Launch of Singapore Tourist Pass to make visitor travel easier

By Wong Mun Wai, Channel NewsAsia

Using the Singapore Tourist Pass, tourists can now have an unlimited number of rides on buses and trains here.

Some 30,000 of these cards have been printed and are on sale at TransitLink Ticket Offices, and the following MRT stations: Changi Airport, Orchard, Chinatown, City Hall, Raffles Place, Ang Mo Kio, Harbour Front and Bugis.

For S$8 a day, the card gets tourists one, two or three days of unlimited travel on buses and trains.

The tourist pass, which is similar to an EZ-Link card, is also bundled with retail promotions at merchants such as Goldheart and Cheers.

An adult EZ-Link card costs S$15, including a stored value of S$7. But a one-day tourist card costs a total of S$18, with S$10 to be refunded if the tourist returns the card within five days.

The Singapore Tourism Board (STB) said data on how tourists use the card will be applied in future planning.

"One is the usage, as to where they go. And that gives an indication of the places… they would like to visit. And also maybe from a retail point of view, the kind of goods they consume," said STB’s communications director Mohamed Rostam.

EZ-Link is also preparing for an influx of visitors in the coming years.

EZ-Link’s senior vice-president of business and technology Nicholas Lee pointed out, the IRs will boost local tourism industry, "but the challenge for us is, how do we get those people to use the card? How do we make them aware that this is a value-for-money proposition?"

Also launched Wednesday was a more comprehensive transport guide for tourists, which includes key bus services around the city, as well as train, taxi and information on tourist hotspots.

ARTICLE SOURCE: http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/317059/1/.html

*** For Singapore pictures and itineraries, visit www.traveljournal.com.ph.