The Singapore Tourism Board (STB) and Klook, a leading travel and experiences platform, have scaled up their existing partnership by signing a groundbreaking two-year Memorandum of Cooperation (MOC).

Singapore’s tourism industry is seeing encouraging recovery, welcoming an estimated 2.9 million international visitors in the first quarter of 2023. Having collaborated successfully on numerous multi-faceted projects, Klook is at the forefront of the robust recovery with monthly inbound arrivals into Singapore exceeding that of 2019 since January 2023.

The continual drive for tourists, coupled with joint marketing campaigns, have seen a 60% increase in average traveller spend for Singapore-based activities on the platform in 2023 compared to pre-COVID times.

Australia is a key source destination for this recovery, with Singapore expecting to double the amount of Australian visitors it welcomes from 2022 to 2023. To rejuvenate inbound tourism, STB
kicked off a SingapoReimagine Marketing Programme (SMP) in 2022 where it awarded S$4million for 10 marketing campaigns that demonstrated fresh, bold, and creative ideas.

The Klook Australia team has been awarded for their marketing concept, the “Singaportal”, an event that will reawaken Sydney nightlife by bringing the famous after-dark elements of Singapore to Sydney’s shores -street food, DJs, cocktails and more. The event is to be held in Sydney CBD by October 2023.

Ethan Lin, Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder of Klook said, “Our long-standing partnership with STB has supported our success in Singapore, and we’re thrilled to take it to the next level with this MOC.

“As we leverage our strengths in social content marketing and our deep understanding of the next generation of travellers, including Millennials and Gen-Zs, we look forward to inspiring more travellers to visit Singapore. Our aim is to enable them to explore the joy of this dynamic city, discover new and unique experiences, and create unforgettable memories in Singapore.”

Keith Tan, Chief Executive of STB said, “We are delighted to elevate our partnership with Klook through this MOC, which marks a key milestone in our joint efforts to grow tourism in Singapore.

By leveraging our collective strengths to future-proof and entrench Singapore’s position as a leading travel destination, I’m confident we can strengthen our value proposition to international visitors and showcase the best of what our city has to offer.”

As part of the MOC, STB and Klook will partner in the following key strategic pillars:

1. Branding and Marketing

STB and Klook will develop and implement innovative branding and marketing campaigns to inspire travel to Singapore, including the “Singaportal” campaign created by the Klook Australia team.

Klook will also partner with STB to effectively engage with market segments as well as identify and explore new market opportunities.

2. Inbound Travel

STB and Klook will join efforts to boost inbound travel to Singapore, capitalising on Klook’s vast global reach of over 40 million monthly visitors and its proven marketing expertise.

This partnership aims to not only increase the number of visitors, but also extend their length of stay and spending, to drive higher tourism yield.

To achieve these goals, Klook will work closely with STB’s regional offices to launch a series of integrated marketing campaigns in key markets such as Australia, which will see the launch of
curated digital and social content, exclusive promotions with merchants, and bespoke experiences to ensure a memorable visit to Singapore.

3. Experience Development

Tapping on Klook’s innovative track record, STB and Klook will collaborate to enhance Singapore’s vibrancy and competitiveness as a destination.

This would include joint efforts to develop, curate and market innovative and exclusive experiences in areas such as: Cruise, Events & Entertainment, Wellness, and Tours.

• Cruise: Cementing Singapore’s standing as the cruise hub for South East Asia
• Events & Entertainment: Increasing destination vibrancy and driving visitation through the
  ticketing and marketing of events
• Wellness: Establishing Singapore as an urban wellness haven
• Tours: Increasing the appeal and reach of tours through digitalisation

Leveraging on Klook’s wealth of booking and consumer insights, the MOC will also expand the data sharing, capacity building, and exchange of best practices between both parties to increase
tourism returns.

This collaboration builds upon STB’s recent Data Transformation Programme (DTP) with the Sentosa Development Corporation (SDC), Sentosa Island Partners, and Klook, to enable cross-sharing of data and insights to better understand visitor behaviour within the island precinct.