Singapore Tourism Board Forges Partnerships With Lyft And Pandora To Promote Destination Awareness In The U.S.

NEW YORK, Sept. 26, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Singapore Tourism Board (STB) announces partnerships with innovative U.S. brands Lyft, the fastest-growing on-demand transportation service in the U.S.; and Pandora, the go-to music source for fans and artists to drive awareness for Singapore, a destination full of inspiring ideas and cultural experiences.  In an effort to push the limits on destination marketing, Singapore Tourism Board is paving a new path to engage with like-minded consumer audiences with a passion for discovery and creative thinking to explore the endless travel experiences in Singapore.  Partnering with these prominent Bay Area-based companies is aimed at supporting Singapore Airlines' launch of non-stop flights between San Francisco (SFO) and Singapore (SIN) on October 23 to jumpstart travel from the West Coast. 

"In a crowded travel marketplace, destinations are battling to capture consumer interest that drive conversions.  We need to look beyond the conventions and clichés of marketing a destination," said Kershing Goh, Regional Director of Americas, Singapore Tourism Board.  "Singapore is standing out by taking risks and finding extraordinary ways to raise our destination profile.  We are pleased to collaborate with like-minded partners Lyft and Pandora who, while are not conventional tourism brands, are aligned with Singapore in being future-forward in spirit and innovative at the core. Our destination resonates deeply with their millennial audiences who seek inspiration through travel."

Singapore: The City of Tomorrow
Fifty-one years ago, Singapore was born of innovation, ideas are its primary natural resource.  From dearth, this destination has transformed into a luminous, urban oasis that inspires travelers to think boldly beyond tomorrow. Singapore touts gleaming architectural marvels from the futuristic Marina Bay Sands to the lotus-shaped ArtScience Museum; technological innovations from driver-less taxis to sustainable bio-domes at the Gardens by the Bay; and inventive dining experiences such as Modern Singapore (Mod-Sin) cuisine that's revolutionizing dining traditions.  Singapore is the destination for idea explorers, directly appealing to Pandora and Lyft's consumer audiences, which actively seek the "what's next?"

A Lyft Surprise
On September 23 and 24, Lyft and Singapore Tourism Board surprised unsuspecting riders in San Francisco in cars distinctly wrapped with "YourSingapore" branding, the official tourism brand of Singapore. Through an immersive in-car experience, passengers were quizzed on Singapore, and 10 lucky riders were awarded a five-night, all-expense paid trip to this destination in Southeast Asia.  This October, winners will immerse themselves in innovative and cultural experiences in Singapore.  A video documenting their discovery of Singapore will be released on www.lyft.firststopsingapore.com, leading up to the debut of Singapore Airlines' new non-stop flight from SFO-SIN. 

"Partnering with Singapore Tourism Board is making traveling with Lyft even more seamless and unique. Surprising riders with trips to Singapore is the kind of spontaneity and engagement that our audience values," said Oliver Hsiang, Vice President Partnerships, Lyft.

Click here for a video of Lyft and Singapore Tourism Board's weekend ride:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lkzQHMtwHvQ&feature=youtu.be

Click here for high resolution images of Lyft and Singapore Tourism Board's weekend ride:
https://edelmanftp.box.com/s/1x6eomyosipe1jrqsrbrw463u0b4cjuk 

Cultural Immersion through Pandora
Music captures the essence of a destination's culture.  This partnership with Pandora offers listeners a platform to explore the diversity of Singaporean contemporary music featuring the country's top artists including pop band The Sam Willows, rapper THELIONCITYBOY and multi-genre singer-songwriter Charlie Lim.  This is the first time a dedicated Singapore station will be available to listeners with a playlist consisting 80 tracks from at least 12 Singaporean artists, curated in collaboration with Singapore music advocacy group, The Music Society, Singapore (SGMUSO).  The station will be available for download and play from November 2016 and accessible in perpetuity for curious listeners and avid fans.  More exciting details will be revealed this November on Pandora to engage listeners with the destination.

New Non-stop Flight from San Francisco to Singapore with Singapore Airlines
The West Coast of the United States is an important source market for Singapore, where key gateway cities include San Francisco, Los Angeles and Seattle. Complemented by Singapore Airlines' launch of non-stop flights between San Francisco and Singapore on October 23, these partnerships will deepen destination awareness and inspire travel to Singapore from the West Coast.

For more information on the Lyft activation and travel to Singapore on Singapore Airlines, visit www.lyft.firststopsingapore.com. For more information about Singapore, visit www.yoursingapore.com. 

About the Singapore Tourism Board
The Singapore Tourism Board (STB) is a leading economic development agency in tourism, one of Singapore's key service sectors. Known for partnership, innovation and excellence, STB champions tourism, making it a key economic driver for Singapore. We aim to differentiate and market Singapore as a must-visit destination offering a concentration of user-centric and enriching experiences through the "YourSingapore" brand. For more information, visit www.stb.gov.sg or www.yoursingapore.com or follow us on Twitter @STB_sg (https://twitter.com/stb_sg). 

About Lyft
Lyft was founded in June 2012 by Logan Green and John Zimmer to reconnect people and communities through better transportation. Lyft is the fastest growing rideshare company in the U.S and is available in more than 200 cities. Lyft is preferred by drivers and passengers for its safe and friendly experience, and its commitment to affecting positive change for the future of our cities.

About Pandora
Pandora is the world's most powerful music discovery platform – a place where artists find their fans and listeners find music they love. We are driven by a single purpose: unleashing the infinite power of music by connecting artists and fans, whether through earbuds, car speakers, live on stage or anywhere fans want to experience it. Our team of highly trained musicologists analyze hundreds of attributes for each recording which powers our proprietary Music Genome Project®, delivering billions of hours of personalized music tailored to the tastes of each music listener, full of discovery, making artist/fan connections at unprecedented scale. Founded by musicians, Pandora empowers artists with valuable data and tools to help grow their careers and connect with their fans.

www.pandora.com | Pandora Blog | Pandora LinkedIn | @PandoraPulse

About Singapore Airlines
Rated the top international carrier by the readers of Condé Nast Traveler 25 out of 26 years and voted "World's Best Airline" by Travel + Leisure magazine readers for 20 consecutive years, Singapore Airlines (SIA) prides itself on customer satisfaction and innovation. Highly regarded the world over for outstanding service, Singapore Airlines' cabin crew is among the most recognized in the industry.  From its debut, SIA pioneered such in-flight standards as complimentary beverages and headsets for all classes of travel, and continues to set industry standards today for product innovation and service.  Visit SingaporeAir.com for more details. Join us on Facebook, www.facebook.com/singaporeair and follow us on Twitter, www.twitter.com/singaporeair.

Media Contact
Edelman for Singapore Tourism Board
STBAmericas@edelman.com

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SOURCE Singapore Tourism Board