Major makeover for Orchard Road
Major makeover for Orchard Road
Bernice Han, Agence France-Presse/Singapore
Singapore's famous shopping Orchard Road strip is set to undergo
a makeover worth nearly US$1 billion as part of the city-state's
efforts to become one of the world's premier retail havens.
The ambitious revamp comes as the tiny Southeast Asian nation
faces fast-rising competition from other regional cities for the
shopping tourist dollar, with Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur, Hong Kong
and Macau all offering increasingly attractive alternatives.
Spearheading the Orchard Road upgrade will be the construction
of a 218-meter tall skyscraper that authorities say will be the
landmark structure for the two-kilometer-long street.
The skyscraper, to be the tallest on Orchard Road, will boast
a 360-degree public observation deck at the top and a 3,000-
square-metre public event space.
Four plots of sites in the precinct have also been put up for
tender to be developed into mega shopping malls, while more
underground walkways will be built to link existing shopping
centers.
"We envision Orchard Road as one of the world's greatest
shopping streets and a unique lifestyle destination with exciting
retail, dining and entertainment," Vivian Balakrishnan, second
minister for trade and industry, said recently when details of
the revamp were unveiled.
The upgrade plans kicked into motion with the tenders and the
government hopes to begin renovations quickly, however an exact
timeframe will not be determined until investors submit their
plans.
Association of Singapore Attractions chairman Francis Phun
told AFP the revamp was timely as Orchard Road, long a magnet for
international bargain hunters, was in danger of becoming just
like any other shopping street in Asia.
"I think what we need is more surprises ... when you shop at
other places like Hong Kong and Bangkok, they have a huge variety
of goods," Phun said.
Tourism is a vital cog in Singapore's famously efficient
economy, with the sector accounting for 3 percent of the city-
state's annual gross domestic product, and Orchard Road has been
one of the most important components.
Government statistics show 76 percent of visitors to Singapore
visited Orchard Road in 2003 and spent $206 million on shopping.
Last year was particularly strong for the tourism sector, with
a record 8.3 million visitors, or 6 percent of all visitors to
the Asia-Pacific region, descending on the city-state, according
to the Singapore Tourism Board.
The tourists injected almost $6 billion into the economy.
However, Singapore has lofty ambitions and is aiming to triple
tourism receipts to $18 billion and double arrivals to 17 million
by 2015.
Elsewhere in Asia, Macau is counting on its growing array of
glitzy Las Vegas-style casinos to lure tourists while Hong Kong
will in September be able to boast of having its own Disneyland
theme park.
Balakrishnan signaled Singapore was very much aware of the
growing competition when he announced the revamp.
"Many cities are attempting to undergo this transformation...
London, Paris, New York or even closer to home," he said.
"We must continue to build on Orchard Road's strengths and
harness its enormous potential. Orchard Road will play a pivotal
role in the achievement of these goals (boosting tourism
numbers)."
Foreign tourists wandering along Orchard Road recently said
they were already very impressed with what was on offer, with
Irishman Donal Barry telling AFP he preferred the Singapore
experience to similar retail strips in Europe.
"There's better shopping here," Barry told AFP, explaining he
preferred the variety of shops and the clean environment.
Australian tourist Carol Cutler expressed similar positive
sentiments, although she expressed concern the trees and greenery
that are a feature of Orchard Road will be lost in the upgrade.
"I like the space, the plants and the trees ... I don't know
if you need any more malls," she said.