The Singapore Tourism Board (STB) officially launched a global tourism marketing campaign in Vietnam on April 13, which offers lower priced package tour, services and airfares, Saigon Times newspaper reported.

It is part of the Singaporean government’s US$90 million worldwide campaign, “2009 reasons to enjoy Singapore,” which hopes to attract tourists during the global economic downturn.

Singapore slipped into recession last year. It has recently seen the biggest drop in tourist numbers in six years, of about 15 percent compared with last year.

STB wants to create new opportunities, as the traditional European and U.S. markets have tailed-off. It has placed emphasis on increasing four major regional markets: China, India, Indonesia and Malaysia – and one emerging market, Vietnam.

Singapore Airlines are offering lower airfares for the first 2,009 passengers flying from Ho Chi Minh City or Hanoi to the country between April 13 and May 31.

Economy-class return airfares from Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi to Singapore are $209 and $239, respectively.

Visiting shoppers to the country will also enjoy discounts of up to 70 percent at many of Singapore’s stores.

A series of festivals and cultural events are taking place throughout the year, including Singapore Art Festival’s international mix of music, dance and drama (end May to end June), the Singapore Food Festival (July) and hot action at the Singapore Grand Prix (September 25-27).

Vietnam is an emerging tourist market for Singapore, with the highest growth rate in tourists of any country, according to STB.

Last year, Singapore welcomed 239,000 Vietnamese visitors, an increase of 17 percent over the same period in 2007, according to Jin Chwen Ong, regional director for STB in Indochina.

This year has already seen the number of Vietnamese tourists increase, with a 20 percent rise in the first quarter over the same period in 2008.