Singapore plans to boost tourism through movie and TV shoots

TV shows and movies can be major assets when it comes to boosting tourism in a given city or country. Think "Emily in Paris" or "Game of Thrones," for example. This form of soft power has been well understood in Singapore, which is now offering financial support to studios that can help make the country a must-see destination.

Some US$7.5 million has been set aside for this fund launched by the Singapore Tourism Board and IMDA (Infocomm Media Development Authority) for media companies or entertainment studios that promote the country.

The goal is to inspire travelers to visit Singapore through TV shows and movies. Productions should not only showcase the city-state, but also offer the opportunity for local companies and talent to get involved in these projects destined to reach international audiences.

"Project proposals will be evaluated based on their distribution and market reach, content concept and creative merit, opportunities to feature Singapore’s offerings and experiences, as well as the number of local talents involved in credited roles," a news release explains.

"The Singapore On-screen Fund provides more opportunities for our home-grown media enterprises and talent to collaborate with their international counterparts to hone their skills and gain valuable experience on projects that target the global audience.

This exchange of capabilities through direct involvement in such projects will boost the credentials of our local media industry. We hope that such collaborations will showcase to the world Singapore’s capabilities to take on large-scale productions on the global stage," said Justin Ang, Assistant Chief Executive, Media, Innovation, Communications & Marketing, IMDA.

To be eligible for the funding, the shows or movies must be shot in Singapore, before the first quarter of 2027.

While the number of projects that can potentially qualify has not been disclosed, those that make the cut will receive funding of up to 30% of eligible costs related to featuring Singapore, including production and marketing costs.

On-screen projects already shot in Singapore include the 2018 movie "Crazy Rich Asians," which had almost 300 local staff working on the production teams and featured 12 local stars.