Changing consumer trends, costs dampen nightlife, but government will provide support: Alvin Tan

CONSUMER behaviour has changed over the course of the pandemic, posing challenges to nightlife businesses, said Minister of State for Trade and Industry Alvin Tan. This is not just in Singapore, but also in countries such as the US and Japan, he said in Parliament on Monday (Mar 3).

Tan, who is also minister of state for culture, community and youth, noted a bump in nightlife businesses in the immediate post-Covid period, as restrictions were lifted. But consumer trends have also shifted during the pandemic, posing challenges, he said.

The minister flagged that people globally work from home more, are slightly more health conscious, and seek out different entertainment options online more. He also acknowledged that nightlife businesses face more cost constraints.

Responding to a question about measures to support such businesses, he said that the government is providing support on three fronts: making sure the nightlife scene is vibrant; transformation; and workers.

The Singapore Tourism Board (STB) and Enterprise Singapore (EnterpriseSG), for example, continually work to create new products and services to “liven up” the sector, he said.

EnterpriseSG also works with the Singapore Nightlife Business Association and other players for transformation. As for supporting the workforce, it has been working with Workforce Singapore, he said.

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Tan also said that STB profiles local bars, bartenders, homegrown distilleries and breweries; and collaborates with nightlife businesses to leverage events the agency supports, such as the Light to Night Festival and Formula 1.

More details about Singapore’s tourism performance – and how the government will “continue to inject vibrancy into our tourism sector and our nightlife” – will be shared at the Ministry of Trade and Industry’s Committee of Supply debate.