Monday, 20 May 2013

S.E.A. AQUARIUM SINGAPORE


S.E.A Aquarium ( #2 Zoo & Aquarium ) on TripAdvisor


Hello Yuki! Let me bring you on a journey to the magical 
S.E.A. AQUARIUM  SINGAPORE!

A) I will classify this attraction according to the visitor market by...

I am amazed to see a large variety of visitor market the S.E.A. Aquarium attracts which comprises of the young to the old, from infants to the elderly. The sea aquarium attracts both male and female, however there are more day visitors to staying visitors. Also, more locals are found to visit with their friends and families on the day of my visit.
Young and old
For geographical segmentation, the population size of catchment area will cover international and regional visitors. On my day of visit, I have notice tourist who came from Korea, China and France!

Stage in the family life cycle
Families with young children are commonly seen. It was a great sight to see! I was also amazed to see a granny tagging along with a family as well. It made me missed my granny too; the sea aquarium is a good place from family fun, bonding and education for the young and the old.
Coupling stage- Many couple was seen spending their time together too.

Means of transportation- 

Sentosa Express: Most of the visitor took the Sentosa express from level 3 of Vivo City as it a stop away to Waterfront station, Resorts world. They are required to pay $3.50.
Car: Families with car can entered via RWS B1 car park, with car park and Island admission charges applied.
Walk: Make your way to the Sentosa boardwalk via VivoCity shopping mall at level 2 which allows guest to have a 10 minutes stroll with travellator into Sentosa with an admission fee of $1.
Other means of transport:
Universal Studios Singapore® FREE Shuttle Service for tourist only,
Taxi $3 surcharge, Public bus RWS 8
Tourist Coaches to and fro from Johor Premium Outlets





A video that I have took showing children who are amazed at these jellyfishes.

Some of the various personally and lifestyle of visitors I have notice were:
Curious children are mesmerized by the jellyfishes and sea creatures.
Serious Professional photographers are seen snapping away with their exaggerated long lens, huge cameras.
Enthusiastic guest will have to squeeze their way out from the crowd after going up close to take a snap shot of the sea creature.

B) Some motivating factors that will interest you to the visit are...

I have recommended you the S.E.A. Aquarium and not the other attraction as the oceanarium is one the latest attraction as compared to the Singapore Zoo and the Singapore Flyer.




What’s more? Currently the official holder of 2 Guinness World Records, being the largest aquarium and it has the largest acrylic panel measuring 36 meters wide and 8.3 meters tall, weighing over 250,000kg bags of rice! Can’t imagine how huge is the acrylic panel? Straits Times allow us to imagine, stating its surface area is as huge as having 2 rows of 6 storey worth of double decker buses stack on top of one another.
SHARKS FOR JAWS


A huge fan of the movie JAWS? Come face to face with more than 200 sharks as they swim over you.

For Core products the attraction offers a walk into a magical world of underwater atmosphere and breath-taking experience, nostalgia, opportunity to learn, interest sought with good service, relaxation, accessibility and excitement.


800 species of aquatic creatures
For Tangible products, S.E.A Aquarium offers 800 species of aquatic creatures, over 100,000 sea creatures, 42.8 million liters of water. Huge acrylic panels of different sizes and designs of aquariums (like the concave glass panels), ramps, walkways, informative wallpapers, stairs, lights, lifts and signage, other visitors, gallery guides, quality and standard of stuffs.There are 2 toilets are available in the S.E.A Aquarium.

Concave glass panels, to zoom into the sea creatures

                                                    Pic 5-informative wallpapers, of different sizes and designs of aquariums maps and signage


For Augmented products the attraction offers are, opening hour, shuttle bus services, souvenir shop, signage, brochures and maps and an ocean restaurant inside the aquarium as you see the fishes swim pass you as you dine in.
Directional signage clear and well placed
F&B outlets: Restaurants and Snack Bars
Retail outlets are available to fill your stomach!

S.E.A.SIDE SNACKS selling small bites like sandwiches and drinks.

Guest services/information desks as well as the lost and found service are situated at the entrance near the ticket booth of the SEA Aquarium
Retail Outlets: Souvenir shop and SEA Aquarium photo booth at the entrance of a pic at $50.
Tangible benefits!
    Want to catch a star or be awe-struck, or feel how a starfish feels like? This is the most significant tangible benefits that you can take away and to enjoy from the attraction!
                            

Presenting you the touch pool where you can reach your hands to hold a starfish. These vulnerable star fishes could be held in your very own hands. Not to worry, there are friendly staffs that help to facilitate this unique experience. There is even a small sink where you can wash your hands after you held these precious stars.

Intangible benefits
It is really an awe-stuck experience and mesmerizing moment for me. The largest fish tank in the world offers a vast diversity of lives under the sea, where you could even view these sea creatures face to face! The huge glass panels that S.E.A. Aquarium offers provides us a window to the marine lives as they swim over and past you. I am impressed and felt a whole new exploration that one mustn't miss! I have learnt and discovered many interesting species that existed and I am assured that you will be amaze as you make a visit to this attraction! 
 C) Next up, I will describe the unique nature of the aquarium as a service product and some of the challenges it faces.

The staffs involved in producing and delivering the product are part of the product itself.

The staffs are friendly and polite when facilitating the handling of starfishes at the touch pool. They are patient and professional with explanations as well as taking care of situations on site. They are equipped and well prepared to meet different people of different ages, personalities and countries which may post a challenge as they have to address people who speak a different language.
The customers themselves are involved in the production process.
After the customer experiences of handling of the starfishes, the product gave the customer knowledge on how a starfish felt like and learnt to understand the vulnerability of sea creatures to some extent. Hygiene might be a concern as the guest do not wash their hands before placing in their hands to hold the sea creatures, overtime, the harmless sea critters might be affected.
The service product is not standardized.
There might be times where the customers are unreasonable or there is a language barrier, attitude of staff will be crucial at this moment. It will be a challenge to overcome uneasy situations like these.

Proof of visit: One day pass and ticket
The product is perishable, cannot be stored.
A one day pass of the S.E.A. Aquarium is perishable as it has a validation period where it has to be used before it expires. To make a visit before the pass expires becomes a challenge to busy guest who cannot take out time from the hectic schedules.

There is no tangible product to carry home.
A comment on a blog post by Jacquie on December 26, 2012 at 5.32pm in http://dejiki.com/2012/11/marine-life-park-sea-aquarium-review/ stated that the staff at Ocean Restaurant are unprofessional in which the staff did not apologized and are irresponsible. Jacquie who pointed out that the staffs were charging a dish less, even misplaced her signed receipt! Jacquie was requested to re-sign the customer copy and give it to them. 
Unlike a manufactured good, the delivery of the service is unable to be exchange or refund if the experience is unsatisfactory.
               
                             
  The surroundings of the service delivery process are a feature of the service.
 The aquarium can be very crowded on the weekends and school holidays which resulted in customers squeezing their way in and out of the crowd to view the different exhibits. Facilitating human traffic flow may post a challenge to limit the amount of   people in the S.E.A. Aquarium.
Sea urchins do have eyes and mouth spot them!

D) The S.E.A. Aquarium has been highly ranked on TripAdvisor.This was because it has met the needs of visitors and has been successful in promoting itself.

 It has met the needs of its target market through programs, facilities, services and procedure.
Having families as their targeted audience, they have programs to cater to children like art and crafts. Moreover, facilities like the ramps are also available for the elderly with wheelchairs or infants with strollers. Lifts are also available for the disabled to access both storey without difficulties. There is also a 90 minutes guided tour service for $16 from 11pm-3pm to cater to families who want to grasp an exclusive opportunity to learn more. Stairs with handles and the clear emergency exits are also cleared at all times.

Procedures for handling complaints/feedback:

Contact Number: +65 6577 8888
Email:  feedback@rwsentosa.com
OR
Link for form to answer any of your inquire:

Whats more!

What is so unique about the S.E.A. aquarium is that the Ocean Restaurant and Equarius Hotel Suites provide guest a floor to ceiling window that allowed guest to look right into the sea aquarium. Guest will be able to enjoy their meals, bathe with the fishes and have their good night rest beside the panels of the aquarium!

Below are links to a peak on guests who had experience these luxurious moments. Remember to click on them!

Can’t imagine how it feels like?
The Equarius Hotel offers 11 limited double-storey ocean suites with a night worth of $2400++ with 24/7 butler service.

The 63 seated Ocean Restaurant opens daily from 11am to 10.30pm
 (Last order at 10pm)
 However there is a minimum spending of S$25++ per person between 11.30am to 2.30pm; 5.30pm to 10.30pm.
http://www.camemberu.com/2013/02/cat-cora-opens-ocean-restaurant-at.html

What makes the attraction better than their competitors?
One competitor S.E.A. Aquarium faces is the Underwater World Singapore as both sea aquariums are located at Sentosa Island. Both attraction offers similar product of the oceanarium.

For comparison,
S.E.A. Aquarium
Open daily from 10.00am - 7.00pm, (Last admission at 6.30pm)
Ticket booths: 09:30am-07:00pm
Adult: S$29 (US$24)
Child and senior citizens: S$20 (US$16)
Students who showed their student pass: $20
Located at waterfront station.

Underwater World
Open daily from 10.00am - 7.00pm, (Last admission at 6.30pm)
Adult tickets are priced at $25.90, child $17.60.
Located at beach station.

The S.E.A. Aquarium is also more accessible as it is located at resorts world, one stop away from Vivo city via the Sentosa express to waterfront station while the Underwater Word is located 3 stops away from Vivo City at the beach station. 

Both operation timings are the same. Even though the prices for Underwater World are slightly cheaper which includes experience at the dolphin lagoon, the S.E.A. Aquarium offers a diverse variety of marine life offering 10 zones with 49 habitats with more than 100,000 marine animals makes the attraction unique, it also includes dolphins in their aquarium as well.
Hence, S.E.A. Aquarium is more accessible and value for money.

Has it been successful in promoting itself?
Positioning its brand to be label currently as the biggest oceanarium in the world made it successful and well-known. Furthermore, packages are implemented to offer discounts to families that goes to the aquarium all year world through purchasing of their annual pass. However, the annual pass is currently sold out due to overwhelming responses. This shows that it is successful in promoting itself.

E) Commenting on the impact the attraction has on Singapore...

Economic impact- Increase in income for government and foreign currencies as taxes are paid on items bought and entrance charges. Visitor’s expenditure also has a multiplier effect within local and regional economy which increases tourism receipts. There is also creation of jobs where new job opportunities are open to the citizen.

Environmental impact- The aquarium has help to raise awareness of conservation, providing field conservation and habitat protection for the sea creatures. Through conservation, the sea aquarium can prevent extinction of rear sea species in polluted seas and eaten up by its predators.

Social-cultural impact - Large crowds in the SEA Aquarium can ruin experience and atmosphere. The local community can now have a new destination to learn more about the aquatic life with their friends and families.

Proof of visit:




 
 


Finding NEMO LIVE IN ACTION!
                 







So what are you waiting for? 
Head on down with me to the S.E.A AQUARIUM SINGAPORE TODAY!

Appendices:



Sue-Ann Tan. (2013, April 08). Resorts world's aquarium clinches two guinness world records. straitstimes. Retrieved from http://www.straitstimes.com/breaking-news/singapore/story/resorts-worlds-aquarium-clinches-two-guinness-world-records-20130408

© 2013 TripAdvisor LLC. (2013, MAY 18). S.e.a. aquarium. Retrieved from http://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g294265-d4009739-Reviews-S_E_A_Aquarium-Singapore.html

Copyright Resorts World at Sentosa Pte. Ltd. (n.d.).Discover s.e.a. aquarium. Retrieved from http://www.rwsentosa.com/language/en-US/Homepage/ThingsToDo/MarineLifePark/SEAAquarium

RWScoop. (2013, May 13). [Web log message]. Retrieved from http://mlp.rwsentosablog.com/2012/11/20/be-awed-by-the-worlds-largest-aquarium/

Maryanns. (2013, April 08). Marine life park visitors get 1st glimpse of dolphins. asiaone. Retrieved from http://www.asiaone.com/News/Latest+News/Relax/Story/A1Story20130408-414465.html

Family life cycle. In Theories of human development. Retrieved from http://psychology.wikia.com/wiki/Family_life_cycle

Tanya Procyshyn, T. (2013, March 30). [Web log message]. Retrieved from http://www.travelfish.org/blogs/singapore/2013/03/30/s-e-a-aquarium-singapore/

Ling, C. (2013, Feb 02). [Web log message]. Retrieved from http://www.camemberu.com/2013/02/cat-cora-opens-ocean-restaurant-at.html

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