The F1 Singapore Grand Prix is back – and I have changed my mind a bit about its non-value for Singapore, at this juncture. But the government should do more to make sure ordinary Singaporeans relate better to the event and are not nonchalantly shrugged off as collateral damage.
The disruption to local life and to the shops within the vicinity of the F1 Singapore Grand Prix circuit has always been a big concern. Have the organisers, the Ministry of Trade and Industry and Singapore Tourism Board besides Singapore GP, been able to minimise the chaos caused to the daily routine of residents? Are affected contract workers penalised by loss of wages due to no fault of theirs, should their shops lose the business of regular customers? What about bus commuters? How had they been properly notified far in advance of changes in the routes?
The Singapore agencies are obviously convinced that one of the early aims – to promote Singapore’s image as an iconic tourist destination – has already been achieved. As I said in an earlier column, OK, sure Beyonce now knew where the Lion City was. What else?
The MTI and STB have been able, however, to also look at the event’s account balance sheet with some satisfaction.
The Straits Times reported: “The 2019 race, the last time it was staged here, drew a three-day total of 268,000 spectators – the second-highest after the 300,000 total at the 2008 maiden race.
“Overseas visitors generally comprise 40 per cent of race-goers here and the race weekend contributes about $130 million annually in tourism receipts.
“There have been 12 editions since 2008 and together, they brought more than 550,000 unique foreign visitors, contributing over $1.5 billion in tourism receipts.”
But this year’s F1 Singapore Grand Prix will have to be a much-needed booster. The tourism sector has been battered by Covid-19. Last year, there were 330,000 visitor arrivals and an estimated $1.9 billion in tourism receipts. “It is only a fraction of the 19 million visitors and $27.7 billion in receipts from before the pandemic in 2019,” according to The Straits Times.
But there is much more, I now think, to the Formula 1 Singapore Airlines Singapore Grand Prix 2022 (this is its official name).
The tourism industry is crying out loud for some help which the F1 will handily provide, this year more than any other year. The world has never been more travel and entertainment deprived. There should be a burst of visitors.
The F1 also seems to be doing more for Singapore in bringing in the marquee shows than the two integrated resorts.
Every time, the Grand Prix is here, the big acts are here. This year, Black-Eyed Peas, Westlife, TLC and Suede are the big liners.
More important, for me, the number of local acts getting the chance to show off their talent is impressive: Altoduo, INCH, Ice-cream Sundays, Mintravine, The Countdown, WUKONG, ShiGGA Shay.
This should indeed be the road map for the F1 Singapore version, beyond the tourist dollars and cents.
Give our top local talents the exposure they deserve, especially if the world stage is right here in Singapore. Make this global city a MUST stop-over or destination for entertainment. Maybe one of these ONEPass marquee foreign talents can help.
Tan Bah Bah, consulting editor of TheIndependent.Sg, is a former senior leader writer with The Straits Times. He was also managing editor of a magazine publishing company.
Read also:
F1 Singapore: What have we become?
Singapore F1 Grand Prix 2023: Time to warm up those engines!