An ice cream museum and a thrill ride in Clarke Quay are some of the new attractions Singaporeans can expect this year, as the Republic seeks to enhance its attractiveness to prepare its hard-hit tourism sector for recovery.
Sentosa will also welcome a new attraction next year, the SkyHelix Sentosa, an open-air rotating gondola that will ascend 35m above ground and offer views of Singapore's southern coast.
And there are plans to have a new attraction at the vacant site between Somerset Skate Park and Killiney Road, in line with the Government's aim to enhance the appeal of the Somerset area.
Announcing these plans yesterday at the Tourism Industry Conference, an annual event organised by the Singapore Tourism Board (STB) for industry players, Mr Keith Tan, STB's chief executive, said the new projects will support the tourism sector and increase its attractiveness.
"These projects are a welcome breath of fresh air among all the negativity and bad news in the last year. Since the pandemic hit, we have focused on how to weather this 'long winter'," Mr Tan said, adding that it is time to focus on how Singapore can prepare for the future and thrive as an attractive destination.
Considerations STB takes into account when working with new operators include whether new attractions will complement the existing suite of attractions here and introduce something different to Singapore.
Slated to open in the second half of this year, the Museum of Ice Cream Singapore will feature multi-sensory installations themed around the frozen treat, which visitors will get to taste during their visit.
Located in the Dempsey area, it will be the Museum of Ice Cream's first foray outside of the United States, and visitors can expect features similar to those at the US attraction, such as a sprinkle pool, a pit filled with colourful bits resembling the confectionery often used to decorate desserts.
Also set to open in the second half of this year is the Slingshot, a thrill ride that will be located at Clarke Quay next to current attraction GX-5 Extreme Swing, which drops riders from a height of 40m.
When it opens, it will be the tallest Slingshot in Asia and will catapult riders almost 70m into the air at a speed of up to 160km an hour. The ride, which can also be found in 70 other locations, will replace the G-Max Reverse Bungee, a similar ride that stopped operating about two years ago.
Tickets will be similarly priced to those for the GX-5 Extreme Swing, at about $45 for adults and $35 for students.
Those who are not adrenaline junkies can look forward to the SkyHelix Sentosa, where they can enjoy a drink on a rotating platform while taking in views stretching from Sentosa to the Keppel Bay area.
One Faber Group, which runs services, attractions and food and beverage outlets in and around Sentosa, said SkyHelix Sentosa will "deliver a new recreational experience and add excitement to the cluster of attractions at Imbiah Lookout".
The first of its kind in Singapore, it will be located at a spot that is a short walk from Sentosa's cable car station.
Apart from these new projects, STB will continue to refresh tourist attractions and precincts in Singapore, said Mr Tan.
For example, it is working with the Orchard Road Business Association to scale up the association's offerings of its signature Christmas on a Great Street festive events during the year-end light-up, as well as its Black Friday sale events later this year.
