Relax - Singapore ropes in Visa to boost tourism figures

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STARTING this year, overseas Visa card holders can find out about exciting events happening in Singapore when they receive their credit-card statements.

Electronic-payment network Visa will promote Singapore to overseas visitors before major events such as next year’s Singapore Youth Olympic Games (YOG) and the Formula One night race, and festive seasons, for the next three years.

It will send out flyers and e-mail to its 688 million cardholders in targeted markets in the Asia-Pacific, Middle East and Europe to inform them of special events and promotions in Singapore for Visa cardholders.

This will be done as part of a collaboration between Visa and the Singapore Tourism Board (STB).

The move is expected to generate “significant value’’ by attracting more visitors to come to Singapore and spend here, said STB chief executive officer Aw Kah Peng.

Singapore’s booming tourism landscape, coupled with the increasing popularity of online credit-card transactions for trips, make this partnership a timely one, she said.

She added that “it will also enable consumers to benefit from exclusive privileges and convenience offered by Visa”.

Yesterday, Visa also announced that it would launch a pre-paid card for the upcoming YOG, where Visa would be the only card accepted onsite.

It can be used at official merchandise stores and may serve as entrance tickets to events.

The card will come in different designs, including some limited editions, and hence will also act as a keepsake, said Ms Aw.

Visa is prepared to produce at least 500,000 of these cards, said Ms Meranda Chan, the company’s country manager for Singapore and Brunei.

For more my paper stories, click here.

Singapore ropes in Visa to boost tourism figures

By Sia Ling Xin, my paper | Thu, Oct 8 2009

This will be done as part of a collaboration between Visa and the Singapore Tourism Board.

Singapore ropes in Visa to boost tourism figures

Keywords

southeast asia
singapore
getaways