A NEW nonprofit organisation that aims to develop the Singapore River into one of the country's top attractions was officially inaugurated on Monday.

Working in tandem with the Urban Redevelopment Authority, Singapore River One (SRO), which comprises 20 private sector stakeholders whose businesses span the length of Boat Quay, Clarke Quay and Robertson Quay, intends to execute a five-year business plan to make the precinct more attractive to local and international visitors.

Tyrone Tabing, newly appointed executive director of SRO, said the revamp of the river was vital for Singapore to fulfil its goal of becoming a world-class destination.

“Despite the (Singapore River) district’s inherent (tourism) potential, there has not been any real holistic effort in the past to drive traffic to the river. There’s definitely a real need to market and promote all three quays in a synergetic manner to make the river a focal point of visitor activity,” he said. 

According to Tabing, events will play a pivotal role in SRO’s vision of “bringing the river to life”. “SRO is currently working on an events strategy that will draw visitors to this area – probably through a series of festivals, tournaments, dinner cruises or even entertainment barges. Nothing has been set in concrete, but we are keen to pursue these avenues,” he said.

Other plans in the pipeline include a more comprehensive pedestrian and signage system which will help improve connectivity between Boat Quay, Clarke Quay and Robertson Quay, a mobile application to access maps and information about the area, as well as a loyalty programme for the water taxi service scheduled to launch in the new year (TTG Asia e-Daily, August 6, 2012).