Sustainability and Local Visitor Growth Mark This Year’s Christmas Festivities
This year’s Orchard Road Christmas light-up is expected to attract five to six million visitors, returning to pre-pandemic levels of attendance, according to the Orchard Road Business Association (ORBA). Although domestic visitors are expected to outnumber international tourists, especially with global tourism recovery still slow, the event is set to draw crowds from both locals and tourists. Last year’s event saw over four million visitors, marking a return to in-person festivities after the pandemic hiatus.
Orba Chairman Mark Shaw mentioned that the tourism arrivals in Singapore have reached only 70% of pre-Covid levels, with a decline in the number of foreign visitors to Orchard Road. However, he hopes the return of Chinese tourists might help boost overall numbers.
For the first time, this year’s event will incorporate sustainable elements to reduce its carbon footprint. Two major Christmas installations will be powered by solar energy, and ORBA plans to reuse LED lights from past years’ displays. In addition, renewable energy credits from SP Group will be purchased to offset some of the energy consumption. These measures aim to reduce the environmental impact, saving an estimated 4,000 trees.
The light-up spans 3.1 kilometers from Tanglin Mall to Plaza Singapura and will feature new attractions such as augmented reality projections on the Hilton Singapore Orchard facade and interactive AR displays along the pedestrian walkway. The event will run from November 16 to January 1, 2024, and include three Great Christmas Villages, a street party on Christmas Eve, live performances, carnival rides, food trucks, and more festive activities.
ORBA is also working towards making Orchard Road more pedestrian-friendly, though it remains a long-term goal, contingent on Singapore’s broader car-lite policies.
