Zouk Group presses pause on ZoukOut this year

After 18 years of massive party events, Zouk is pressing pause on its annual ZoukOut party. In a Facebook post, the Zouk Group organisers said the event will be taking a break to recharge and will do “everything” to keep the festival and spirit alive.This comes after ZoukOut switched to a one-day event format after five years of two-day parties. As part of its plans to redefine the conventional theme of ZoukOut, the organisers were also looking to expand the event to a location “within the city”, moving from Siloso beach. In an interview with Marketing then, Andrew Li, chairman and CEO of Zouk Group, said last year that after 18 editions, the team recognised a need to refresh the ZoukOut concept to elevate guests’ experiences.Last year, ZoukOut drew in sponsors and partners such as Lazada Singapore, Visa, Carlsberg, Scoot, GUESS, Coca-Cola, MTV among others.However, according to The Straits Times, the one-day event last year drew only 20,000 attendees. The number was a half of the 40,000 partygoers in 2017. In 2016, there were more than 41,000 attendees, while in 2014, it saw the highest number of partygoers at 50,000, the article said.Meanwhile, Singapore Tourism Board (STB) and Sentosa Development Corporation (SDC) said in a joint statement to Marketing that while it is aware of ZoukOut not proceeding with its 2019 edition. It added that Singapore’s entertainment and nightlife scene remains vibrant with a line-up that will continue to appeal to both locals and visitors. This is given top entertainment acts such as international artists Ed Sheeran, John Mayer and Steve Aoki among others have performed in Singapore this year, while other artists are set to headline the outdoor music and arts Neon Lights festival in November 2019.With Formula One slated for September and indie music festival Baybeats in its 18th edition this year, the statement read that there are several options for music-lovers with performances across various genres.According to STB and SDC, there have a number of first-in-Asia and/or only-in-Asia acts to enhance the nation’s appeal as an entertainment destination. These acts are made possible by Singapore’s range of performance venues that includes the National Stadium, Singapore Indoor Stadium, and the Esplanade.As part of the next phase of Sentosa’s development, SDC aims to remain committed in curating differentiated night events and experiences for both locals and tourists. SDC previously also launched a lifestyle quarter featuring eateries, shops, concert and event spaces, and waterfront accommodation called Siloso Green. The space will be filled with bars, food trucks, innovative business concepts and live music under the stars to draw in more visitors in the night.