Place your bets on Singapore casino opening
SINGAPORE – Singapore is expected to open its first casino this weekend, although the operators of Resorts World on Sentosa are being coy about their plans.
Local taxi drivers may have been tipped off, however. From Friday, they have slapped a S$3 surcharge on fares leaving the resort island.
The opening of the Resorts World at Sentosa may be timed to coincide with the Year of the Tiger, the Lunar New Year holiday starting this weekend.
A spokesman for the resort declined to confirm the opening date, after the government granted Genting a licence to operate the casino earlier than an expected March or April start and ahead of Las Vegas Sands’ rival Singapore casino.
The Straits Times newspaper reported on Monday Genting has told staff and tenants that the casino and associated Universal Studios theme park at its Resorts World at Sentosa casino-resort will open this week.
In January, Resorts World opened four of its six hotels as well as some shops and food outlets. The Universal Studios theme park is also gearing up for an official opening.
In other news from the city-state, the number of visitors to Singapore last year reached 9.7 million, above forecasts but still a year-on-year decline of 4.3 percent.
Singapore started to see more visitors arriving from the second half of last year. For December, visitor arrivals to Singapore grew 9.4 percent year-on-year to reach 971,000, the highest monthly level ever recorded.
Indonesia led the top five markets in 2009, with 1,745,000 visitors to Singapore. The others included China (937,000), Australia (830,000) and Malaysia (764,000). These markets made up over half of total visitor arrivals to Singapore last year.
STB chief executive, Aw Kah Peng, said the opening of the integrated resorts, major events like F1, the Youth Olympic Games in August, and new initiatives like the Asian Fashion Exchange would boost 2010 numbers.
Ian Jarrett
Vegas’s Billion-Dollar Secrets – What They Don’t Want Tourists to Know
Visit Florida’s New CEO Bryan Griffin Shares His Vision for State Tourism with Graham
Chicago’s Tourism Renaissance: Graham Interviews Kristin Reynolds of Choose Chicago
Graham Talks with Cassandra McCauley of MMGY NextFactor About the Latest Industry Research
Destination International’s Andreas Weissenborn: Research, Advocacy, and Destination Impact
Graham and Don Welsh Discuss the Success of Destinations International’s Annual Conference
Graham and CEO Andre Kiwitz on Ventura Travel’s UK Move and Recruitment for the Role
Brett Laiken and Graham Discuss Florida’s Tourism Momentum and Global Appeal
Graham and Elliot Ferguson on Positioning DC as a Cultural and Inclusive Global Destination
Graham Talks to Fraser Last About His England-to-Ireland Trek for Mental Health Awareness
Kathy Nelson Tells Graham About the Honour of Hosting the World Cup and Kansas City’s Future
Graham McKenzie on Sir Richie Richardson’s Dual Passion for Golf and His Homeland, Antigua
ADS PRO 
Phocuswright reveals the world's largest travel markets in volume in 2025
Higher departure tax and visa cost, e-arrival card: Japan unleashes the fiscal weapon against tourists
Cyclone in Sri Lanka had limited effect on tourism in contrary to media reports
Singapore to forbid entry to undesirable travelers with new no-boarding directive
Euromonitor International unveils world’s top 100 city destinations for 2025