BEIJING, June 2, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Amap, Alibaba's location-based services platform, and the Singapore Tourism Board (STB) today signed a Memorandum of Understanding in Beijing to jointly develop "Singapore Street Stars," an AI-powered destination ranking designed to help Chinese travelers explore Singapore like a local.
Under the agreement, Amap and STB will also pilot Amap Flying Street View — a 3D virtual panoramic imaging feature — at major Singapore landmarks, marking the feature's first deployment in an overseas market.
The signing ceremony was witnessed by Guo Ning, CEO of Amap, and Melissa Ow, Chief Executive of STB.
"The mission of the Singapore Tourism Board is to drive the sustainable development of Singapore's tourism industry and to create truly unforgettable experiences for every visitor," said Melissa Ow. "I am confident that our strategic partnership with Amap will help more Chinese travelers discover the charm of Singapore, and guide them to explore the stories, flavors, and cultures hidden around every corner of this city — capturing the very spirit of our 'Fun in every way' campaign."
"If 'Fun in every way' is the promise Singapore makes to Chinese travelers, then Street Stars aims to deliver on that promise — street by street, shop by shop," said Guo Ning. "Authenticity is the best recommendation, and that holds true everywhere in the world."
Shifting Travel Preferences Drive Demand for Local Discovery
According to the China Tourism Academy, free independent travel remains the dominant mode of outbound tourism among Chinese travelers, whose preferences are increasingly shifting toward in-depth exploration and immersive local cultural experiences.
Trustworthy, word-of-mouth recommendations from fellow travelers have become essential to trip planning — a trend that underpins the strategic rationale for the STB–Amap partnership and the co-creation of Singapore Street Stars. STB data shows that 3.1 million Chinese tourists visited Singapore in 2025.
Singapore Street Stars initially comprises eight subcategory lists — covering must-visit attractions, must-stay hotels, must-try restaurants, and must-shop destinations — all powered by real user behavior data. Through this partnership, additional subcategory lists will be introduced in the near future to reflect a wider range of travel styles and preferences.
Amap Flying Street View will also be launched as part of the initiative. The feature generates immersive 3D virtual tours of attractions, hotels, and restaurants, enabling travelers to visually assess a destination before departure. The pilot coverage is already live at popular landmarks such as Sentosa Island, Universal Studios Singapore, Gardens by the Bay, the Singapore Zoo, and Jewel Changi Airport.
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Alibaba's Amap Teams Up with Singapore Tourism Board to Bring AI-Powered Local Discovery to Chinese Travelers
