Drawing tourists With more vibrant Changi

New attractions, activities and hospitality offerings set to rejuvenate the coastal precinct

- Sarah Stanley

More events, attractions and establishments are emerging in the Changi precinct as the coastal region in eastern Singapore evolves.

New boutique stays have launched in recent years, along with food and beverage establishments, and heritage tours and modern attractions are in the pipeline.

The goal? To transform the precinct into a vibrant destination that showcases its history while appealing to more locals and tourists – a view reflected by multiple stakeholders who spoke to The Straits Times.

Changi stretches across the easternmost end of Singapore and includes areas such as Changi Village and Changi Beach. It has a legacy of being rich in nature and is seen as a laid-back part of the country. Home to private and government-run holiday bungalows, it has been known as a resort area since 1845.

Between the 1950s and 1970s, its beaches and holiday bungalows were popular for weekend getaways, although their popularity dwindled when the construction of Changi Airport began in June 1975.

Today, Changi Airport anchors the easternmost precinct as the gateway to international tourism, and continues to grow. The Changi East development site, where the airport's future Terminal 5 and the Changi East Industrial Zone will be, sits on a 1,080ha plot – equivalent to more than 1,300 football fields.

Terminal 5 will increase the capacity of Changi Airport by an additional 50 million passengers a year, on top of the current 90 million passengers that its existing terminals can handle.

Besides being an "economic hub", the Changi region also offers a "diverse range of recreational offerings", says a spokesperson for the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA). These include the cycling network linked to the Round Island Route, and retail and F&B options at Jewel Changi Airport.