Changi Airport Group Offers Free Jewel Tours for Transit Passengers

Singapore Changi Airport’s reputation as the best airport in the world was further cemented with the addition of the experiential Jewel Changi Airport (Jewel) in April this year. To date, over 300,000 people per day, have visited Jewel since it opened and to further elevate the layover experience for transit passengers, Changi Airport Group, together with Singapore Tourism Board and Singapore Airlines, has introduced a new Jewel tour itinerary as part of the Free Singapore Tour[1] (FST) offerings.

Over 1.1 million Australians visited Singapore in 20182, the majority of which enjoyed a stopover, and for those transit passengers who have a minimum 5.5 hour layover and the relevant visa approvals to enter Singapore, the complimentary tour will take them through the many features of Jewel, including a closer look at its architecture and array of entertainment, dining and retail offerings.

Two tours are conducted daily, one in the morning (10:30 AM – 1:00 PM) and another in the evening (6:00 PM – 8:30 PM), led by an experienced guide. Both tours feature the iconic highlights of Jewel – the Forest Valley and Rain Vortex, offer local food samplings and culminate in a free entry to Jewel’s Canopy Park, which is normally a paid attraction. The evening tour includes a viewing of the popular light and sound show, where visitors will see the Rain Vortex transform into a spectacular performance. Guests of the tours will also be able to purchase Changi Experience Studio (CES) tickets at S$19, which is a discount of S$6 from the usual standard rate for foreigners. The CES is an immersive state-of-the-art digital experience attraction, that tells stories of Changi Airport in an interactive way.

Tour participants will be able to sample food from the Five Spice Food Court which showcases hawker food fare. They will be introduced to spices and ingredients used in well-loved Singapore dishes by staff from Anthony the Spice Maker. Hawker culture is an integral part of the Singapore way of life, where people from all walks of life gather in food centres to savour local favourites and socialise over meals. Morning tour participants will also visit d’Good Café where they will get to taste local coffee and learn about Singapore’s coffee heritage through the Singapore Coffee Museum that resides within the cafe.

Other than the Jewel FST, there are two other existing FST itineraries for transit and transfer passengers at Changi Airport – the Heritage Tour, and the City Sights Tour, both of which bring passengers on a short journey around Singapore and includes stopovers at famous landmarks. These tours have been running since 1987, with 80,000 participants in 2018 – a 11% increase from the year before.

Mr Lim Ching Kiat, Managing Director of Changi Airport Group’s Air Hub Development, said, “Changi Airport offers a wide range of offerings for our transit and transfer passengers, which make up about 30% of the passengers travelling through Changi Airport. The Free Singapore Tour is one such offering and is a popular choice among Australians who are transferring through Singapore. The addition of the Jewel itinerary provides another option for these passengers to get the most out of their layover experience and catch a glimpse of Singapore without having to leave the airport.”

Ms Jacqueline Ng, Director, Marketing Partnerships and Planning, Singapore Tourism Board said, “We’re pleased to support the launch of the new Jewel tour in partnership with Changi Airport and Singapore Airlines. Through this special edition tour, we hope to give transit visitors a taste of what Singapore has to offer through the wondrous facets of Jewel; its stunning architecture, unique retail offerings and amazing selection of local culinary fare, and hopefully, this experience will inspire visitors to return to Singapore in the near future to explore the destination.”

Mr Campbell Wilson, Senior Vice President Sales and Marketing, Singapore Airlines said, “Singapore Airlines is pleased to be part of this partnership to bring exciting and new experiences to travellers as we connect them to the rest of the world via Singapore on Singapore Airlines and SilkAir flights. We hope that visitors will enjoy the tour at Jewel, the latest Singapore icon, and bring memorable experiences home with them.”

The following is the morning and evening schedule for the Jewel itinerary on the FST. For more information on FST, visit www.changiairport.com/en/airport-guide/facilities-and-services/free-singapore-tour.html.

[1] For more information on the different itineraries available on the FST, visit www.changiairport.com/en/airport-guide/facilities-and-services/free-singapore-tour.html

2 STB 2018 Year in Review