Keen to draw more corporate groups from Singapore, a contingent of industry stakeholders – comprising government officials, tour operators and suppliers – from Swan Valley near Perth, Western Australia descended in Singapore last week for a media and industry outreach event.
The B2B event in Singapore, dubbed Swan Valley Unearthed, was also timed to coincide with the release of five new tourist trails in the area: Fresh Seasonal Produce; Fine Wine; Wine and Art Off the Beaten Track; Kids in the Valley; and Bushtucker and Beyond. This is in addition to the Sweet Temptations, and Cider and Ale trails launched last year.
Simon Er, general manager business events & marketing, Global Travel, told TTGmice:
“These trails are new ideas for incentive groups, and are different from the usual routine of tours to Australia. Events like this would help provide us with more ideas we can explore with our clients.”
When asked if corporate travellers would be keen on exploring regional destinations, Er noted: “Australia and New Zealand are making a comeback. In Australia, we see more requests for Perth – because of its proximity to Singapore – than Gold Coast, Melbourne or Sydney.”
Breana Lawrie, co-owner of d’Vine Wine Tours, said: “We have a half-day tour that’s great for business travellers, and we can create customised private charters for groups. Unfortunately we don’t see many corporate groups from Singapore yet.”
Corporate groups that d’Vine Wine Tours handles hail mainly from Australia, but her top leisure clients from Asia are Singapore, a market that Lawrie believes has “room for growth”.
Similarly for Edoardo Lissoni, spokesperson of Mondo Nougat, Singapore’s leisure tourists are already a good customer base for the nougat maker.
“We’ll like to improve the corporate group segment – we don’t get too many of that now – and that’s why we created a nougat masterclass. This class targets corporate groups as it is a great teambuilding activity,” he said.
Mondo Nougat also officially launched their Nougat Masterclass at the Swan Valley Unearthed event. Lissoni added that the company will offer classes for the next 12 months, before the company gauges its viability and popularity.
He elaborated: “You can come to the Mondo Nougat factory in Swan Valley to conduct the masterclass, or we can do it off-site at a client’s hotel. Class sizes vary from 10 to 30 people. Everything is provided, and prices (per pax) vary according to flavours and ingredients. Nowadays, it’s not just about selling a product. It’s about making an experience memorable, something our clients cannot find anywhere else.”
Overall, Singaporean travellers to Western Australia in 2018 were up 20 per cent as compared to 2017, and are the second top Asian source market for the state. In addition, Singaporeans to Western Australia spent more than any other nationality, at A$50 (US$37) more per day per person.
