The launch of STB’s new brand and digital strategy has gotten travel bloggers talking.
Some call it innovative, one wonders whether it is too whizzy. The proof is in the durian pudding, as we may say in “YourSingapore”.
So what’s the buzz?
The Singapore Tourism Board (STB) officially launched their new brand and digital strategy at ITB Berlin this week, and already the blogosphere is abuzz with chatter.
Travel technology pundits have shared their comments on the move by a tourism board to steer towards a customer-direct and largely digital approach.
One of the most common themes coming through is how busy the site appears.
There are a lot of images on the home page and as attractive as it looks, it can be quite overwhelming, especially someone who’s never been to Singapore.
Sitting in a hotel room in Berlin with fairly fast Internet access, it took more than 30 seconds to download all images. What happens in markets with slower broadband networks?
Certainly, STB stands out among tourism boards that are doing something innovative and different. When you attend an event like ITB Berlin, you appreciate first-hand the competition out there among destinations.
The halls are packed with tourism boards who have invested millions in their booths, all trying to fight for attention from a market that’s still not yet fully recovered from the economic shocks of 2009.
Germany may be one of the more resilient markets – Germans are hardy travellers and the economy is still holding steady – but Europe is on shaky ground with problems besetting Greece and the UK, one of the top outbound markets from Asia is floundering.
In many ways, unleashing YourSingapore is an acknowledgement of the transfer of power from supplier to customer.
Let the customer decide what they want; tell them what is on offer and make it easy for them to research, plan and book – that’s the essence of the new STB campaign.
Some brand owners may baulk at the notion of giving up such control – and if you sit back and think for a moment, it’s ironic that this is coming from Singapore, a city state known more for its controls than lack of – but this is the age of social media, the wisdom of the crowd and crowd outsourcing.
It is natural, of course, for digital media proponents to applaud the new website, but what about traditional tour operators who are already facing battles with airlines and hotels who are increasingly going direct?
A leading European tour operator, who asks not to be named, admits it is time - once again - for a rethink.
Shrugging his shoulders, he says: “Everyone’s going that way. Airlines are going direct and soon hotels will too. We have to find a way to adapt.”
For STB, the road to “YourSingapore” has just begun. Now they have to make sure the road leads somewhere, and not some dead end.
The launch of Singapore Tourist Board's new brand and digital strategy has gotten the sector talking.
Some call it innovative, others wonder whether it is too whizzy. The proof is in the durian pudding, as we may say in “YourSingapore”.
So what’s the buzz?
The Singapore Tourism Board (STB) officially unveiled their new brand and digital strategy - YourSingapore - at ITB Berlin this week, and already the blogosphere is abuzz with chatter.
Travel technology pundits have shared their comments on the move by a tourism board to steer towards a customer-direct and largely digital approach.
One of the most common themes coming through is how busy the site appears.
There are a lot of images on the home page and as attractive as it looks, it can be quite overwhelming, especially someone who’s never been to Singapore.
Sitting in a hotel room in Berlin with fairly fast Internet access, it took more than 30 seconds to download all images. What happens in markets with slower broadband networks?
Certainly, STB stands out among tourism boards that are doing something innovative and different. When you attend an event like ITB Berlin, you appreciate first-hand the competition out there among destinations.
The halls are packed with tourism boards who have invested millions in their booths, all trying to fight for attention from a market that’s still not yet fully recovered from the economic shocks of 2009.
Germany may be one of the more resilient markets – Germans are hardy travellers and the economy is still holding steady – but Europe is on shaky ground with problems besetting Greece and the UK, one of the top outbound markets from Asia is floundering.
In many ways, unleashing YourSingapore is an acknowledgement of the transfer of power from supplier to customer.
Let the customer decide what they want; tell them what is on offer and make it easy for them to research, plan and book – that’s the essence of the new STB campaign.
Some brand owners may baulk at the notion of giving up such control – and if you sit back and think for a moment, it’s ironic that this is coming from Singapore, a city state known more for its controls than lack of – but this is the age of social media, the wisdom of the crowd and crowd outsourcing.
It is natural, of course, for digital media proponents to applaud the new website, but what about traditional tour operators who are already facing battles with airlines and hotels who are increasingly going direct?
A leading European tour operator, who asks not to be named, admits it is time - once again - for a rethink.
Shrugging his shoulders, he says: “Everyone’s going that way. Airlines are going direct and soon hotels will too. We have to find a way to adapt.”
For STB, the road to “YourSingapore” has just begun. Now they have to make sure the road leads somewhere, and not some dead end.