BENEFITS OF HOSTING YOG 2010

The global exposure, recognition and economic benefits that Singapore gained from the YOG 2010 were considerable. The Games were expected to attract up to 40,000 foreign visitors and generate an estimated SGD57 million in revenue from tourism. About S$260 million worth of contracts, some 70% of the total Games budget, were awarded to local Singaporean companies for services such as food, transport, security and exhibitions.

According to Dr Vivian Balakrishnan, the Singapore Minister of Community Development, Youth and Sports, the YOG showcased Singapore as a beautiful and vibrant city with our first-rate infrastructure and our people with excellent organisational skills. Singaporeans had proven once again that they are confident, talented and warm people, able to host the world with grace, finesse and dignity. He stated that Singapore possessed “top-of-mind” recall when multinational companies were making investment decisions or when Singaporeans and local companies were pursuing business opportunities overseas.

The YOG catalysed the performances of Singapore’s top youth athletes who had proven they could participate and compete with the world’s best. Their fortitude, self-confidence and gumption captured the imagination of Singaporeans and rekindled spectator interest in sports, as evidenced by the great demand for seats at various competition venues.

As a legacy of the Games, Singaporeans now enjoy a number of new and upgraded facilities of international sporting standards at competition venues such as Toa Payoh Sports Hall, a 10m air pistol range at the Sports School, and the new Tampines Bicycle Park. The republic can now draw on the experience of all personnel who had helped run the Games (including those from the YOG Organising Committee and the National Sports Association) when hosting or preparing athletes for future international sporting events such as the Southeast Asian Games or the Commonwealth Games.