STB partners with NBA to attract fans from the region

A multiyear partnership between the National Basketball Association (NBA), Singapore Tourism Board, and Sport Singapore will see the city-state playing host to a series of regional basketball tournaments and other activities.

The collaboration gets underway with an event in June this year with the league’s first regional high school basketball tournament with both boys and girls’ teams from 10 countries and territories across the APAC region. Styled as a festival celebrating the sport, the event will pay homage to basketball culture, featuring appearances from current and former stars from the NBA and Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA). It will include interactive fan activities ranging from community outreach, open courts, meet-and-greet sessions, and photo opportunities with authentic NBA memorabilia.

The NBA has been serious about growing its following in the APAC region. It started an office in Singapore in 2022 and is present in other key regional cities, including Beijing, Hong Kong, Manila, Mumbai, and Shanghai.

The collaboration will help Singapore position itself as an attractive destination for followers of the sport—the second-most played among youth in Asia, according to the NBA—from across the region. STB CEO Melissa Ow said, “The NBA’s presence in Singapore enriches our city's dynamic offerings and solidifies our standing as a premier sporting destination. We look forward to welcoming some of the best youth teams in Asia and their families to our shores, and hope that they will create lasting memories exploring the myriad experiences Singapore has to offer beyond the courts.”

Having received a record 16.5 million inbound visitors last year, the STB has set a goal of between 17 million and 18.5 million for 2025.

As a result, the STB has been looking further afield to promote Singapore as an attractive destination. Among its recent efforts include a partnership with Warner Music, using the city as a backdrop to the video for Coldplay’s latest song, Man in the Moon. The video comes on the back of the band's near-weeklong residency in Singapore last year. The video features many of the city’s iconic locations, including Marina Bay and Fort Canning.