THIS is the Russian visitor to Singapore: about 36 years old, usually here with his better half to escape the Russian winter - and ready to blow at least $1,800.
Russian visitors to Singapore may have numbered just 44,000 last year compared to the 500,000 Britons who visited the country, but they are the biggest spenders among Europeans and spend more than the Briton's $1,200.
The figure is pulled up by the big spenders who splurge on suites in top-notch hotels, staying weeks at a time.
At Sheraton Towers Singapore, for example, Russians are known to prefer suites to standard rooms. The hotel has seen a 50% jump in such guests over the last three years, said its spokesman.
At Raffles Hotel, up to 10 per cent of the guests are Russian, many of whom do not blink at paying $8,000 a night to stay in the presidential suite, said Raffles Hotels and Resorts president Diana Ee-Tan.
The average Russian tourist is no Scrooge either. Mr Victor Yam, who specialises in bringing in Russian tourists to Singapore, said more than seven in 10 of his customers go for five-star or better hotels, with the rest settling for four-star ones.
These are the big spenders the Singapore Tourism Board (STB) wants to lure over, its regional director for Europe, Mr Oliver Chong, told The Straits Times.
Russians typically do not crave a holiday served up with glitz and glamour. Rather, they want to carry on life as usual - but a little more comfortably.
They thus appreciate help with services such as banking, investing and even tuition for the children; they might also want a personal chef whom they can take along on their yacht.
An STB office will be ready here later this year; already, STB officers are courting Russian tour operators, now just emerging from an era of chartered flights and standard two-day packages.
Mr Chong, describing the growth rate in Russian arrivals as phenomenal, noted that the numbers have gone from 26,000 visitors in 2005 to 37,000 in 2006 to 44,000 last year. This year, it should hit 50,000, he predicted.
One boost: Singapore Airlines has a daily flight from Moscow to Singapore, while Transaero flies in twice a week.
But the biggest draw lies in Singapore's image among the Russians: comfortable, green and with a variety of seafood - expensive in Russia - 'cooked every which way'.
Mr Yam, whose company UniGlobal Holidays brings in 80 to 85% of all Russian and ex-Soviet state tourists, said Singapore has been promoted in Russia as a holiday destination for over a decade now.
His 12 Russian-speaking staff pick these visitors up from the airport, get them settled at their hotels and are on call at all hours. This year, he made a concierge service available to his high-end clients.
He said: "They will pay as long as they can get what they want."
This article was first published in The Straits Times on June 7, 2008.
