SINGAPORE -- The Singapore Tourism Board (STB) unveiled its "Passion Made Possible" campaign today, a joint effort with the country's Economic Development Board that STB chief executive Lionel Yeo said was designed to "build a deeper and more personal connection" with potential visitors.
At the center of the initiative are videos featuring Singaporeans as representatives of what the STB is calling "Passion Tribes": seven categories comprising culinary travel, adventure/exploration, shopping and other niches.
Three videos focus on "Brand Personalities," Singaporeans whose "attitude, mindset and life stories" the STB said embody the spirit of the new campaign. Featured in the videos are chef Malcolm Lee of Michelin-starred restaurant Candlenut; naturalist Subaraj Rajathurai; and Mark Ong, whose customized sneakers have been worn by former NBA star Kobe Bryant.
The STB said suppliers are adding to or revamping their itineraries to reflect the new branding.
For example, a "Next Gen Hawkers Food Tour," to be offered beginning next month by Wok 'n' Stroll, visits vendors representing the current crop of Singapore's famous street-food markets.
On the hotel front, Far East Hospitality will offer "Made in Singapore" rooms, featuring design touches by local artists and a variety of Singapore-inspired souvenirs, at its Village Hotels properties.
STB officials said there are more such partnerships to come in the weeks and months ahead.
"That's a big part of what we intend to do moving forward," Lynette Pang, STB assistant chief executive of marketing, said during the campaign's launch event here. She added that the STB's responsibilities aren't limited to marketing but also include partnering with local businesses to develop such supplier programs.
In a statement, Beh Swan Gin, chairman of the Economic Development Board, said that in terms of its business component, the new campaign embodies Singapore's "shift from being primarily an investment-driven economy to one that will be led by innovation."
The "Passion Made Possible" campaign replaces the STB's "Your Singapore" branding that has been in place since 2010. A new "SG" logo, similar to Singapore's SG50 logo from its 50th anniversary celebrations in 2015, accompanies the multimedia campaign.
Singaporean pop singers Nathan Hartono and Stefanie Sun discuss their appearance in ads under Singapore's new "Passion Made Possible" effort. Photo Credit: TW photo by Eric Moya
During today's campaign launch, STB officials offered details on how "Passion Made Possible" will roll out in Singapore's core markets. For example, Stefanie Sun and Nathan Hartono, Singapore natives with successful pop music careers in China, will appear in STB ads in China, Singapore's No. 1 source market.
Singapore's global tour to unveil the new campaign kicks off in Tokyo on Aug. 25. The tour will reach the U.S. in October.
For the first quarter, Singapore's international arrivals increased 4%, to 4.3 million visitors. The U.S. was Singapore's 10th largest source market for the quarter, with about 153,000 visitors (an 11% increase year over year).