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Singapore gets ready for FORMULA ONE
Living in Singapore, you can see the preparations first hand. The grandstands have been built; the Pit Building stands ready; the lighting tracks are in place; and the work is almost non-stop around the Marina Bay Street Circuit.
There has been less fanfare associated with preparations for the upcoming FORMULA ONE event compared with last year when everything was happening for the first time – from the opening of the Pit building to the lighting of the race circuit for the world’s first night race – however, preparations are no less intense this year.
In fact, in a way they are more intense simply because, as with anything, expectations are always higher the second time round.
Asked if organising a second year event was more challenging than the inaugural one, organisers for the 2009 FORMULA 1 SINGTEL SINGAPORE GRAND PRIX, Singapore GP Pte Ltd (SGP) told P@SSPORT, “Definitely, because you are faced with higher expectations.”
The various bodies tasked with making the only night race in the world a success have been busy working behind the scenes to ensure the race attracts and delights fans and visitors from all over the world, and also delivers profits to industry providers and suppliers.
There’s even more “something for everyone” this year
Despite the challenges presented by the global economic downturn this year, you can feel the excitement building up in Singapore.
One major factor that has raised the excitement level and widened the appeal base is the entertainment acts lined up as part of trackside entertainment. With names such as Travis, Backstreet Boys, Chaka Khan and Yossou N’Dour providing the action off the track, visitors are spoilt for choice.
These acts, coupled with increasing the diversity and number of F&B stalls throughout the Circuit Park will create a greater overall sensory experience for patrons, said SGP.
On top of that, the new entertainment-branded event, F1 ROCKS™, is making its debut in Singapore and will bring in both international and Asian stars such as Beyonce, Black Eyed Peas, No Doubt, Jacky Cheung and A-mei to perform in concerts that weekend.
This, industry observers say, will open up the appeal of the weekend and strengthen Singapore’s position as an entertainment hub. Indeed, the general sentiment is, you don’t have to be a FORMULA ONE fan to attend, you just want to be there to be part of the action.
On the race, Mr Peter Mainguy, General Manager of the Ritz-Carlton added, “It is anyone’s guess who will emerge the strongest contender now that Michael Schumacher is not coming and the eventual outcome makes it more gripping and exciting,” he said.
Efforts to get you involved – online, offline
F1 ROCKS™ makes it debut in Singapore this year
The Singapore Tourism Board (STB) has also been doing its part online to ensure the FORMULA ONE touches as wide a visitorship as possible. STB is looking to get everyone revved up and been reaching out to the online community, for example through facebook with the FORMULA ONE-themed “Doodle on the Merlion” activity and through YouTube with the Adventure in the Night City contest, inviting participants to upload videos depicting the Singapore GP Season.
To drum up excitement in August, a photo exhibition was set up along Orchard Road, between ION Orchard and Ngee Ann City, entitled “On Your Marks…Get Set…Glow”, from 13 August to 31 August.
This collection of 48 photos showcases:
- Exclusive images of this year’s race set-up by local photographer Wong Kin Leong
- Best public submissions of the inaugural race selected from more than 2,000 entries
- Destination shots from the Singapore Grand Prix Photo Competition, organised by STB and SGP
- Official 2008 race photos courtesy of SGP
- A sneak peak into the inaugural F1 ROCKS™ SINGAPORE
The exhibition had a very strong personal and local element as it showcased local photographers and submissions by residents, some of the photos are being seen for the first time in public.
As part of the exhibition, STB also put up an interactive photo booth in front of the 7-Eleven outside Ngee Ann City. The booth offered four specially developed FORMULA ONE-related visuals for users to superimpose their pictures on the visual, and then email the photo to friends and family. Following its launch in mid-August, 400 photo submissions were generated over one weekend alone.
STB's Singapore Visitors Centre has also been dressed up to reflect the FORMULA ONE theme and mood. The Merlion statue at the Merlion Park has also been dressed up with flags and will provide great pictures to locals and visitors who want to get into the FORMULA ONE spirit with a Singapore icon, right until 31 September.
Enticing the last minute holiday crowd
Indeed, the FORMULA ONE race has been getting more exposure on OTA (Online Travel Agency) websites such as Wotif, whose spokesperson told P@SSPORT, “We expect a good response to the deals. This is due to both some hotels not inflating their rates as much as they usually would and some adding in inclusions and value-adds for guests.”
Wotif expects a faster take-up closer to the weekend. “I think it is going to be more of a spur-of-the-moment decision as people are, in general, tending to book their holidays more last minute.”
SGP said, “We also continue to work closely with the STB's overseas offices for on ground promotional events and roadshows in our key territories. This series of overseas roadshows are just part of an aggressive marketing campaign that includes print, outdoor, television, web and below the line activities. For example, we had done media and trade roundtables in places like Kuala Lumpur, Dubai, Jakarta, Hong Kong, Mumbai, and Bangkok.”
Advertising exposure on regional television networks has also been increased. Singapore GP engaged Hollywood production house Cimarron to produce a television commercial which premiered over ESPN in May, and is viewable at www.singaporegp.sg/gallery.
Despite the economic challenges, close to 82% of the available corporate hospitality in the Suites and the Formula One Paddock Club™ have been taken up, he added.
Says SGP, “We knew this would be a challenging year given the current economic situation. We never expected to sell as many tickets in the time period as last year. However we are encouraged by the take-up rate to date.”
“Our unique selling points remain intact. We remain the only night FORMULA ONE race on the calendar, Asia’s sole street FORMULA ONE race, a highly accessible circuit that sits next to the heart of town that is filled with restaurants, hotels and shopping centres.”
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