The government has committed to pumping more than US$68 million into a tourism fund.
CAPE TOWN, April 9 (ANA) – Singapore’s tourism industry will prepare for a post-Covid-19 digital travel experience as the government commits to pumping more than US$68 million into a tourism fund.
According to the Straits Times, a Singapore-based publication, the announcement came at the opening of the Tourism Industry Conference on Wednesday.
Key points from the conference were that mobile apps replaced tour guides during lockdown, while virtual reality allowed people to enjoy an immersive experience in the comfort of their homes.
“In a world where visitors are not constrained by physical boundaries, travel is no longer just about meeting and sightseeing, but the unique suite of experiences that it offers to visitors from pre-arrival to post-departure,” said Minister for Trade and Industry Chan Chun Sing.
In their first step towards helping tourism firms, the Singapore Tourism Board (STB) launched the Tourism Technology Transformation Cube and the Tourism Accelerator Programme to allow start-ups to create innovative solutions.
The programmes, which will run until September 2023, will also serve as a resource hub for companies to acquire digital skills and provide services for companies to improve their digital strategies.
Channel NewsAsia (CNA) reported that there will be a focus on pivoting to the domestic market and that a new tourism sector capability road map will be developed.
“Beyond digital transformation, we must press on with efforts to transform and uplift the skills of our tourism workforce,” said STB chief executive Keith Tan.
“Covid-19 will change the demands and expectations placed on our people. So this year we’ll build the skills needed to support travel and tourism in a Covid-19 world,” he said.
– African News Agency (ANA); Editing by Yaron Blecher
