For the month of August, residents and tourists in Singapore wrote and sent out a staggering 272,635 Uniquely Singapore Postcards…
For the month of August, residents and tourists in Singapore wrote and sent out a staggering 272,635 Uniquely Singapore Postcards to their friends and relatives all over the world.
This is an increase of more than 30,000 postcards compared to the same period last year, and bears testimony to the continued success of Project Postcard.
All postcards were entered into two lucky draws where attractive prizes awaited both postcard senders and recipients. In all, 40 winners were picked in two draws held on 23 August and 7 September 2005, including 5 Grand Prize Winners who won for the recipients of their postcards Singapore Airlines return trips for two to Singapore, a 4 days/3 nights stay at The Fullerton Singapore for two, S$1000 Metro Gift Card and more than S$300 worth of spa treatments from The Retreat. They also won for themselves a hotel stay, shopping card and spa treatments.
The Grand Prize winners all had interesting stories behind their postcards. Ms Sarah Au wrote to Miss Regina Leung, hoping to win the prize for her Canadian niece who has never been to Singapore. Another Grand Prize Winner Ms Ng Choy Foong thought her Singapore-born nephew Lewis who lived in Canada would benefit from knowing a little more about his birth country and decided to invite him for a visit. Other grand prize winners like Suriyati Hassan and Kevin Chin simply wrote to friends, whom they have not met in recent years, hoping to win the prize that would allow them to meet again.
Postcard senders were free to write just about anything, and many did share little nuggets of their personal lives – whether it was missing a loved one, sending a birthday wish or inviting a friend to attend a wedding. A number of writers also took the opportunity to slip in information about Singapore and its unique attractions, urging their friends and relatives to visit Singapore.
Two specially designed postcards – one featuring the Esplanade in a sea of dazzling fireworks and another with a group of friends sharing a refreshing local dessert ice kachang – provided inspiration for more than one postcard writer.
One Grand Prize Winner, Ms Hannah Tan, who wanted to show a bit of what Singapore really looks like, described the Esplanade as a bug-eye shaped building that is a big performing arts centre.
Other winners promoted little known facts of Singapore. Ms Gwen Weiss wrote that the Bukit Timah Nature Reserve contains more species of trees than the entire North American continent.
The diverse and interesting perspectives offered by writers in their postcards are a strong measure of the success of Project Postcard, now into its third year. Mr Bill Ang, Director, Brand Management, Singapore Tourism Board, said: Project Postcard aims to encourage residents in Singapore to spread the buzz about the country to friends and family around the world and invite them to experience the unique and enriching offerings of Singapore for themselves. From the enthusiastic response to the contest, it is evident that residents have been spurred into action to be Singapore`s best tourism ambassadors.
Complimentary overseas postage for the Uniquely Singapore postcards will be extended until the end of September 2005.
Theodore is the Co-Founder and Managing Editor of TravelDailyNews Media Network; his responsibilities include business development and planning for TravelDailyNews long-term opportunities.
