Mandai Wildlife Reserve: The wilder side of Singapore
With the Mandai Wildlife Reserve now complete after a decade of transformation, Singapore is adding a new dimension to its tourism offer. Bennett Neo, Group Chief Executive Officer of Mandai Wildlife Group, discusses the destination’s growth, conservation mission and potential for longer, more immersive stays.
This year marks the Grand Opening of the Mandai Wildlife Reserve, after a decade-long rejuvenation journey. What does this milestone mean for Mandai, and, more broadly, for Singapore’s tourism landscape?
After a decade of rejuvenation and the completion of our fifth wildlife park, Rainforest Wild Adventure in May this year, the Mandai Wildlife Reserve is now one nature and wildlife destination across 126 hectares.
It’s a moment we’re really proud of, and it belongs to the many people who made it happen behind the scenes–our teams in construction, animal care and veterinary, horticulture, technical services, design, and so many more.
It’s exciting what this means for Singapore. People often think of our city-state as an urban city, and we’d love to show them the wilder side and give them more reasons to visit, stay longer, and return.
“The Mandai Wildlife Reserve is a nature and wildlife destination with experiences found nowhere else, built for multi-day stays.”
How would you describe the experience at the Mandai Wildlife Reserve for visitors today, and what sets it apart from other experiences in the region?
The Mandai Wildlife Reserve offers something for everyone, and what sets it apart is the range of offerings within a single precinct. It is a destination that brings together five wildlife parks, two indoor attractions, unique stayover experiences, as well as dining and public spaces, all in one place.
At the heart of it are our wildlife parks: Singapore Zoo, Night Safari, River Wonders, Bird Paradise and Rainforest Wild Adventure. Each offers a distinct experience built around ethical and meaningful wildlife encounters. The open-concept habitats bring guests into the animals’ world, while signature tours, behind-the-scenes access, and interactions with our keepers and guides go further, giving guests a deeper understanding of the animals and the work behind their care.
Our two new indoor attractions, Curiosity Cove and Exploria, extend the experience in a new direction for us, and work in any weather. Curiosity Cove is Singapore’s largest indoor nature-inspired playscape for children 12 and under, where play spans four immersive zones. The 10,000sqm Exploria takes visitors into rarely accessed realms, from prehistoric eras to microscopic ecosystems and the depths of the ocean. Together they broaden our appeal to younger children, teenagers and young adults, giving guests a way to build a longer and more varied stay.
Guests can also now stay on with an overnight visit at Mandai Rainforest Resort by Banyan Tree or our Glamping in the Wild offering, an all-inclusive new camping experience comprising guided explorations in our wildlife parks.
Our destination brand campaign, ‘Imagine Wilder’, aims to invite local and international visitors to go beyond the familiar and reimagine how they engage with us through more immersive encounters across the precinct.
“This is our fourth year at ITB Asia, and we keep coming back because it brings buyers, media and trade partners together in one place.”
Conservation has always been core to Mandai’s mission. How does this rejuvenation reflect that commitment, and what role do you see Mandai playing in advancing sustainable and responsible tourism?
We took a nature-sensitive approach to development throughout the rejuvenation. That meant retaining clusters of trees and designing around them, using sustainable materials, limiting construction hours and keeping a round-the-clock wildlife response team and much more. It carries into operations too, from expanding our use of renewable energy to treating and recycling wastewater for non-potable use through two wastewater treatment plants. We don’t claim to have all the answers, but we want to show that a destination can be developed with the environment in mind, and that means being open to trying new things.
Now that the precinct is complete, it gives us more ways to act on our purpose of building a world where people and wildlife thrive together. We built three wildlife hospitals, including one run by our conservation arm Mandai Nature, to rehabilitate rescued wildlife from around Singapore, as well as Singapore’s second wildlife bridge, which gives native animals safe passage across a busy road. Our expanded facilities also let us do more in conservation breeding and research.
Education is just as central. With millions of guests each year, we can turn a day out into fun and learning, in the hope that understanding inspires action for wildlife and nurtures the next generation of conservationists.
What opportunities do you see for travel trade partners in Mandai’s growth story, and what’s the one takeaway you hope ITB Asia attendees will leave with?
With five parks, two indoor attractions and new stay options, travel trade partners can build single-day to multi-day itineraries. The resort and event spaces also open the door to wider MICE possibilities, including an exhibition hall, auditorium and meeting rooms.
We want to work more closely with our in-market partners and inbound tour operators to identify segment needs and demands to constantly refresh our product offerings and experiences, ensuring a value-for-money holistic experience in our parks.
If there’s one thing I’d like attendees to take away, it’s that the Mandai Wildlife Reserve is a nature and wildlife destination with experiences found nowhere else, built for multi-day stays.
This is Mandai’s fourth year as a direct exhibitor at ITB Asia. What continues to draw you back to this platform, and what’s new at your stand this time round?
This is our fourth year at ITB Asia, and we keep coming back because it brings buyers, media and trade partners from across Asia Pacific together in one place. For many of our international markets, these partners are a trusted way to inspire travel and drive bookings.
We are bringing a part of the Mandai Wildlife Reserve to ITB Asia, including Exploria and Rainforest Wild Adventure East, both of which opened this year. Visitors can pose with our animals in 2D and 3D cut-outs, including the okapi, and learn about our newly completed precinct, new experiences and refreshed product offerings.
Basement 2 / Stand E74
