Mandai Wildlife Group caps off decade-long rejuvenation with full launch of Rainforest Wild Adventure

[SINGAPORE] Mandai Wildlife Group on Friday (May 29) officially opened Rainforest Wild Adventure East – the second phase of the precinct’s adventure park. This marks the completion of a 10-year transformation project.

The 126-hectare (ha) Mandai Wildlife Reserve now comprises five wildlife parks; two indoor attractions; meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions facilities; two glamping sites; and a resort.

All major builds have been completed, and the next steps will be continuous improvements for more immersive guest experiences, deeper conservation work and improved habitats, group CEO Bennett Neo told the media on the sidelines of the event.

He added that the group is “happy with the completion”, despite delays due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

“We have about five million visitors a year and we hope we can increase that significantly over the next few years,” he said, though he declined to disclose a target.

While international tourism is “a bit slow” due to the uncertain geopolitical environment, he believes that visitorship will improve with the latest launch, which positions the reserve as a complete “wildlife and nature destination” rather than as individual parks.

Providing an update on Mandai Rainforest Resort by Banyan Tree in particular, Neo noted that after initial “teething issues”, the hotel is now among the top-ranked when compared with competitors, and is seeing increasing occupancy. While it welcomes many tourists, Singaporeans are also staying there, he added.

At the opening event, Minister for Sustainability and the Environment Grace Fu said: “What began as an ambition has grown into one of the world’s most distinctive wildlife and nature destinations, and a cornerstone of Singapore’s tourism landscape.”

The Mandai Wildlife Reserve is well-positioned to play an instrumental role in Singapore’s Tourism 2040 journey, added Fu, who is also minister-in-charge of trade relations.

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She was referring to the Singapore Tourism Board’s (STB) aim to achieve S$47 billion to S$50 billion in tourism receipts by 2040.

Jean Ng, STB’s assistant chief executive for the experience development group, noted that the precinct “contributes to the density” of the Republic’s tourism products and enhances its appeal. “We hope it will motivate visitors to stay longer in Singapore, which will help increase tourism spend,” she added.

The 7-ha Rainforest Wild Adventure East is inspired by tropical Africa and Madagascar. It is part of the larger Rainforest Wild Adventure attraction.

This 20-ha space spans two zones connected by a shuttle bus and a sheltered walkway. The first one in the West zone opened last year and is inspired by South-east Asia’s forests.

Taken together, the attraction houses nearly 60 species and includes 11 adventure activities of varying difficulty levels. Rainforest Wild Adventure East will also be home to a new glamping experience.

Come July, Mandai Wildlife Centre – the precinct’s third hospital, and situated in the new zone – will also be fully operational. Dedicated to treating and rehabilitating native wildlife, it will be operated by the group’s conservation arm.

Visitors will be able to observe the veterinary care of rescued wildlife via a viewing gallery.