Tag Archives: Singapore Formula One Grand Prix

Bookings for F1 weekend pick up

Posted on 24 Sep 2009 | Comments Off on Bookings for F1 weekend pick up

Trackside hotels’ better showing aided partly by more affordable room rates

Less bad, it seems, is the new good this year.

Bookings for Formula 1 (F1) weekend seem to have accelerated just in the nick of time at the trackside hotels after a dismal showing earlier this year, aided in part by more affordable room rates.

Expectations were also tempered by a sluggish economy, as companies pared corporate hospitality budgets and consumer sentiment took a nosedive.

‘We’re close to what we did last year, which is better than expected given the economic downturn,’ said a spokesperson from the trackside Mandarin Oriental, which will have the Toyota team and management staying at its hotel. Continue reading →

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Marina Bay retailers belt up for a rough ride

Posted on 22 Sep 2009 | Comments Off on Marina Bay retailers belt up for a rough ride

But shorter road closures will lessen damage, they say

Retailers are bracing themselves for a rough ride when road closures kick in to facilitate the setting up and dismantling of race infrastructure for the 2009 Formula 1 (F1) Singapore Grand Prix.

While the road closures at the Marina Bay area have been whittled down from 12 days to seven this year – from midnight on Sept 23 until Sept 29 – retailers in the area are already battling weak consumer sentiment and competition from new kids on the block such as Ion Orchard and Orchard Central.

‘The Marina Bay precinct such as Suntec City and Marina Square are already facing a decline in traffic as consumers are drawn to the new malls on Orchard Road,’ said a spokesperson for Wing Tai Retail, whose portfolio includes G2000 and Topshop.

Not to mention the fact that ticket inventory for this year’s F1 race stands at 83,000, which suggests a smaller captive audience trawling the area over the race weekend (Sept 25-27) compared to the 100,000 strong crowd last year. Continue reading →

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