ABSTRACT
However, the growth in the Singapore tourism industry is uneven and faces frequent threats. Many of such threats stem from the fierce competition in SouthEast Asia. Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur, Jakarta and Manila are all lively neighbouring cities that are also vying for tourists. In the mid-1990s, with increased competition from the region, Singapore saw its growth in number of visitors slowing down and the average length of stay and per capita visitor spending figures fall. The 11 September 2001 attacks in the USA, the 12 October 2002 Bali bombing, the war on Iraq and the outbreak of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) in early 2003 also played a part in bringing the tourism industry to its knees. However, seeing through these crises is a general tourism strategy, which is encapsulated in the brand ‘New Asia – Singapore’. The brand provides a vision for the Singapore tourism industry that extends beyond the city-state.
