Managing the Asian Financial Crisis: Tourist Attractions in Singapore

Abstract

This article considers tourist attractions in Singapore and the consequences of the Asian financial crisis for operators within the context of crisis management theory. The range of visitor attractions in Singapore is identified, and the period of economic turmoil that began in the late 1990s is summarized together with an account of its impact on tourist activity. The results of a survey of leading attractions indicate the effect of the crisis on business, responses to it, and the application of crisis management planning. The analysis suggests both an absence of formal planning and the need for it given the nature of travel and tourism and its exposure to uncertainty, risk, and disaster. The study thus provides an insight into how attractions’ managers deal with a crisis, but its limitations are also recognized with the need for more thorough analysis conducted during a longer period of time as the crisis continues to develop.