SINGAPORE - The Great Singapore Sale starts on Friday with a range of discounts and promotions over eight weeks to mark SG50.

Apart from shopping deals, consumers can get discounts on two tours around Singapore and hotel staycations throughout the eight-week period.

These include the daily Explore Singapore Tours, which covers among others, a visit to the Merlion Park and Thian Hock Keng Temple, and the thrice-weekly Chinatown Walking Tours.

Over 40 hotels are also offering special room packages during the Sale, which ends on July 26.

The Sale will also extend beyond brick-and-mortar shops. Shoppers who pay using MasterCard can get discounts on websites such as Expedia, Qoo10, Rakuten and Zalora.

Shoppers can also unlock deals using a Facebook app called the MasterCard Heartometer, which can be accessed via MasterCard's Facebook page. A target number of hearts is set for each offer. By clicking on the hearts under an offer, shoppers can gather enough hearts to unlock it.

Ms Jannie Chan, president of Singapore Retailers Association, which organises the GSS, said: "This GSS, apart from the great shopping promotions from stores and malls islandwide, we have also lined up other exciting promotions ranging from dining to beauty and wellness, hotel stays and even uniquely Singapore tours to give locals and visitors a rewarding lifestyle experience over these eight weeks."