[The Jolt] Lower airfares and hotel deals for US$1

Singapore – The economic situation has taken a toll on the airline industry, but this has turned into opportunity for travel buyers, who now have the option to purchase a stay in Singapore for US$1 a night under a new Singapore Tourism Board and SIA initiative. 

The tie up, named Fabulous Singapore Stopover package, is aimed at stimulating tourism during the downturn, SIA said in a statement.

The package covers exclusive deals on airport transfers and hotel stays for US$1 for the first night at six hotels - Allson Hotel, Hotel Royal, Hotel Royal @ Queens, Hotel Re! @ Pearl's Hill, Paramount Otel and Peninsula Excelsior.

Travel buyers can also pay US$20 for the first night for the Copthorne Orchid Hotel, Link Hotel and Hotel Ibis.

SIA also said it is lowering its return fares in economy class to as low as S$568 (tax inclusive) to Perth, and S$1,198 to places like Paris, London, Milan, Rome and Barcelona.

Further, SIA's regional wing, SilkAir, will commence twice-daily services to Penang from June 1. Together with SIA's own daily service, the two airlines will operate a total of 21 weekly services. "The liberalisation of the markets between Singapore and Malaysia has enabled our sister airline, SilkAir, to join us in offering a total of three flights a day to Penang," says Huang Cheng Eng, executive vice president of marketing for SIA in a statement.

The tickets are also interchangeable, so corporate travellers holding onto SIA tickets to the destination can opt for the afternoon and evening SilkAir options.