents for their impressions.Before After
Lesley marsden,
productexecutive,
thomas cook,
peterborough
Bill Naylor, Sales Manager, Lotus International, LondonAge: 33
Glen Spencer, Travelconsultant, Ealing Travel, Ealing, LondonAge: 23
“I had been to Singapore once before on business but had not had any time to look around, so I was looking forward to going back. I thought Singapore would be quite similar to Hong Kong and Bangkok. Both cities are very busy and very different from home – you really experience a different culture and know you are in another country. I knew Singapore was quite popular as a stopover destination but clients only really seemed to have a very vague idea of what was there. They went there for shopping, but didn’t look very far beyond that.”
“I think Singapore is fabulous. I’m going back and now really recommend it –
especially for first-time visitors to the Far East. Singapore is incredibly safe – it is probably the only place I have been in the world where I would happily walk around at night on my own. Everyone is very friendly and hospitable, the atmosphere is very relaxed and even though it is busy, it is not threatening at all. There is a great deal to do – you can shop and eat until you drop but there are also attractions such as the botanical gardens and zoo, bird park, theatres and museums, and great beach resorts at Sentosa island and Bintan islands. I would recommend five days there – it really is the Far East made easy.”
“I liked the Far East and had been to Hong Kong and Bangkok but I had never really had any inclination to go to Singapore. I thought of it as a very westernised part of the Far East and imagined it would be fairly sterile and modern and without much character. It has a very different reputation to other Far Eastern cities – that of being very safe and reliable and very predictable. That isn’t really what appeals to me personally in a destination, although I knew it certainly attracted plenty of repeat visits from clients who were looking for exactly that. We sold it prettyregularly as a stopover destination to clients en route to Australia and New Zealand.”
“Singapore is certainly a safe and gentle introduction to the Far East and ideal for first-time visitors, older or more nervous travellers. It does feel like a western city but there are interesting ethnic areas to explore if you wish. There is more of a Chinese influence to the place than I had expected, although it is not ideal for an adventurous traveller looking for a real culture shock. I was surprised by the size of the place – there is more to it than just shops – beyond the city you can quite easily get out into the countryside areas or across to Sentosa Island for a tropical beach resort. It is certainly the perfect place for the right kind of client.”
“I had never been to Singapore before and in fact this was my first long-haul
flight. I had spoken to people who had been there before and they had told me to expect it to be hot and humid and as I suffer from asthma that was a little worrying. I knew it was a very multi-cultural place, but didn’t really know what to expect. We take quite a number of bookings for Singapore – mostly from business people. I was travelling with Singapore Airlines which has a very good reputation and asI am six foot three inches tall, I was interested to see if the flight would live up to expectations.”
“Singapore Airlines is great. The good reputation is certainly justified. I was
in economy, but I had just about enough space and even though it is a 12-13hr flight the staff keep you comfortable and well occupied throughout. Singapore is certainly hot and humid but it isn’t really a problem because everywhere is so well air-conditioned. It is a very well developed city with excellent facilities and I couldn’t fault the accommodation and service. I would definitely like to go back and can now recommend it to leisure travellers as well as business people. There is plenty to see and do and the food is fantastic.”