Still have unused SingapoRediscovers Vouchers? Here's how to donate them
Published on
30 Nov 2021
Published by
The Straits Times
SINGAPORE - Earlier this month, Mr Judd Christian Cobankiat Coyuco, 23, and his 54-year-old mother, Mrs Mildred Coyuco, dined in a cable car as it travelled above Sentosa, Mount Faber and HarbourFront.
It was the first such experience for mother and son. They were among the 72 beneficiaries and caregivers of charity Rainbow Centre who got to enjoy the hour-long ride.
It was made possible by people donating their unused SingapoRediscovers Vouchers (SRVs) to the organisation via a partnership with booking platform Klook.
Mr Coyuco, who has autism spectrum disorder, is a member of Rainbow Centre Young Adult Activities! (YAA!), which aims to enhance the quality of life for persons with moderate to severe disabilities by alleviating social isolation. The club caters to those aged 16 and above.
YAA!'s senior programme executive Magdelene Ng says: "Outings like these allow our members to bond and also offer caregivers respite and relaxation. They unlock new experiences for many of our members, who may not have visited a lot of attractions in Singapore due to their lack of accessibility."
Several other charities have also benefited from SRV donations over the past year.
Last December, all Singaporeans aged 18 and above received $100 in digital vouchers that could be used for local tours, attractions and hotel stays - as part of a campaign to drive domestic spending in a battered tourism sector.
The campaign was originally meant to run until this June, but has been extended twice due to pandemic-related measures such as restrictions on group sizes and capacity limits at attractions.
In the latest extension announced last week, the Singapore Tourism Board (STB) said people can use their SRVs until March 31 next year, but must make bookings by Dec 31 this year.
If you are among the 1.66 million or so who have yet to redeem your vouchers, consider donating them instead. You can do so easily on booking platforms such as Trip.com, GlobalTix and Klook, which have launched SRV donation initiatives for various causes.
Trip.com, for instance, launched a Pay It Forward campaign last December and has received about 3,000 attraction passes and room nights donated to local beneficiaries. These include Boys' Town, which provides shelter, education, vocational training and practical living skills to young people; and Babes Pregnancy Crisis Support, which helps those aged 21 and below.
Meanwhile, Klook launched its Klook Cares initiative in March, allowing people to donate their SRVs to groups such as migrant workers, through non-governmental organisation It's Raining Raincoats.
Ms Sarah Wan, Klook's general manager for Singapore, says they started the initiative with children and migrant workers, as they do not receive SRVs.
"Due to the pandemic, many organisations received much less sponsorship to take their beneficiaries out. Singaporeans have been very generous to those in need, especially during these difficult times."
If you have no plans to use your vouchers, here are some ways in which you can put them to good use before the year ends.
1. Klook: Gift a tour to migrant workers and the needy
Give beneficiaries from Life Centre Community Services - which helps groups including needy families - and the Alliance of Guest Workers Outreach (AGWO) a half-day tour of a local attraction.
These include the Singapore Zoo, Seletar Aerospace Park and Gardens by the Bay.
Travel agency Xperience DMC Private Limited has paired up with Klook for the initiative. You can donate vouchers in denominations of $10, $20 and $50.
Or use your vouchers to redeem a ticket for the Singapore Flyer, which migrant workers can enjoy via It's Raining Raincoats. Each ticket costs $35.
Info: str.sg/3Ntu
2. Trip.com: Visits to Sentosa for at-risk youth
Trip.com, in partnership with Care Singapore, is aiming to secure 175 sets of Sentosa Fun Pass for beneficiaries. The pass is a one-stop ticket with tokens that can be redeemed at multiple attractions.
Care Singapore, which offers guidance and support for at-risk youth, intends to take them to attractions such as wax museum Madame Tussauds Singapore, Singapore Cable Car and SEA Aquarium.
Each donation of $45.90 contributes one Sentosa Fun Pass with 95 tokens.
Info: str.sg/3NtL
3. Globaltix: Donate SEA Aquarium tickets
Redeem tickets to SEA Aquarium for beneficiaries of Thye Hua Kwan Moral Charities, which provides community services to groups such as the elderly, persons with disabilities and children. Each ticket costs $35.
Or help Special Olympics Singapore take beneficiaries on a half-day tour of Telok Ayer. The organisation provides sports training and athletic competition for those with intellectual disabilities. Each tour costs $50.
Info: str.sg/3Ntb
Source: The Straits Times © Singapore Press Holdings Limited. Reproduced with permission.
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