Singapore Changi Airport has reintroduced the Free Singapore Tour for transit and transfer passengers after a three-year hiatus caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.
The relaunch is a collaboration between Changi Airport Group (CAG), Singapore Airlines (SIA), and the Singapore Tourism Board (STB) aimed at promoting Singapore as a holiday destination and enhancing the airport’s attractiveness as a transfer hub.
“We are delighted to bring back the Free Singapore Tour through our long-standing partnership with CAG and SIA,” said Chang Chee Pey, assistant chief executive, marketing group, STB. “We hope that the tour will inspire transit and transfer passengers to plan a longer trip to Singapore in future, and discover much more of what our vibrant city has to offer.”
Since its introduction in 1987, the Free Singapore Tour has been a popular attraction for transit and transfer passengers. In 2019, over 80,000 passengers participated in the tours, with Indian and Australian travellers accounting for more than one-third of the total participants.
To provide travellers with new experiences, the City Sights Tour, Heritage Tour, and Jewel Tour have been updated to include new points of interest. A new Changi Precinct tour has also been introduced to showcase the eastern region surrounding Singapore Changi Airport. The tours are available daily, and plans to progressively increase to nine tours a day are underway.
Transit and transfer passengers who wish to participate in the Free Singapore Tour must have a layover period of at least 5.5 hours but less than 24 hours and a valid entry visa for Singapore. Participants can book the tours in advance on Changi Airport’s website.
The Changi Precinct Tour offers a 2.5-hour itinerary that brings participants to the eastern part of Singapore to visit local community spaces such as the Tampines heartland and Changi Village and Beach.
The Jewel Tour now features local brands such as Bee Cheng Hiang and Tong Garden, where participants can sample local snacks while learning about Singapore’s food heritage. The City Sights Tour and Heritage Tour have new pit stops that include the Civic District, Marina Bay Financial District, Buddha Tooth Relic Temple in Chinatown, Arab Street, and Haji Lane.
