DPM Heng: S’pore is Committed to Reopen Its Borders & Will Extend VTLs to More Countries

2022-02-15 , 2:04 pm

Say goodbye to staycations because Singapore has already established Vaccinated Travel Lanes (VTL) with 24 countries, namely Australia, United States, United Kingdom, Korea, Switzerland, Indonesia and many more which you can find here.

So start planning your holiday trips because this list is set to increase.

Opening Economy & Borders

Singapore is committed to reopening its economy and borders to the rest of the world, said Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat yesterday.

The continued opening of the vaccinated travel lanes (VTLs) for quarantine-free travel with more than 20 countries in spite of the global surge in COVID-19 cases reflects this commitment, he said.

“With the roll-out of vaccines and boosters, many countries are relaxing travel restrictions,” he said. “Singapore is committed to do our part to resume global air travel.”

Singapore Airshow 2022

Mr Heng, who was speaking at the opening ceremony of the Singapore Airshow 2022, cited the event as another example of Singapore’s commitment to reopening.

The airshow though smaller in scale compared with previous airshows, will still be the largest trade event since the pandemic struck Singapore.

Mr Heng, who is also the Coordinating Minister for Economic Policies, said the airshow is important in underlining Singapore’s belief in the long-term prospects of the aviation and aerospace sectors.

He added that Singapore is committed to growing the aviation and aerospace sectors.

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Supporting Aviation & Aerospace Sectors

In the present, the Government has put in more than $1 billion to support the aviation and aerospace sectors to protect jobs and preserve capabilities amid the pandemic.

It has also continued to invest in infrastructure, said Mr Heng.

One example of this investment is the new aeroSpace Three development at the Seletar Aerospace Park, which lets aerospace companies tap smart factory solutions. The construction of this facility is set to be completed this year.

Reconstructing the Industry

In the next decade, the flight path for the aviation and aerospace sectors will be defined by digitalisation and sustainability.

Beyond that, the two sectors must imagine new possibilities and develop capabilities to reshape the future of aviation, Mr Heng said.

An example is in the area of electric vertical take-off and landing aircraft (eVTOLs), also informally known as flying taxis.

Mr Heng said that Singapore will seek to capitalise on the growth of the global eVTOL market by growing the advanced air mobility community at Seletar Aerospace Park.

He then concluded his speech by urging the aviation and aerospace sectors to work together to come out from the pandemic stronger.

Minister for Trade and Industry Tan See Leng also said the aerospace industry continues to be an important industry for Singapore and has shown signs of recovery amidst the pandemic.

So how should you support the industry as a consumer? Simply book your next flight.