New events website gives tourists more

New events website gives tourists more

A new ticketing agent in town is aiming to boost the events-tourism pie here and give travel agencies selling Singapore as a holiday destination a run for their money.

Showbiz International, a leading Australian ticketing provider with 30 years of experience in the business, has extended its popular "one-stop shop" entertainment-package model to Singapore with the launch of its regional website, www.showbizasia.com

The integrated website focuses mainly on selling tickets for arts and entertainment events in Singapore to consumers from around the world. It also combines this with options for hotel stays, dining options and visits to attractions in Singapore.

In particular, it is targeting visitors from Indonesia, Malaysia, China, Australia and New Zealand, said Mr Craig McMaster, chief executive of Showbiz Group, at The Arts House on Tuesday.

Mr McMaster said that events tourism is crucial to the success of the new theatres and entertainment venues here.

He pointed out that, with the opening of the two integrated resorts, there are now more than 5,000 additional theatre seats available each day. That translates to about 40,000 more seats a week, and about two million more seats up for grabs a year.

"The local market alone cannot support this, and so our energies, plans and marketing focus must be to turn inbound tourism and packaging markets to drive volume," he said.

"This must mean new approaches to distribution, and a whole new level of big-picture partnerships. It also requires a shared commitment to the vision of Singapore as an arts and entertainment destination which will rival places like New York, London, Toronto and Sydney."

-News courtesy of Channel Newsasia-