Aviva Sponsors Singapore Open 2004

Aviva is becoming one of the few big corporations here to sponsor sports events in a big way and hot on the heels of its support for the F1 Powerboat Grand Prix 2004 over the weekend, it is now coming forward with US$170,000 to replace Yonex-Sunrise as the main sponsor for the 5-star Singapore Open this year.

This is great news for Singapore badminton when more companies are willing to compete for sponsorship and our fans here will again be able to witness top-class badminton played by many of the world's best players from Nov 15 - 21.

Do come by for a visit during that time as it is still relatively warm weather here and I just read that Singapore has now been promoted from 9th position to the No.1 city in the world by travellers, on account of its cleanliness and easy transportation. I might add safety as one of the reasons.

I append a report from today's Straits Times for your info:

SEPT 21, 2004
BADMINTON
Susilo, Li Li set sights on Aviva Open
By Marc Lim

FORGET the US, German and even the five-star Denmark Open.

Singapore's best hopes for the Aviva Open Singapore - Ronald Susilo and Li Li - have been given permission to skip a hectic month on the road in order to rest and prime themselves for the five-star US$170,000 (S$288,000) event at the Singapore Badminton Hall and the Singapore Indoor Stadium from Nov 15 to 21.

Li Li and Susilo, who both competed at last month's Athens Olympics, will return to competitive action at the China Open only on Nov 9, but their priority will still be the Aviva Open.

As Singapore Badminton Association president Lim Swee Say, who is Minister in the Prime Minister's Office and Second Minister for National Development, said at a press conference yesterday: 'We expect them to be in good form throughout the year, but for the Aviva Open, we want them to be in peak condition.'

The tournament has become an important fixture in Singapore's sports calendar, with attendances increasing from 12,000 in 2001 to 23,000 last year.

And part of the reason is the fine form showed by Singapore's shuttlers - especially Susilo, who lost in the 2002 final and last year's quarter-finals to China's Chen Hong.

'The tournament is special to me because of all the support that the fans have given us,' said Susilo, who bowed out in the quarter-finals of the Olympics despite beating world No 1 Lin Dan in the first round.

'It's been a hectic season for us and the rest will do us good. We want to be able to give our best in front of our home crowd.'

The world's top players are expected to be at the Aviva Open, with ranking points for next year's World Championships in California up for grabs.

As for Li Li, who lost to world No 1 Gong Ruina in the first round in Athens, she will be looking forward to stepping up a gear after competing mainly in satellite tournaments previously, while trying to earn Olympic qualifying points.

'It will be a tough challenge,' said Li Li, who won the Cheers Asian Satellite Badminton Championships last week.

'But I am keen to test myself against the top players again.'

For sponsor Aviva, the tournament will be its first foray into badminton, after previously sponsoring the Asian Bowling Tour and last weekend's UIM Formula One Powerboat Championship.

Said Aviva Asia Pte Ltd managing director Charles Andersen: 'We feel that badminton reaches out more to the grassroots and also that the sponsorship comes at a timely moment, with the Singapore players playing well.'

The insurance company has also been hit by 'Susilo fever' since it announced it would sponsor the Singapore Open this year.

More than 10 of its staff were at the National Stadium during the press conference yesterday to meet the player.

 

Visit Singapore during Singapore Open

To all our foreign badminton fans and BFers, we welcome you to visit Singapore for the Singapore Open. You can kill many birds with one stone.

First, you will definitely be able to enjoy world class badminton in our very comfortable, aircon Singapore Indoor Stadium.

Second, you can trust the votes of many travellers' who rated Singapore as the world's best city to visit. The attached latest Conde Nast Traveller annual survey results attest to it.

Third, the warm weather should be welcomed by our friends from the colder climes. But do expect occasional showers here and there.

Four, the food is great and relatively inexpensive, especially if you are from the US, Canada, UK or Down Under. People of different races live harmoniously together enjoying different cuisines at common tables in hawker centers or food courts is a sight to behold! The same family could find members ordering different food according to their taste and preference - Malay, Indian, Chinese or Western food. Of course there are many more specialities from different countries, both from the East and the West.

Five, now there are budget airlines to fly you from Singapore to Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur and even Hongkong.

Just to assure you again of Singapore's suitability, read on ...

SEPT 21, 2004
Travellers rate S'pore as world's best city
SINGAPORE has been voted the world's best city to visit in the latest annual survey by Conde Nast Traveller, an award-winning United States-based travel magazine.

Readers of the publication's British edition, who did the voting, see it as the cleanest and easiest city to get around.

The Republic catapulted from ninth spot last year to the top of the list.

The island also scored in the favourite country to visit category, where it came fourth, with readers saying it is the safest in the world. This after not even making it to the top 20 last year.

The Singapore Tourism Board's director of corporate communications, Miss Shirley Tan, said of the rankings: 'This is great news.'

Changi Airport, which did not figure in last year's top 10, was voted the best in the world.

The rankings, which are into their seventh year, are recognised worldwide as a benchmark for the travel industry.

Conde Nast Traveller has a circulation of about 83,000.

Singapore Airlines got the vote as the best airline for business travel, and was No. 2 in the long-haul leisure travel category.

SilkAir was ninth in the short-haul leisure travel section.

Raffles Hotel was named as the best leisure hotel in Asia.

Shangri-La Singapore was No. 13, but took pole position in the business hotel category.


TOP 10 CITIES TO VISIT

1. Singapore
2. Sydney
3. Barcelona
4. Rome
5. Paris
6. Bangkok
7. New York
8. San Francisco
9. Venice
10. Dubai


TOP 10 COUNTRIES

1. Australia
2. Thailand
3. New Zealand
4. Singapore
5. Italy
6. India
7. Malaysia
8. Canada
9. Japan
10. France

SOURCE: CONDE NAST TRAVELLER

 

Sorry Seven, Paris has to take fifth place for the time being. Remember Singapore was 9th before it caught up again. Of course I agree that human bias prevail and by and large, the voter are from the UK, it seems, although the mag is US-based.

Actually, if you take a closer look at the survey, Australia stands out as the top country and Sydney as the second best city to visit. I suppose that's one reason why so many Singaporeans love to visit Australia, as she offers some things very different here - great nature, the great barrier reef, mountains, valleys, sheep, farm stay, vineyards, Gold Coast etc, etc. and the British connection.

But don't despair. Many Singaporeans love Paris too, particularly for your French culture, Picasso, red wine, Burgundy, etc, just as they love London, Vancouver and California!

You know, I just rejoin a choir which will perform French songs as one part of its concert programme in end-Oct, although most of the lyrics are sung in English! We encounterd absolute difficulty in pronouncing French! Such songs include "Under Paris Skies (Sous Le Ciel De Paris), Moulin Rouge, Dirait-on, French Love Medley (Hymne A L'amour, La Vien Rose), A French Serenade (Belle Nuit 'O Lovely Night', Plaisier d'amour 'The Pleasure of Love'), French Swing Medley (Mon Coeur Est Un Violon/Michelle/La Mer), Paris Medley (April In Paris, The Last Time I Saw Paris, I Love Paris).

So, not to worry, we love Paris!

 

Good, look forward to seeing you! Can you play on Sunday 17th? 4 - 6 pm, venue to be decided later, probably NUS. This time I can meet you at your office, Suntec City to have lunch or coffee.

 

Ya, I misread your message. BUT why shouldn't Paris be in the top ten?

Effel Tower has been beckoning us all so often that we can't resist. Understand that they have fresh programmes catering to young couples high up there! That rules me out unfortunately!

 

Sorry, that was last year's Open and it must be during the preliminaries, probably in the morning that I took that pic with a film camera. That could be the reason why it was empty and also the SIS, unlike the SBA Hall, is very big indeed. At the recent Asian Satellite I used a digital cam but no flash is allowed. I guess they may continue to allow no flashlight photography.

Yes, Susilo has created much interest among sports loving people and even the corporations are beginning to take notice and want to join in the win-win situation, such as newbie, Aviva. Ronald will skip the US Open unfortunaltely to prepare for the home championships.

 

Oh, I can tell you that each city will have its own charm and distinctiveness. That's why travel is such a great thing cause you learn a little about how others interact, live, work and play! You are there in person and I recommend that you should travel as much as you can when you are young and able "to see the world"!

I'm disappointed that our friend SS should choose to miss Singapore when he was so near! Please make it a point to drop by when you're in KL or Bangkok the next time, promise!

 

How can I disagree with the much-travelled Ants! You are absolutely right!

Singapore cars generally cost about three times more than in most countries. For example, a 1500cc Korean car, say a Hyundai, can cost about Sing$60,000 (it used to be 10 to 20% more) and parking fees are high especially in the Central Business District (CBD). And during peak hours in the morning and afternoon, you have to pay to enter the CBD and other specified buzy areas. Yet every young person who just started work aspires to own a car as quickly as possible. And no matter how many additional cars the government allows on the roads, it will never be enough to satisfy everybody.

I think owning a car and maintaining it in Hong Kong and Tokyo is not cheap either, simply because of the scarcity of land. Therefore housing is not cheap too in land-scarce Singapore, yet about 90% of the population here own a home, albeit mostly government-built high-rise apartments.

But, we've got to work and live for something, right? The real question is how you manage your money. Should you spend more than you earn by borrowing or save a certain percentage of your income and spend the rest on priorities, etc.

 

Really? Good, when's he coming? Not in two years' time, I hope.