THE SUCCESS OF BOAT QUAY - AN EVALUATION

Abstract

Boat Quay, since its advent, has been a popular destination for foreigners and locals alike. However, the transformation of Boat Quay's shophouses into their present uses was not without much pain and tribulations. Especially noteworthy is the involvement of government authorities, such as the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) and the Singapore Tourist Promotion Board, which shape the basis of Boat Quay's performance. To test the success of Boat Quay and the reasons for such performance, two surveys were conducted : one involving customers patronising Boat Quay's outlets while the other concerning Boat Quay's tenants. Factors such as location and accessibility, ambience and riverview, architectural merit, tenant mix, governmental influence and promotion were investigated to determine their respective impact on Boat Quay. A tenants' survey was carried out to identify the reasons for the generally good business performance of Boat Quay's establishments and to solicit tenants' expectations for it's future performance. The locational advantages of Boat Quay, being easily accessible, possessing a huge trade catchment area and a splendid riverview with its accompanied ambience, are the main reasons for the success of Boat Quay. Other less influential but nevertheless strong determinants are the architectural merits of the shophouses, the tenant mix and the promotional elements expended by the private and public sectors.