Shopping in Singapore is almost second nature to tourists visiting the city, yet the consumer indulgence definitely climaxes during the Great Singapore Sale that is held annually, usually during the summer months. Singapore's famous shopping malls and department stores and effervescent shopping districts participate with much gusto, they will extend their shopping hours till midnight and beyond on selected weekends. During this period, special privileges will be available that are created for tourists to enjoy the range of exclusive lifestyle promotions, including gourmet dining, wellness experience, nightlife & entertainment options.

Certain stores offer discounts up to 70 percent and special promotions for credit card holders and loyalty programs also get underway. For tourists that obtain the special Tourist Privilege card enjoy a host of benefits such as discounts at fashion boutiques and on various consumer items such as watches, jewellery, electronics and cosmetics. The card also avails you to discounts when visiting local attractions such as the Singapore Zoo and when getting guided tours such as the Singapore Duck tour or the DHL balloon.

It would be worth checking out the different shopping districts of Singapore during this 8 week shopping marathon. Orchard Road is definitely the Mecca of shopping in the city and has number of big names plying their wares in the numerous boutiques in the area. Designer brands like Prada, Gucci or Versace have their outlets in this trendy shopping district while more mainstream brands are also found. A number of food courts, restaurants, clubs and chic cafes can be found located in this area thereby providing the complete Singapore experience. Marina Bay is a mixture of big shopping malls and small boutiques, practically everything you would want to buy can be found here. It also houses the arts hub of Singapore: the Esplanade. Ethnically flavored areas such as Little India and Arab quarter also rise to the occasion during the Great Singapore Sale. Wonderful restaurants dishing out Indian or Middle East cuisine and boutiques that sell great souvenirs can be found here as well.

One word of advice for tourists planning to enjoy this festival of shopping is to pack light and take a comfortable pair of shoes. For you are bound to return with your bags heavier and undertake a fair bit of walking through the numerous shopping districts of the city. Visitors can easily find accommodation in the many Singapore hotels that range from budget to luxury to hotels. A luxury hotel in Singapore will be on par with the best in the world, thus travelers need not worry about the comfort of their stay.

Naveen Marasinghe is an Online Marketing Executive at eMarketingEye which is a search engine marketing company that offers PPC Management and SEO services and specializes in serving the online travel and hospitality industry. http://www.emarketingeye.com/