Destination development and transformation: 50 years of tourism after independence in Singapore

The purpose of this paper is to present a case study of the evolution of Singapore as a destination for international tourists, comparing contemporary circumstances with those existing 50 years ago when full independence was attained.

A case study methodology is adopted and findings are derived from the analysis of materials in the public domain.

Function as a tourist destination cannot be understood without an appreciation of a place’s history and evolving general economic, political and socio-cultural conditions. These determine opportunities and constraints and thus the character and image of the destination from a tourism industry perspective. Singapore is shown to have undergone transformation as a country and consequently as a tourist centre under the leadership of a strong government which has brought prosperity to the now highly urbanised and industrialised city state. Achievements are considerable, although the future is one of some uncertainty as the wider context continues to change in ways which pose new challenges.

The paper’s core argument is that performance as a destination cannot be separated from broader circumstances demonstrated by comparisons of Singapore’s tourism in 1965 and 2015 and the political, economic, socio-cultural and environmental contexts of the two periods.

While possessing many unique attributes related to its defining characteristics, the republic’s experiences afford valuable insights into the dynamics of destination development and especially in nations which are young, small and rapidly modernising.