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GP essay presentation Topic: others. Lim Zi Kun 12S03C. The tourist does not see the country the inhabitants know.’ How far is this true of Singapore ? (GCE ‘A’ Level 2005 Question 8). Question words: How far is this true Definitions:
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GP essay presentationTopic: others Lim Zi Kun 12S03C
The tourist does not see the country the inhabitants know.’ How far is this true of Singapore? (GCE ‘A’ Level 2005 Question 8) • Question words: How far is this true • Definitions: • Tourist- Someone who travels and stays in the place for a maximum of a year • Inhabitants- Residents living in a location for a substantial period of time • Context: Singapore
The tourist does not see the country the inhabitants know.’ How far is this true of Singapore? (GCE ‘A’ Level 2005 Question 8) • Possible errors in approach • Mere descriptions of tourists and inhabitants’ views of the country • Narrowing the scope of knowledge of the people on the country to only the physical aspect, without taking in other areas such as social issues
Introduction • Tourism plays the role of a major contributor in Singapore’s economy • 11,638,663 tourists were attracted to visit Singapore in 2010 • Singapore’s diverse mixture of races, religion, social and economic backgrounds could lead to differing viewpoints of tourists and local inhabitants
Thesis 1: True • Local societal problems are often elusive to the tourists as a result of a positively crafted portrayal of the country • Much effort is placed to promote the country in good light and leave a positive impression on tourists for boost of tourism industry • Destination branding of ‘Uniquely Singapore’ from 2004 to 2009 and ‘YourSingapore’ in 2010 • International events such as F1 racing and International Monetary Fund (IMF) Meeting 2006 where 100,000 flowers and shrubs were used to beautify the landscape • Business climate- Singapore ranked No. 1 in the world in ease of doing business and No. 2 in protecting investors, according to the World Bank Group's annual rankings for 2009 and 2010.
Thesis 1: True • Widening income gap present and that some people fall through the cracks as the country’s economy grows not seen • Singapore, according to the 2009 UN report, had a Gini coefficient of 42.5, exceeded only by Hong Kong (43.4) among the countries with very high human development • Cost of living in Singapore was ranked 78 of 239 in an ECA International Survey conducted
Thesis 2: True • The tourist does not understand the progress made in the country from its early years • Negative commentaries of Singapore • ‘The Little Red Dot’- Former Indonesian President BacharuddinJusuf (B.J.) Habibie’s comment, hinting at Singapore’s incapability • A government system where the people are too law-abiding and people are apathetic about political issues; people are led by their noses and the system is not democratic
Thesis 2: True • Progress made and prosperity attained as result of consistent efforts of people and leadership • Under the People’s Action Party (PAP), Singapore created what may be called an economic miracle. Within 46 years of independence, Singapore has become a prosperous nation ranked 25th of 177 nations in the Human Development Index
Anti-Thesis 1: False • There are similarities and truths in what tourists see at face value • Singapore as a Garden City • With lush greenery that lines the streets and roads and Tree Planting Campaigns from 1963, Singapore definitely lives up to its name • Singapore as a safe living environment • Singapore’s overall crime reported has fallen by 0.6% (200 cases) from 33,186 cases in 2009 to 32,986 cases in 2010.
Anti-Thesis 2: False • The heritage and culture of the country may be learnt via various channels • With increased accessibility to the Internet, tourists may gain information easily about the place of visit • Museums, guided tours can increase knowledge of country • National Heritage Board and National Museum of Singapore • Duck & Hippo Tours • Singapore Heartlands Trail Shop and Eat Tour
Counter argument to Anti-Thesis • The knowledge attained from guided tours may not be translated into understanding • Day-to-day habits and way of life is not communicated or shown
Conclusion • To a large extent true • It is not possible for a tourist to have full understanding of the country based on isolated experiences or sightings • Instead, only by living among the local community and time would allow attainment of understanding and insights into country • Not only applies to Singapore, but to any other country as well • Though fact may be that Singapore being a small island allows for tourist to tour the island well in a day’s time