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29 May 05 Fewer tourists visiting Singapore's heritage and cultural attractions Shopping and eating have often been touted as Singapore's prize attractions. But does this discourage tourists from visiting the island's heritage and cultural attractions? In 2003, only 20 to 30 per cent of tourists went to attractions like the Singapore History Museum and the Malay Village. "It's not too bad, a good place for shopping and eating, really cheap and you can try all kinds of food," said one tourist about Singapore. "There's a lot to buy and eat," said another. "What attracts me most is the shopping." These are some of the impressions tourists have of Singapore. But is there anything else to do besides shop and eat here? Lee Chor Lin, Director, Singapore History Museum, said: "Singapore's uniqueness is not something that can be seen immediately. It has a lot of races and cultures, so its uniqueness is that all of them are living together on this small island, creating a really unusual culture." According to statistics from the tourism board, the top three paying attractions are Sentosa, cable car rides and the Night Safari. The History Museum and Art Museum are not in the top 10. And as for free attractions, only 40 per cent of tourists go to Chinatown and 27 per cent to Little India. This pales in comparison with Orchard Road which attracts some 76 per cent of the tourists who come here. Lee Chor Lin said: "Perhaps there is more to buy and eat, and there is less focus on promoting the historical side of Singapore so tourists think that's all there is to us. Singaporeans are the best ambassadors, because when foreigners come here they will ask their Singaporean friends what to do. So it will have a positive impact if Singaporeans introduce some of our museums to them." links Related articles on Singapore: general environmental issues |
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