A STUDY OF POP-CULTURE TOURISM AND ITS REAL ESTATE IMPLICATIONS

Abstract

This dissertation seeks to examine the attractiveness of Singapore and its infrastructure as a pop-culture venue for music producers, with a focus on concert events. As global competition for the tourist dollar intensifies, Singapore should look into leveraging on its strengths and developing on new tourist areas such as pop-culture tourism through the hosting of music concerts. It has been found through quantitative and qualitative demand analysis that there is demand for concerts in Singapore. Attendance rates at concerts could be increased if tickets were less expensive and if a variety of performing artists and concerts including free concerts could be held at a variety of venues island-wide. In addition, despite the current supply stock of concert venues, there is still a lack in supply, for outdoor concerts especially, to meet this demand. In spite of land constraints, Singapore still has untapped potential in terms of alternative venues such as parks, beaches, school and community centre auditoriums and floating platforms. In addition, other possible methods of hosting concerts such as mobile venues, sky towers, water concerts and car-parks could also be adopted. Besides the hardware, we should also have the software whereby the environment is conducive for entertainers and their audience. Government entrepreneurialism through public private partnerships if necessary, apart from marketing and branding efforts of Singapore as a country to stage concerts would therefore be crucial as well. In addition, Government support through the relaxing of regulations that impedes the current local music scene wherever possible will help make Singapore a better pop-culture music destination. In this way, it is believed that Singapore has the necessary conditions that render it to be a viable location as a pop-culture tourism capital. Not only will the local music scene be invigorated through the process, but at the same time it will add buzz to its urban landscape as well.