Norwegian announces plans for Singapore-London flights

Budget airline Norwegian announces plans for Singapore-London flights

Low-cost airline Norwegian will be launching its non-stop service between Singapore and London's Gatwick Airport this September, the Changi Airport Group (CAG) announced on Thursday (Apr 20).

Norwegian will launch a four times weekly service from Sep 28 this year, which will increase to five times weekly for the Northern winter season from Oct 29 to Mar 24, 2018, subject to regulatory approval, CAG added in its press release.

It will use a 344-seat Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner aircraft in a two-class configuration offering economy and premium cabins, the airport operator said.

To mark the start of operations, Norwegian intends to offer one-way Singapore-to-London fares starting from S$199 for economy class, and premium-class tickets from S$839, inclusive of all fees and taxes, according to the press release.

~News courtesy of Channel News Asia~

Changi Airport, SIA, STB to invest S$34m to promote Singapore as travel destination

Changi Airport, SIA, STB to invest S$34m to promote Singapore as travel destination

Singapore Airlines, Changi Airport Group and the Singapore Tourism Board on Monday (Apr 17) renewed an ongoing partnership deal to promote Singapore as an attractive destination for travellers.

In a press release, the three parties said they will jointly invest S$33.75 million under the renewed three-year partnership, and their marketing efforts will focus on promoting the country as a choice stopover as well as a twinning destination - travelling to two destinations on a single itinerary.

This augments the previous approach of only targeting travellers from specific long-haul markets such as the US and Europe, they added.

The renewed partnership will also see the Free Singapore Tour refreshed. The tour, which provides transfer passengers with a free taste of Singapore's offerings, will be expanded to include more experiences curated based on travellers' interests such as food tours to sample local fare, the press release said.

The Free Singapore Tour pulled in 59,000 passengers last year, up 8 per cent from the previous year, it added.

The partnership also hopes to broaden the marketing programme to woo business and meetings, incentives, conventions and exhibitions (MICE) visitors, the press release said.

~News courtesy of Channel News Asia~

Starbucks opens 24-hour Reserve store at Changi Airport

Starbucks opens 24-hour Reserve store at Changi Airport

Starbucks launched its 10th Reserve store in Singapore at Changi Airport's Terminal 3 on Wednesday (Apr 12).

Located in the public area at the Departure Hall, this will be the first Starbucks Reserve airport store to be launched in the Asia Pacific, it said.

Besides rare and limited coffee at the Reserve stores, Starbucks said coffee lovers will also be able to sample other brewing methods such as with the Chemex coffeemaker or the traditional pour-over.

The store at Changi Airport is open 24 hours daily.

~News courtesy of Channel News Asia~

Possibility of car-free Orchard Road being explored

Possibility of car-free Orchard Road being explored: S Iswaran

The possibility of making Orchard Road a car-free space is being explored, Minister for Trade and Industry (Industry) S Iswaran said on Thursday (Apr 13).

Speaking at the annual Tourism Industry Conference, Mr Iswaran said the shopping belt must evolve to sustain its appeal as consumer preferences and retail trends change.

As a start, plans to transform the precinct into a distinctive and vibrant shopping and lifestyle destination that offers a signature street experience within a garden were announced at the conference.

The Government will activate existing parcels of State land and is considering introducing a progressive road reduction programme to expand the pedestrian mall, the minister said.

The shopping belt could eventually serve as a multipurpose space where "diverse and larger scale experiential concepts can be introduced", he added.

Singapore Tourism Board (STB) chief executive Lionel Yeo said the agency is already looking into plans to reclaim one lane on the road for pedestrians, and is working closely with the Land Transport Authority (LTA) to ensure that public transport access to Orchard Road will be preserved.

"We believe there are ways in which we can do this that can still allow people who want to get to Orchard Road to be able to do so. At the same time, there are also alternative routes people can take if they just need to go from one part of the road to the other part."

Authorities also intend to trial the idea of having a diagonal crossing - also known as a scramble walk - at a major junction at the shopping belt, Mr Yeo said.

In addition, plans to minimise "visual and physical barriers along Orchard Road that divide one side from the other" are being considered.

STB said these infrastructure improvements must be complemented by experiential elements and more street-level pop-up activations, which can be done by allowing the temporary use of existing vacant sites such as the open-air car parks at Grange Road and Angullia Park.

~News courtesy of Channel News Asia~