In this edition of Views from the Top published in The Business Times, Achieve Group CEO Joshua Yim shared his views on the topic on how can Singapore hold its own in the region as a travel destination and achieve 3-4 per cent annual growth in visitor arrivals on 13 April 2015:

Singapore has excellent infrastructure and, with its political and social stability, is a good place for business. It would be great to balance this by adding more vibrancy, colour and diversity to its cultural tapestry. Apart from developing more world-class tourist attractions, of which we already have many, we could consider augmenting our national events calendar with more exciting and colourful festivals. For example, we could take a cue from Rio de Janeiro and Venice, and create our own equivalents of the world-famous annual Rio Carnival and Carnival of Venice masquerade ball. And if Singapore could even stage a Mardi Gras festival, that would show the world that we truly are a city of diversity.

To honour the late Mr Lee Kuan Yew, we could also consider creating an event that pays tribute to the legacy that he has left us – our harmonious multi-racial society that is rare even in today’s world. It’s something of a miracle and what makes Singapore so unique. We should build upon this heritage and create a carnival that celebrates this unique quality of Singapore’s, perhaps in the style and vein of the Chingay festival but showcasing the multi-racial flavour of Singapore.

Source : The Business Time, 13 April 2015