SINGAPORE- An ice cream museum and another thrill ride in Clarke Quay are some of the new attractions Singaporeans can expect from this year, as Singapore seeks to enhance its attractiveness to prepare its hard-hit tourism sector for recovery.

Sentosa will also welcome its own attraction next year, the SkyHelix Sentosa, an open-air rotating gondola that will ascend 35m above ground and offer views of Singapore's southern coast.

There are also plans to have a new attraction at the vacant site between Somerset Skate Park and Killiney Road, as part of a plan to test-bed new concepts in Orchard Road.

Announcing these plans on Wednesday (April 7) at the Tourism Industry Conference, an annual event organised by the Singapore Tourism Board (STB) for industry players, chief executive of STB Keith Tan said these new projects will help to support the tourism sector and increase its attractiveness.

"These projects are a welcome breath of fresh air amongst all the negativity and bad news in the last year. Since the pandemic hit, we have focused on how to weather this 'long winter,'" Mr Tan said, adding that it is now time to focus on how Singapore can prepare for the future and thrive to become an attractive destination.

Slated to open in the second half of this year, the Museum of Ice Cream Singapore will feature multi-sensory installations themed around the frozen treat, which visitors will get to try during their visit.

Located in the Dempsey area, it will be the museum's first foray outside of the United States, and visitors can expect similar attractions such as the sprinkle pool, a pit filled with colourful bits resembling the confectionery typically used to decorate desserts.

Also set to open in the second half of this year is the Slingshot, a thrill ride located in Clarke Quay next to current attraction GX-5 Extreme Swing, where riders are dropped from a height of 40m.

Slingshot will see riders being catapulted almost 70m into the air, reaching a speed of 160km per hour. The ride, which can also be found in 70 other countries, will replace the G-Max Reverse Bungee, a similar ride which stopped operating about two years ago.

Tickets will be similarly priced to the GX-5 Extreme Swing, which costs about $45 for adults and $35 for students.

Visitors who are not adrenaline junkies can look forward to the SkyHelix Sentosa, where they can enjoy a drink on a rotating platform while taking in views stretching from Sentosa to the Keppel Bay area.

One Faber Group, which runs services, attractions and food and beverage outlets in and around Sentosa, said SkyHelix Sentosa will "deliver a new recreational experience and add excitement to the cluster of attractions at Imbiah Lookout".

The first of its kind in Singapore, it will be located a short walk from Sentosa's cable car station.

Apart from these new projects, STB will also continue to refresh tourism attractions and precincts in Singapore, said Mr Tan.

For example, STB is working with the Orchard Road Business Association to scale up its offerings of its signature Christmas on a Great Street during the year-end festive period light-up, as well as its Black Friday events later this year.

This article was first published in The Straits Times. Permission required for reproduction.