Being scared out of your wits may not be at the top of your wish list when planning your holiday, but an estimated 17,000 tourists will be doing just that thanks to some ‘experiential tourism’ in October and November at ‘Sentosa Spooktacular’; an annual Halloween event held on Sentosa Island, Singapore.

Widely regarded as Asia’s largest horror festival, Spooktacular takes place on Singapore’s 40,000-square meter Fort Siloso, a coast artillery battery, which is home to the nation’s largest collection of World War II memorabilia.

hc1

Spooktacular has steadily grown in popularity, from 3,000 visitors in 2009 to 15,000 visitors in 2013, and in order to ramp up the scare factor for their 2014 offering, Sentosa Leisure Management has collaborated with GMM Tai Hub Co. Ltd (GTH) – one of Thailand’s leading horror movie production studios, to create immersive, high-octane experiences for visitors.

A team of directors, producers and set builders painstakingly transformed Fort Siloso into the sinister village of Laddaland, which features in the 2011 GTH horror movie of the same name. The three haunted houses were built from scratch and drew inspiration from three GTH movies; The Swimmers, Alone, and Countdown.

To add to the terror, zombies and tortured spirits will be lurking in dark corners, looking for new souls to claim.

The experience will be augmented with suitably pungent scents, terrifying sound effects, eerie lighting and props.

Those who visit will be able to walk along three haunted trails around the village, which will lead them through popular areas of Sentosa that have been given a blood-curdling makeover. The journey will take visitors through an altered state of mind, twisted pathways underground and underwater, and many other familiar scenes from the movies.

The experience has been designed to make visitors feel as though they are living out a scene from a Thai horror film.

What is Experiential Tourism?

Experiential travellers want to venture off the beaten tourist paths and dive deeper into authentic, local culture, connecting with people from other cultures in ways that create impactful, lasting memories.

Tourism-related industries are estimated to account for as much as 5.5% of Singapore’s economy, and Spooktacular is successfully attracting visitors from near and far, some of whom plan their holiday around this experience.

Spooktacular is not only a cult horror festival, but is also part of a wider effort to enhance experiential tourism in Singapore. The brand aims to leave a memorable and lasting impression on travellers who want more than just traditional sight-seeing from their holiday, and by immersing visitors in this unique sensory experience, the brand has built a strong following of local and foreign fans.

Hotcow is a non-traditional creative agency that specialises in experiential marketing that goes viral. Our campaigns generate buzz through crowd participation, PR and content sharing. Contact us on 0207 5030442 or email us on info@hotcow.co.uk.