Only about a quarter of Singaporean adults have cashed in on their S$100 (US$74.59) domestic tourism vouchers since they were released in December, according to Trade and Industry Minister Chan Chun Sing.
Chan said in a parliament hearing yesterday that more will be done to promote the “SingapoRediscover” vouchers and encourage Singaporeans to use them before they expire at the end of June, noting that there were no plans to extend their validity.
“To encourage more usage, STB (Singapore Tourism Board), together with the onboarded merchants and authorised booking partners, will intensify efforts in the next few months. This includes sharing products and promotions across attractions, tours, and hotels, through STB and the authorised booking partner channels,” he wrote in response to Jurong MP Ang Wei Neng’s questions.
More than two million Singaporean adults have yet to use their vouchers due to fear of crowds and problematic booking processes. Chan said that more than S$108 million (US$80.5 million) in vouchers have been spent under the initiative meant to stimulate the tourism economy ravaged by the pandemic.
“We will continue to monitor the redemption rate over the remaining months before considering if any extension of the redemption deadline is warranted,” Chan added in his answer.
Locals can use the vouchers by redeeming through online booking platforms like Klook and Changi Travel Services to book staycations, tours, or attractions. But several people, including self-proclaimed tech-savvy individuals, have complained about the complicated booking process, describing them as too much “hassle” and “tedious.”
Then there were those who held back to avoid crowds.
“We do not intend to redeem at all because we want to avoid the crowd as much as possible… especially now that many are starting to get complacent already,” Nadiana Ryd wrote today.
“It is a complicated process to redeem the vouchers even for IT savvy people like me. And it doesn’t allow family booking easily. This is why the take up rate is poor,” Jonathan Lim wrote today.
Other stories you should check out:
Act like a tourist: S$100 vouchers coming to Singapore from Dec. 1
Singaporeans are receiving S$100 to be local tourists – here’s where you should go
