Singapore Tourism Taps Influencers as Creator Campaign Unlocks New Discovery

Written By: Abhirup Gan

Abhirup Gan

I'm Abhirup Gan, a Mass Communication graduate and digital marketing professional. Driven by a passion for storytelling, I create insightful, research-led content that explores tourism trends, destination stories, and hospitality developments with depth and clarity. Through my writing, I hope to inspire readers to discover not only where to travel, but the stories, cultures, and experiences that make every journey meaningful.

See Full Bio

August 27, 2026 1:41 PM

Image generated with Ai

Singapore has started to rethink how it addresses its younger tourists, but this time it will come with an itinerary created from a creator’s perspective. Singapore Tourism Board has launched the Friends of Singapore 2.0 campaign, which will see international content creators showcasing Singapore through entertainment, lifestyle, food and personalised tourism experiences. This campaign has been built for the independent traveller, and more space has been left for the creators to create an itinerary based on their likes and preferences. Singapore has already started working on creating new tourism experiences for itself apart from its existing attractions, where food, neighbourhoods, entertainment and lifestyle become the reason to explore its various sections.

Friends of Singapore Gets a New Digital Direction

The Friends of Singapore programme uses creators and personalities to introduce Singapore to audiences in overseas markets.

The latest evolution puts greater emphasis on creator-led storytelling, allowing participants to experience the destination and develop content around themes that resonate with their audiences.

Rather than presenting Singapore through a single standard itinerary, the programme can highlight different versions of the city — from food-focused journeys and nightlife to fashion, wellness, entertainment and neighbourhood exploration.

This is particularly relevant to younger independent travellers, who often research destinations through social platforms and creator content before deciding what to experience.

Singapore Builds Around Personalised Itineraries

Friends of Singapore 2.0 reflects a shift towards more personalised tourism marketing.

A food creator can explore hawker centres, restaurants and local culinary neighbourhoods. A lifestyle creator can focus on shopping, design and entertainment. A culture-focused personality can build an itinerary around heritage districts, museums and local communities.

The result is a destination campaign built around multiple travel personalities rather than one broad message.

For visitors, this can make trip planning easier because experiences are organised around specific interests rather than simply listing attractions.

Food Remains One of Singapore’s Biggest Travel Assets

Food is central to Singapore’s tourism identity.

The city-state’s culinary landscape spans hawker centres, heritage dishes, contemporary restaurants and international cuisine. Singapore’s hawker culture was inscribed on the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2020, placing everyday food culture within an internationally recognised cultural framework.

For younger travellers, food trails can also connect different neighbourhoods within a single trip.

Visitors can move from Chinatown to Little India, Kampong Gelam and other districts while experiencing different culinary traditions and cultural settings.

Entertainment Adds Another Layer

Singapore’s entertainment sector provides another major component of the creator-led approach.

The destination combines large-scale attractions with concerts, sporting events, nightlife, theatre, museums and immersive experiences.

Singapore’s tourism authorities have increasingly used major events to strengthen international visitation. In 2025, tourism receipts reached S$24.8 billion, while international visitor arrivals rose to 16.9 million, according to the Singapore Tourism Board.

The figures show the scale of Singapore’s tourism market as creator marketing becomes one component of a much wider destination strategy.

Lifestyle Travel Moves Beyond the Landmark Checklist

Creator-led itineraries can also shift attention towards experiences that are less dependent on traditional sightseeing.

Instead of visiting only Marina Bay Sands, Gardens by the Bay or Sentosa, younger travellers can explore neighbourhood cafés, independent shops, galleries, wellness venues and cultural districts.

That broadens the geographic footprint of a trip.

A creator might begin the day with breakfast in a heritage neighbourhood, move to a design district, explore local food in the afternoon and finish with an entertainment experience.

The destination becomes an interconnected collection of experiences rather than a checklist of famous landmarks.

What the Digital Strategy Really Shows

The Friends of Singapore 2.0 approach reflects a broader change in destination marketing.

Travel inspiration increasingly happens before a traveller opens a traditional brochure or searches for a formal itinerary. Short-form video, social feeds, creator recommendations and visual storytelling can introduce destinations through highly specific interests.

That makes authenticity and relevance particularly important.

A creator’s food trail can show not only where to eat but how a neighbourhood feels. A lifestyle itinerary can reveal shopping streets and independent businesses that may not appear in conventional destination advertising.

The Travel Impact for Younger Visitors

For Gen Z and millennial travellers, the format can support independent trip planning while offering ideas for building personalised itineraries.

Singapore is compact enough for travellers to combine several neighbourhoods and experiences within a short stay.

A first-time visitor can mix cultural districts with food trails, entertainment, shopping and outdoor attractions without spending hours travelling between distant destinations.

The city’s public transport network also makes independent exploration practical, with the MRT and bus system connecting major tourism areas and neighbourhoods.

What This Means for Destinations

Singapore’s creator strategy demonstrates how destination marketing can move from selling a place to demonstrating how a traveller can experience it.

The distinction matters.

Instead of telling younger audiences that Singapore is exciting, diverse or food-focused, creator itineraries can demonstrate those characteristics through actual routes, neighbourhoods, meals and activities.

For destinations competing for younger travellers, that provides a model based on relevance and specificity rather than broad promotional slogans.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What is Friends of Singapore 2.0?
It is an expanded Singapore Tourism Board creator-led initiative that uses personalities and content creators to showcase different Singapore travel experiences.

2. Which experiences are being highlighted?
The initiative focuses on areas including entertainment, lifestyle and food, with creators developing itineraries around their interests.

3. Why is creator-led tourism marketing important for younger travellers?
Creator content can provide visual, experience-based travel inspiration and help independent travellers discover specific neighbourhoods, activities and food experiences.

Key Dates

2020: Singapore’s hawker culture was inscribed on UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage list.

2025: Singapore recorded 16.9 million international visitor arrivals and S$24.8 billion in tourism receipts.

2026: Friends of Singapore 2.0 expanded its creator-led approach for younger independent travellers.

Conclusion

Tourism marketing for Singapore continues to evolve, with a focus now on bringing creators and personalisation to the forefront of destination discovery. Friends of Singapore 2.0 brings together younger independent travellers with food, entertainment, lifestyle, and neighbourhood activities instead of simply depending upon landmarks for destination promotion. This approach takes into account Singapore’s overall tourism performance, which stands at 16.9 million international tourists visiting Singapore and a total of S$24.8 billion in tourist revenue for the year 2025.