Tourists bemoan smoggy views

SINGAPORE - Singapore has been shrouded in haze over the past few days, and tourists who are visiting the country are upset that the once spectacular city views are affected because of the poor visibility.

American tourist, Ms MJ Daitch, 49, who had arrived in Singapore from Bali said: "When we were landing, we thought we were still in the clouds.

Another tourist Melinda Zhao, 29, from China said: "I've been to Singapore six times and I've never experienced such bad air quality in Singapore.

"It's really bad, it's smoggy everywhere. My throat feels very uncomfortable when I breathe.

"I came out in the day when there was still light, but all my pictures were blurry. It's a shame," she told RazorTV in a recent interview.

When tourists were asked if the haze would affect their impression of Singapore, Ms Zhao said: "In the past, I thought that Singapore is a country with good air quality. Now, the air is so bad. It will be something I take into consideration the next time I decide which country to visit."

However, Ms Daitch said it's okay. "The people make up for it. They're very nice."

IndoChine SuperTree Deputy General Manager, Mr Jeremy Lim, said customer numbers to their outlet at the Gardens by the Bay fell by about 30 per cent.

While the F&B operator is discouraging its customers from dining outdoors, Mr Lim said some still insist on sitting outside. IndoChine offers guests masks as a precaution if they want to sit at the open-air area.

"You can't do anything about it. Might as well enjoy it," said one patron to IndoChine.

Another diner told RazorTV that the view from the bar that is situated at the highest supertree is "fairly good".

"In fact, it is not as bad. It is possibly a little worse when you are walking at the ground level. But as we went to the rooftop, we had a fairly good view and it was very nice." She added that it is a good thing that it is less crowded than usual.

For more haze updates from AsiaOne, click here: