SingapoRediscovers Vouchers open to tourism businesses of all sizes, but not eateries

MORE than half of the businesses in the SingapoRediscovers Vouchers (SRV) scheme are hotels, Minister for Trade and Industry Chan Chun Sing told Parliament on Monday, while ruling out extending the domestic tourism credit programme to eateries for now.

Hotels make up 52 per cent of the 402 businesses now accepting SRV credits, while tours make up 37 per cent and attractions make up the remaining 11 per cent.

The SRV scheme does not target businesses of any particular revenue range, Mr Chan added, in his written reply to Workers' Party MP Leon Perera (Aljunied GRC).

Mr Perera had asked about the targets and progress in bringing merchants on board the SRV scheme, broken down by revenue size and sector. He also wanted to know what support is available for smaller and less digitally-savvy business operators.

Under the S$320 million SRV programme, which runs from December 2020 to June 2021, every adult Singaporean gets S$100 in credits that can be spent on domestic tourism.

Bookings must be made through the Singapore Tourism Board's five appointed vendors: Changi Travel Services, GlobalTix, Klook, Traveloka and Trip.com.

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Tapping these partners "allows businesses, including smaller businesses, which may not have their own booking systems to participate in the scheme", Mr Chan said.

He noted that the platform partners "have put together comprehensive plans to market the products and offerings of our tourism businesses" and can help local tourism businesses to develop digital content.

As such, eligible businesses do not need digital expertise to participate in the SRV scheme, said Mr Chan, adding: "These efforts will help businesses who may not have the same reach and audience that the authorised booking partners may have."

Separately, the minister said that eateries could work with hotels, tours and attractions to build eligible bundles, or contribute deals for the wider SingapoRediscovers campaign - even as such companies are not eligible for SRV redemption on their own.

For example, some hotels are working with nearby food and beverage merchants for their staycation packages, Mr Chan said in his written answer.

People's Action Party MP Christopher de Souza (Holland-Bukit Timah GRC) had asked if the SRV scheme could be opened to eateries in "tourist-targeted areas".

In his reply, Mr Chan noted that the scheme is aimed at "tourism businesses, specifically hotels, tourist attractions and tours, that derive most of their income from tourists", given the precipitous fall in global air travel during the Covid-19 pandemic.