DOI: 10.5176/2251-3426_THoR17.28
Authors: T.C. Chang
Abstract: This presentation explores the geographical footprints of Singapore’s tourism development from the 1980s till the present. Specifically, it examines key tourism policies over the years including the ‘Tourism Product Development Plan’ (1986), Tourism 21 (1996) and two post-millennium plans, Tourism 2015 (2005) and Tourism Compass 2020 (2010). It is argued that these policies shape the very geography of Singapore as much as they have been shaped by Singapore’s geography. Towards this end, three geographical concepts are introduced: scale, landscape and place. While early tourism development emphases have mainly been local in scale, focusing on the cultural and natural landscapes of Singapore (1980s), this has shifted to a regional scale (1990s) and larger global projects (from late2000s) cementing the city-state’s ambitions to be a tourism business hub. Along the way, how Singapore is marketed and branded has also evolved. The Singapore Story is therefore one of perpetual change and adaptation, a case of dynamic geographies in action
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