Betting on Singapore visitors

2008/11/04

MALACCA: It is going to be "an eye for an eye" for Malacca soon.

When the Eye On Malaysia here officially opens for business on Saturday at the Sungai Melaka rivermouth, the people behind this project along with the state government will be keeping a close eye on Singapore.

They rationalise that it is the Singaporeans who are going to take the Eye on Malaysia here to greater heights.

The more Singaporeans make a beeline for the historical city, the more the state and the project's other stakeholders are going to earn in revenue.

Eye On Malaysia chief operating officer Adam Yong Abdullah said their biggest market would comprise Singaporeans and Malaysians, followed by Indonesians and other foreigners visiting the state.

"We understand that Singapore has the tallest Ferris wheel in the world and a ride costs about RM80 per person. It will set a family of five back at least RM400 and for that amount, they can get a better deal here."

Yong added that many Singaporeans loved "hanging out" here during the weekends and school holidays.

Other attractions planned include a Malaysian International Space Adventure exhibit, the Strange World Screen (the world's largest water screen), two world-class restaurants -- the Eye Cafe and The Eye Seafood Restaurant -- and an entertainment park.

For the first year, Yong said 700,000 visitors were expected. "We would be happy with this figure, but the timing of the opening of the Eye is also important, as it is during the end of the year.

"For those in the tourism industry, the year-end school holiday period is the busiest time."

The Ferris wheel will be run by Eye On Malaysia Sdn Bhd, a joint venture between MST AD Suria and Kumpulan Melaka Bhd, the investment arm of the state government.

The investment here costs some RM50 million, including the RM6 million spent to buy the land on which the entertainment park site will be built.

Source: NST