Operator News

Singapore – Sands and Singapore Tourism Board partner to promote Marina Bay precinct

By Phil - 29 January 2024

Singapore Tourism Board (STB), Marina Bay Sands, and UOB have spearheaded a first-of-its-kind partnership to enliven the Marina Bay precinct for locals and tourists.

The partnership focuses on introducing appealing lifestyle and entertainment programming for the Bay, including the launch of over 50 exclusive experiences across hotels, attractions, retail shops and dining establishments, in partnership with more than 19 precinct stakeholders.

This builds on the marketing efforts of all three parties – including STB’s Made in Singapore global brand campaign, Marina Bay Sands’ Bay Precinct Strategy, and UOB’s strategy to provide exclusive access to the best Travel, Shop, Dine and Entertainment events across ASEAN – to form a compelling tourism narrative for visitors.

Alongside engaging programming, this partnership will include a marketing campaign Masterpieces. Made in Singapore, leveragingSTB’s global campaign that highlights how the ordinary is made extraordinary through a rich tapestry of unique and unexpected experiences made possible only in Singapore. Campaign communications will go out to key source markets such as Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam, and post-arrival visitors already in Singapore. 

Kenneth Lim, Assistant Chief Executive, Marketing Group, Singapore Tourism Board, said, “We are delighted to partner with Marina Bay Sands and UOB to collaborate with the wider Marina Bay precinct partners to enhance the vibrancy of the Marina Bay precinct by offering a series of unique experiences for visitors to enjoy. This partnership aims to excite and inspire our visitors to explore more of what Singapore has to offer.”

Irene Lin, Senior Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer (Resort Marketing), Marina Bay Sands, said, “The Marina Bay precinct has the potential to be a canvas for cutting-edge lifestyle programming, with its diversity of hotel, attractions, retail and dining partners located in close proximity to our integrated resort. The partnership with STB and UOB allows us to further develop our first-in-class Bay Precinct Strategy, which offers business travellers a richer and varied bleisure experience.”

Jacquelyn Tan, UOB’s Head of Group Personal Financial Services, said, “UOB is honoured to be a part of this groundbreaking partnership. As the leader in billings for consumer credit cards in ASEAN, we look forward to offering our cardholders across the region an unforgettable experience at the Marina Bay precinct. Whether it be dining, attractions, retail or entertainment, UOB is proud to showcase Singapore’s finest offerings through this partnership.

The partnership takes flight in February with a spectacular waterfront drone light show at the Bay, in celebration of Lunar New Year. Titled “The Legend of the Dragon Gate”, the show will present the story of the mythical Dragon King, brought to life through 1,500 drones set against the iconic Singapore skyline. Themes of family reunion and perseverance, as well as symbols of luck and prosperity, will feature prominently in the show. Visitors can usher in the Year of the Dragon with a 10-minute drone performance, which runs at 8pm on 6, 10, 11, 16, 17 and 18 February. After the complimentary show, they can also stay on for “Spectra – A Light & Water Show”, which runs at 8.30pm and 9.30pm on these dates.

Beyond the festive season, the three partners will also continue to embark on joint marketing initiatives to promote the Marina Bay precinct as a world-class lifestyle destination and entertainment hub. Such initiatives will be timed with upcoming opportunities in Q1 2024 such as the highly anticipated Taylor Swift | The Eras Tour in Singapore, of which Marina Bay Sands is the Official Presenting Partner and UOB is the Official Bank and Presale Partner, as well as the Rod Stewart “Live in Concert, One Last Time” tour held at Sands Expo & Convention Centre.

To complement the drone extravaganza and further enrich the visitor experience around the Bay, the three partners have curated attractive promotions for UOB cardholders in Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.

Cardholders can look forward to packages at hotels with a prime view of the drone light show, such as at Marina Bay Sands, The Fullerton Bay Hotel, and Mandarin Oriental, Singapore among others. They can also enjoy special deals at attractions such as Esplanade – Theatres on the Bay, Gardens by the Bay, and Singapore Flyer. Apart from hotels and attractions, there will be dining privileges at Marina Bay Sands’ celebrity chef and signature restaurants CUT by Wolfgang Puck, KOMA Singapore, Maison Boulud by Daniel Boulud[1] and Mott 32, as well as Fairmont Singapore’s Asian Market Café and Raffles Singapore’s Long Bar. More deals can be found in the appendix.

The programming and promotions add to the depth and strength of the Bay Precinct Strategy, announced by Marina Bay Sands last year. Leveraging the collective support from partners around the Bay, the strategy allows business event planners to customise events, through a myriad of hotels, attractions, retail and dining offerings.