Hello my friend! I hope you are doing well as
you are reading my blog. I have decided on an attraction for you to visit
during your visit to Singapore. The attraction that I would like to recommend
to you is the Helix Bridge. I have done some research based on your questions
on the Helix Bridge to help you learn more about the attraction in Singapore
during your visit.
1) How will you classify the attraction
according to the visitor market?
There are a few variables to classify the
attraction according to the visitor market. I have decided to use 'when they
visit' out of the other variables. The visitors will visit The Helix Bridge
when they are around the area. There are quite a lot of places you can view
when you are at The Helix Bridge. Guests from Marina Bay Sands will have to
pass the bridge to get to Marina Square Shopping Mall area.
The visitors can also visit The Helix Bridge
when they are going for dates as they can view very beautiful scenery of
Singapore's city skyline at night. The view is really beautiful as the lights
from the city skyline buildings lit up and the smell of the Singapore River
which is actually right below the bridge. The following pictures are some
pictures I took when I visited the bridge. You will see the beautiful scenery
surrounding the bridge and also how the bridge looks like during the daytime
and night-time.
DAYTIME
NIGHT-TIME
SURROUNDINGS
2) What are the motivating factors that will
interest your friend to visit the recommended attraction?
I recommended this attraction for you to visit
because although people might see and heard about this bridge, they need to
have the first-hand experience of being on the bridge and enjoy the beautiful
scenery and also the cool breeze of the wind. It is cooler if you visit the
bridge at night as there is no sun and the Singapore River makes the wind feel
cooler. You can watch events which are taking place at the Marina Bay Floating
Stage and it is one of the five places where you can view the events there.
This bridge actually links Marina Bay to Marina Centre where you can walk from
Marina Bay Sands to Marina Square Shopping Mall. You can also release your
stress when you stand at one side of the bridge overlooking the Singapore River
and also Singapore city skyline. Here are the pictures of the view when you're
standing at one side of the bridge.
The attraction will offer you the beautiful
scenery of Singapore city skyline as the core product. On the other hand, the
colorful lighting coming out from the city skyline buildings and also the
bridge itself, sharing the bridge with other visitors and the painting that can
be found along the bridge act as the tangible product. Lastly, the augmented
products of the Helix Bridge are its easy accessible as the location is just
about 10 to 15 minute walk from City Hall MRT Station, Raffles City MRT Station
and Marina Bay MRT Station; the weather as it may be either sunny or rainy day
when you visit the bridge; dustbins can be found along the bridge so people can
throw their used items to make the bridge litter-free and also the seats at the
resting points.
The benefits that you will enjoy when you visit
the Helix Bridge are the displays of the colorful lights from the buildings
(tangible), you will feel relax when you really enjoy the cool breeze
especially at night (intangible) and the ambience of the bridge as you will
feel like you are near a beach and instead of tall trees, tall, beautiful
buildings are located near it (intangible).
3) Describe the unique nature of the attraction
as a service product, in the context of your selected attraction. What challenges
does this pose for the attraction?
The unique natures of the attraction as a
service product are the service product is not standardized and the
surroundings of the service delivery process are a feature of the service.
The Helix Bridge is affected by the uncertain
weather. The bridge is located outdoor and so the weather plays an important
role on whether the visitors will visit the bridge even if it is on a hot day
or a rainy day. The designers and architectures must ensure that the bridge can
support the visitors from the hot sun and also have shelters along the bridge
so the visitors can prevent themselves from getting wet. There are actually
shelters along some parts of the bridge. If they have bad reviews on the
shelter part, the designers and architectures have to come up with an idea on
how to satisfy the visitors' needs and wants on the bridge in which they might
have to reconstruct the design of the bridge. Thus, the service product is not
standardized.
In addition, the surrounding of the bridge which
is mainly the layout of the bridge must be well-planned so that the bridge will
not be overcrowded and that the bridge can withstand the weight of the people
if there is an occasion whereby the bridge will be overcrowded with visitors.
For example, during the festive seasons, people might go to the bridge to watch
the fireworks. Thus, the surroundings of the service delivery process are a
feature of the service.
The challenges faced by the designers and
architectures of the Helix Bridge are as mentioned above. Since Singapore is
known for its hot and humid country, the design of the bridge must be able to
withstand the heat and also it must not rust easily when it is the rainy
seasons. The bridge design known as the canopies is made of fritted-glass and
perforated steel-mesh provides shades and shelters against direct sunlight and
heavy rainfall. Another challenge the bridge might face is the number of
resting points as during festive seasons or events held at the floating bay,
there will be a lot of people at the bridge. Some of the people might be
elderly or family with small children or pregnant women so they need a place to
rest and the resting point available now might not be able to satisfy that
needs of these group of people.
4) Share with your friend why you think the
attraction has been highly ranked on TripAdvisor. E.g. How has it met the needs
of visitors? Has it been unsuccessful in promoting itself?
I think the attraction has been highly ranked on
TripAdvisor because it is known as the world's first curved bridge as it
features a world's first 'double-helix' structure which is designed by an
international design consortium. The bridge is inspired by the yin and yang
concept in Asian culture in which the unique design of the bridge is said to
bring wealth, happiness and prosperity to Marina Bay. Since visiting the bridge
is free, there are no services, programmes and procedures for the bridge to
operate. Unless there are some events going on near the bridge, there might be
programmes for visiting the bridge which is held by the organizers of the
event.
The Helix Bridge is a pedestrian bridge. There
are some other pedestrian bridges in Singapore which is located over the
Singapore River such as the Alkaff Bridge, Robertson Bridge and Ord Bridge. But
the Helix Bridge win over the other pedestrian bridges by the unique design of
the bridge which is resembles the structure of DNA.
5) Comment on the impact the attraction has on
Singapore.
The impact the attraction has on Singapore is
the environmental impact. The impact affects the country by building the bridge
over the Singapore River which makes the river become smaller and smaller. The
impact has on the citizens is the pollution caused while building the bridge.
The pollution caused by building the bridge is noise, air and also water
pollution. People staying or walking along the bridge when the bridge first
built will have to bear with the noise of the builders and the smoke coming
from the drilling. Thus, those are the environmental impacts the attraction
which is the Helix Bridge has on Singapore.
I hope you have understood more about the Helix
Bridge and also the research I have made is useful for you.
REFERENCES
Temasek Polytechnic. (2011). Attractions
Management Lecture 2: Attractions as Service Products. Singapore: Temasek
Polytechnic Leisure and Resort Management Division.
YourSingapore. The Helix Bridge. Retrieved
May 19, 2013, from http://www.yoursingapore.com/content/traveller/en/browse/see-and-do/arts-and-entertainment/architecture/helix-bridge.html
