SMART TOURISM IN SINGAPORE
Many experts who study the impact of high technology on the population recognize Singapore as one of the smartest cities in the world. As a result, the city is more or less ready to receive smart tourists. Almost all tourist and transport services and information are available online, and there are Internet access points throughout the city. By the way, superlatives are often used in relation to Singapore. This is one of the most highly developed countries in the world, it has the world’s largest seaport, Singapore airport has been repeatedly recognized as the best in the world. The largest Ferris wheel, the highest fountain, the largest oceanarium and the best zoo in the world are also located here. Singapore is also recognized as one of the cleanest and safest countries in the world. And also the most comfortable for doing business. It is also the only place where Formula 1 night races are held, and this is the only metropolis in the world built according to all the laws of the Feng Shui teachings. All of these can be good reasons to visit Singapore.
But this magical place is also full of amazing sights and surprises for the tourist. At first glance, the number of skyscrapers may suggest a “stone jungle”, but 50 percent of the country’s area is covered with green gardens and parks. For example, the Singapore Botanical Garden with its orchid park is world famous and included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. Even despite the abundance of glass and concrete, the city center is so beautiful and unusual that it leaves an indelible impression. Tourists call Singapore the dream city or the city of the future. Wonders of ultra-modern architecture are combined with stunningly beautiful Victorian and colonial buildings. A unique laser show in the evenings, the world’s highest swimming pool on the combined roof of three ship-shaped skyscrapers, ethnic neighborhoods, a variety of temples of different religions, shopping for every taste and budget, beaches, parks and attractions of the Sentosa resort island – this is not a complete list that attracts visitors from all over the world. Thanks to an unusual domestic policy, there is no corruption in the country. Tough laws provide for high fines even for minor offenses. Perhaps that is why the country is so clean and orderly. Tourists are treated more loyally, but Singaporeans take the cleanliness of their city very seriously. Therefore, it is better to study in advance and follow all the rules and carefully look at the prohibition signs. You can visit Singapore at any time of the year. It is warm and humid all year round. The temperature in winter and summer is almost the same, but in summer there is less rain. With the help of our portal, you can independently plan your visit to Singapore and make your trip truly smart.
Information disclosure. We are affiliated partners of several systems of searching and booking tickets and hotels. This means that if after visiting their page you buy or book something, we will receive a small reward. This reward does not increase the final price and you do not have to pay anything more than what is indicated on the site!
Official information online
The information required by tourists is collected by the government of Singapore and posted on the official website for tourists.
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The website contains a lot of useful information for tourists regarding stay in the country, events, special offers, etc. In addition, you can ask questions to representatives of the tourist authorities, just click the chat icon in the lower right corner and start correspondence:
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It should be especially noted that almost all government websites have chats that allow you to directly receive answers from the authorities, which makes communication with the government faster, and the government itself becomes smarter and takes into account the opinions of residents and tourists.
Mobile apps for Singapore
Many mobile apps have been released for Singapore, both for smartphones running Andorid and iPhones running iOS. Mobile apps are convenient to use while traveling, because they work a little faster and sometimes require less Internet resources. If you do not know how to install apps, then it is easy to learn here.
Google Play for Android smartphones
The official travel guide is made by the tourist authorities of the city. Basically, it duplicates information from the official website . But the app provides information in a form convenient for use on a mobile device. You can download the app from the link:
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It’s easy to find other Android apps on Google Play, just type Singapore in the search bar:
Appstore for iPhones
For these smartphones, there is also an official guide in the Appstore.
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Also, the Appstore has many other apps that can help tourists.
As you can see, there are many apps in Singapore for various needs – transport, maps, visas, buses, airlines, etc. We will talk about some more below. You can install the necessary apps before the trip and try them out at home, so as not to waste time on the trip learning how to work with them. It is possible that some apps will be useless for you, but this is not a problem, since they are just as easy to remove as they are to install. Of course, the presence of many mobile apps for a destination does not automatically make it a fully smart destination, but the fact is that the development of apps useful for tourists is a step towards the development of smart tourism. In addition, it is important that now mobile versions of websites are becoming an alternative to mobile apps. Most travel websites in Singapore are adapted for mobile devices, so using them is quite comfortable, even without installing apps.
Visa to Singapore
Before traveling, be sure to check on the official website of the government whether you need a visa and what rules apply to citizens of your country. It is quite simple to do this, just go to the website of the ICA government agency at the link.
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Then scroll down the page to Travel Documents by Countries and Places:
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After clicking, you will see a list of countries with a required visa, you can click on your country to get full information:
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In addition, this website has a lot of other useful information regarding your stay in Singapore and the processing of entry documents.
For those who do not want to deal with visa formalities and entry documents, there is the iVisa service we previously reviewed, where it is enough to enter your country of residence and country of destination in the window (in this case Singapore), and then the system will display a list of required documents and the price for assistance:
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What to do and where to go in Singapore
On Getyourguide (which we studied here ) there are quite a lot of tickets and offers for various activities in Singapore. Just follow the link and enter the date in the field:
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Hotels and hostels in Singapore
It is easy to find accommodation in Singapore on various platforms such as Booking com. Just follow the link and fill in the fields with the dates of entry and exit
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In addition, Singapore hotels are also presented on other online platforms, for example, in the ones we reviewed in another section, where we gave various examples and told how to use them.
Flights to Singapore
Flights to Singapore are carried out by many airlines that cooperate with various platforms for searching and booking air tickets, so finding an air ticket that suits the conditions and prices is not a problem. The article about various platforms and how to use them is on our website . Let’s take the metasearch system Jetradar as an example. Just follow the link and enter the dates, and the system will display flight options with prices:
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The first result will be the air travel with the lowest price:
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Internet in Singapore
Obviously, no smart tourism is possible if tourists do not have the Internet. In Singapore, the problem can be solved in several ways.
In most cases, hotels and restaurants in Singapore provide Internet via WiFi for free. If you do not know how to connect to such networks, then it is easy to learn here:
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Many public places in Singapore provide access to WiFi Wireless@SG
More about this service here: Connecting to the Wireless@SG network.
Network access and hotspot list.
Mobile Internet in Singapore can be obtained by purchasing Tourist SIM cards.
You can also use an eSim card. Its advantage is that it is not physical, but virtual, so you do not need to install anything on your phone. More details:
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A rented mobile router also solves the problem of the Internet. Similar services are provided in Singapore both at the airport and in other tourist places, as well as online, for example:
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Online services for transport
Mobile app “MRT and LRT map” will help you easily navigate the train traffic and plan your route. It can work offline.
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The State Land Transport Authority of Singapore provides traffic patterns, maps, timetables, rules and much more information regarding the use of land transport in the city including buses, cars, railways.
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Singapore International Airport provides a standard set of information for air travelers, including flight schedules, arrivals and departures, an airport guide, and more.
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In addition, on the airport website you can book in advance the rental of a WiFi router, hotel, car, as well as buy air tickets:
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Rent cars and motorcycles from local owners on GetRentaCar
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Useful information for tourists
Addresses and contacts of visit centers:
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List of consulates and embassies in Singapore:
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List of emergency phone numbers on the Singapore government website:
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We have given only some online services and apps that help tourists in Singapore. You need to understand that there are many more such services, moreover, they are constantly updated, and new ones appear. This shows that countries like Singapore are gradually moving through the path of innovation to become a smart destination and develop smart tourism sustainably