Highlighting the attractions and scenic spots of the Lion City, the Singapore Tourism Board (STB), as part of its four-pronged strategic thrust to bring Indians to Singapore, organised a series of promotional events. This is also a bid to return tourism to pre-pandemic levels as rapidly as possible as well as promote the perks of going solo in Singapore as a tourist.
Recently, they launched an exclusive six-part web miniseries 'On My Own in Singapore' in collaboration with social travel portal Tripoto. The web series showcased a young female traveller’s journey in Singapore. The series is the first of its kind co-produced by a national tourism board and a travel platform, aimed at breaking misconceptions of solo female travel.
It features a character who goes through epic journey of self-exploration, against the vibrant backdrop of Singapore’s lifestyle offerings.
The series launch was held on March 24, 2023 at the PVR Ambience Mall, Vasant Kunj in New Delhi. The event was attended by the cast and crew of the series, GB Srithar, Regional Director for India, Middle East, South Asia and Africa, STB and the Tripoto team, among others.
Speaking during the launch ceremony, Srithar said that Singapore has traditionally been a prime travel destination for Indian families and groups, and catering to solo travellers, especially women, was the next step.
"The city-state’s range of experiential offerings to young millennials perfectly caters to these solo female travellers. With Singapore’s exceptional track record for women’s safety, such travellers often share that they are uniquely able to travel freely on their own terms. Through this series we are presenting a very different Singapore to audiences,” Srithar told Connected to India.
"India is a very important source market for Singapore and we continue to engage the Indian audiences in very creative ways to entice them to Singapore because there are a lot of new things happening. We welcome Indian audiences to come discover and rediscover Singapore," he added.
Lead actor Vidushi Kaul shared anecdotes from her experience filming in Singapore and her own personal discoveries about the glittering city-state ahead of the premiere.
Taking on a short and crisp format, 'On My Own in Singapore' is a light, amusing and heartwarming story that takes a peek into the pensive mind of Marzia, a 29-year-old who undertakes her solo bachelorette trip in Singapore. Spoofed by her friends into making the solo trip, she discovers many surprises in Singapore on her own that reconnect with her inner self.
Vidushi Kaul, who has appeared previously in shows such as TVF Pitchers and Made in Heaven, plays the role of Marzia, the protagonist, in the series. The show is directed by Shreeya Tiwari, who has been associated with other critically-acclaimed projects such as 'Josef in Exile' and 'An Anarchy of Existence'.
Srithar said that the team-up with Tripoto came about as STB was looking for a like-minded strategic aligned brand partner and because they had worked with the travel sharing site on an earlier series, 'Trails to Passion'.
"When it comes to women traveling solo, they typically opt for destinations that offer a blend of relaxation, adventure, shopping and partying. This web series is our innovative way of reaching out to this segment of female travellers, and Singapore serves as the perfect setting to tell the story of empowerment in everyday heroines like Marzia,” said Anirudh Gupta, Founder and CEO, Tripoto.
Singapore allows visitors to delve right into its dynamic food, events, leisure, shopping, adventure and nightlife offerings. Research shows that Singapore’s cruise and nightlife destinations are highly preferred among middle-aged and younger travellers, which also include solo women tourists, STB added.
STB has not, however, forgotten its traditional target demographic. With the peak summer season coming up, the board is collaborating with industry partners such as Singapore Airlines, cruise agencies and the Mandai Wildlife Group to offer family vacation packages and prizes to shape a dynamic Singapore tourism landscape. Another new sector they are developing is destination weddings.
"We are promoting Singapore as a weddings destination for Indians. We are presenting Singgapore as a happening lifestyle destination for youg Indians," Srithar said, signing off.