So Singapore is relatively more expensive than its close competitors but as Aaron Hung, regional director of the newly-renamed Singapore Tourism Board (STB), said: "We have never been the cheapest."
So Singapore will continue to be promoted as a comfortable introduction to Asia, where English is still the first language: a good place to both start and finish a trip.
Hung sees the role of the gateway as a benefit to be exploited. Consequently the STB has joined forces with the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) and will spend £100,000 during the first year on a joint campaign to tempt tourists to visit both countries.
"Each country has about seven million international visitors each year, of which one million already visit both countries. We want to increase that number by stressing the attraction of combining a dynamic city product with a leisurely beach - a multi-destination message," said Hung. A second phase would involve an advertising campaign highlighting the attractions of the two countries.