SINGAPORE. Linda Tobin, a 52-year-old Irishwoman, was crowned the latest Changi Millionaire after the popular competition’s Grand Draw was held on Sunday at Singapore Changi Airport Terminal 3. She beat six other finalists to win S$1 million.
The annual campaign offers the biggest cash prize to be given in a Singapore retail promotion and continues to be highly popular among shoppers. The 2015 edition attracted nearly two million lucky draw entries from 229 nationalities globally. The top three groups were Singaporeans, Chinese nationals and Indonesians, with Singaporeans making up over one-in-three of the participants.
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Linda Tobin captures the S$1 million grand prize and is crowned the latest winner of the ‘Be a Changi Millionaire’ contest |
More than 333,000 instant prizes were also given away to shoppers. The instant prizes included a set of six exclusive premiums by local designers Wang Shijia and Jo Soh, which were commissioned to celebrate Singapore’s Golden Jubilee last year. In addition to the six monthly finalists, for the first time in the game’s history, one more shopper was picked from those who shopped on Changi’s online retail portal, iShopChangi.com.
Changi Airport Group (CAG) Executive Vice President of Commercial Lim Peck Hoon said: “We congratulate our sixth Changi Millionaire and thank our passengers and customers for their patronage this past year. We are delighted to achieve yet another record high for concession sales at Changi Airport in 2015. This is positive for the Singapore air hub as profits from our retail business help to offset the cost of our aeronautical operations.
“In 2015, we continued to execute a successful commercial strategy, which saw the introduction of innovative concepts evident in our liquor and beauty duplex stores and the launch of many first-in-Changi brands. At the same time, exciting promotions like the Star Wars plushies during the holiday period and Changi Millionaire have contributed to the retail buzz and made shopping that more fun and rewarding at Changi.”
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Ms Tobin (far right) and her niece (centre), receive the cheque from Changi Airport Group Chief Executive Officer Lee Seow Hiang |
In the ‘Be a Changi Millionaire’ Grand Draw, the seven finalists competed in front of a live audience on stage.
After three elimination rounds, Ms Tobin and British woman Tracey Tomlinson were left, with each taking turns to try to pick the correct half of a giant boarding pass, hoping to match the other half on stage. After seven tries by the two finalists, Ms Tobin picked boarding pass number 3 as the correct match, igniting a burst of confetti to declare her the winner.
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The latest running of the Changi Millionaire campaign attracted a staggering two million entries from shoppers |
Ms Tobin and her mother visited her two brothers in Australia last July and were transiting in Singapore on their way back to London when she purchased a bottle of Laphroaig 25 Year Old Islay Single Malt at Changi Airport’s DFS store. This proved her winning ticket to the draw.
She said: “It still doesn’t seem real. I feel incredible; I feel on top of the world! I would spend the money helping out my family, and buy myself a house with a kitchen garden, which has always been my dream. I like growing things but I don’t have the room to do it now. And I might treat myself to a nice car. My niece is definitely going to get a very special treat from me, since she helped to pick the lucky number three.”
Since the launch of ‘Be a Changi Millionaire’ in 2010, CAG has made five shoppers at Changi Airport overnight millionaires at its annual Grand Draw.
To participate in the Millionaire Draw, passengers and visitors needed to shop or dine at Changi Airport, with a minimum spend of S$30 in a single receipt. Purchases made in both the public and transit areas of Changi Airport were eligible for the draw. Travellers who shop on iShopChangi had up to ten times more chances of being picked as a finalist.
Apart from Ms Tobin, the other finalists won S$5,000 in cash. They also received a three-night stay at Crowne Plaza Changi Airport, with airfare provided for non-Singapore participants.
The seventh running of the ‘Be a Changi Millionaire’ draw will begin in May 2016.
How the winning of the S$1 million grand prize unfolded at Singapore Changi Terminal 3 on Sunday |
