This article first appeared in The Edge Financial Daily, on October 13, 2015.

Long weekends are certainly something to look forward to and a weekend getaway is a common activity for those who want a short break from the routine. With the option of either flying in or driving across the causeway to get there, Singapore appears to be one of the chosen destinations with over 1.2 million Malaysian visitor arrivals each year. 

And with that the Singapore Tourism Board (STB) has launched a new campaign to attract more Malaysians to the island republic. Called “The Best Weekend Yet”, the campaign draws tourists to spend a weekend exploring the popular attractions and hidden gems in Singapore. STB’s executive director of Southeast Asia, Edward Koh, likens the campaign to a grand launch, reintroducing Singapore to Malaysians.

Explaining the rationale of the campaign, Koh says, “We have realised that this is a very important market to us — right next door. Although the Malaysian population is not as big as Indonesia, the outbound [of tourists] is larger than Indonesia.” 

“One segment that we are targeting is the family segment. Singapore is a natural choice for families … it is very ideal to bring your family over because of all the functional attributes that we have,” says Koh, quoting safety, convenience and availability of public transport as some of the contributing factors for families, a segment that was not previously engaged with as much.

“The campaign is closely tied with the calendar of activities up to next year,” he adds and the set-up for at the launch party very much represented this. The venue, Cantaloupe Troika, was transformed into a time capsule whereby guests could experience Singapore at different times of the day. Cocktails concocted by mixologist Alex Tan from Jekyll and Hyde were offered to guests while the 12pm check-in counter allowed guests to customise their passport holders. 

While travel to Singapore has been affected by the currency exchange rate of the ringgit against the Singapore dollar, Koh says he remains optimistic. “Malaysians still need to travel. It could very well change from long-haul to medium-haul or medium-haul to short-haul … Then your options become more regional.” 

Koh believes that it is important to change the perception that travelling to Singapore has become more expensive due to the prevailing economic climate, with travel packages that are priced lower than ever before and assures that “It is still a consideration to come to Singapore”.

Visit STB’s Explorer’s Playground roadshow at The Curve, Mutiara Damansara, between Oct 21 and 25 to find out the family-friendly experiences and enrichment packages that Singapore has to offer during the weekends.

Lion City Highlights

The campaign aims to invite tourists to indulge in food, leisure, arts and culture that Singapore has to offer during the weekend. Here are some highlights of the many attractions in Singapore:

Lee Kong Chian Natural History Museum

The seven-storey green building is home to over 560,000 catalogued lots and over a million specimens from throughout the region. The public gallery showcases a carefully curated display of the flora and fauna of Southeast Asia as well as three Sauropod dinosaur fossils. Entry tickets can be purchased at the museum counter or at www.sistic.com.sg. Visit lkcnhm.nus.edu.sg for more.

MegaZip Adventure Park

Situated at Sentosa Island, the park presents an array of obstacles for the adrenaline junkies — a climbing wall, high-rope obstacle course and a stimulated parachute jump. Come face your fear and give the MegaZip a go — a zip line that allows you to zip across a 450m long and 75m high line at 50km per hour. Visit www.megazip.com.sg for promotions and more.

2am:dessert bar 

Drop by to satiate your sweet tooth with creations of edible art by Chef Janice Wong who was a guest chef at MasterChef Australia Season 7. Drop by at 21a Lorong Liput, Holland Village, Singapore 277733. Log on to www.2amdessertbar.com for more information.

Gardens by the Bay

Stroll along the landscape dotted with Chinese lanterns and a teahouse at the Flower Dome. View unusual varieties of Chrysanthemum blooms like Spider Chrysanthemum and Disbud Chrysanthemum. Ticketing details at www.gardensbythebay.com.sg.