Wildlife Reserves S'pore optimistic about visitor numbers in 2009

By Hoe Yeen Nie, Channel NewsAsia
07 January 2009

SINGAPORE: Tourist arrivals to Singapore may have been hit by the global economic downturn, but the company that oversees three local tourist attractions – Singapore Zoo, Night Safari and Jurong BirdPark – is not too worried.

Wildlife Reserves Singapore is banking on new attractions, such as the Bird Discovery Centre that is due to open later this month, to bring in the crowds.

At the discovery centre, visitors can learn why birds need feathers and find out how they reproduce.

The BirdPark spent about S$5 million last year on its exhibits, including giving its waterfall aviary an African theme, complete with 1,500 birds from 80 African species.

Despite fewer tourists in Singapore in the last quarter, Wildlife Reserves said visitor numbers to its three parks last year remained steady at 3.6 million.

Fanny Lai, group CEO, Wildlife Reserves Singapore, said: "We are optimistic that in 2009 we will be able to serve this number of visitors by getting more local visitors from schools, families, as well as attracting tourists from different segments – primarily from Indonesia and Malaysia."