Changi Airport Draws Crowds with Snoopy Meet-and-Greet as Fan Events Drive Tourism Numbers

June 29, 2026 — Mei Xian Chua 4 min read

Snoopy and his siblings have taken over Changi Airport's Terminal 2 departure hall, drawing long queues of fans hoping for a photograph with the beloved beagle. The free meet-and-greet event, which runs through the end of the month, marks one of the largest character activations the airport has hosted this year. Next door at Adventure Cove Waterpark, the Sanrio boy band Hapidanbui is making its Singapore debut, performing twice daily for visitors willing to queue for wristbands.

Fan Events Become a Tourism Engine

Changi Airport has long used retail and dining to keep travellers occupied during layovers. Now, character activations are becoming a draw in their own right. The Meet Snoopy setup features a giant cardboard Snoopy, a photo wall, and complimentary collectible postcards for those who snap a picture. Officials at Changi Airport Group confirmed the activation is part of a broader push to make the airport itself a destination, not just a transit point. The strategy targets both connecting passengers with extended layovers and local families who can enter the public areas without a boarding pass.

Adventure Cove Waterpark, operated by Resorts World Sentosa, has taken a different approach. Hapidanbui performances are included with park admission, which starts at SGD 46 for adults and SGD 36 for children. The waterpark has added Sanrio-themed merchandise to its gift shops and rolled out limited-edition plush toys that retail for SGD 25 each. Park managers said in a statement that the partnership with Sanrio is the first step in a series of character collaborations planned for 2025.

What This Means for Singapore's Tourism Sector

Singapore's tourism industry is still recovering from the sharp drop in visitor arrivals during the pandemic years. The Singapore Tourism Board reported that arrivals reached 13.6 million last year, still short of the 18.3 million recorded in 2019. Industry analysts say the gap creates pressure on hotels, restaurants, and retail outlets to maximise spending from each visitor who does arrive.

Character events offer one solution. When a family travels specifically to see Snoopy at Changi or catch Hapidanbui at Adventure Cove, they are likely to book an extra hotel night, eat at airport restaurants, and purchase merchandise. Tourism economists call this induced spending, and it can significantly multiply the direct revenue from ticket sales or airport fees. Resorts World Sentosa alone employs thousands of staff across its integrated resort complex, and any uptick in waterpark attendance flows directly into payroll and supplier contracts.

The Licensing Angle

Sanrio, the Japanese company behind Hello Kitty, holds extensive licensing agreements with venues and brands worldwide. The company typically charges a licensing fee plus a royalty on merchandise sales. For Singapore venues, hosting a Sanrio activation means negotiating with a Tokyo-based licensor whose characters command premium prices. Industry sources familiar with the deals say licensing costs for major character brands can run into hundreds of thousands of dollars for a multi-week activation.

Whether the economics work depends on footfall. If Meet Snoopy drives even a modest increase in Changi's retail sales, the airport could recoup its investment through tenant rent and concession revenues. Changi's shops and restaurants are charged rent partly based on turnover, so higher sales translate into higher income for the airport operator. This makes character events a relatively low-risk bet compared to building new retail spaces or cutting landing fees to attract airlines.

Broader Entertainment Industry Shifts

The surge in character meet-and-greets reflects a broader trend in the entertainment industry. Traditional theme parks have faced pressure from free or low-cost entertainment options, pushing them to offer exclusive experiences that cannot be replicated at home. A Meet Snoopy event at an airport has novelty value that a streaming service cannot match. Parents with young children are particularly receptive to these offers because the experience creates memories without requiring a full-day commitment.

Hapidanbui itself is a relatively new addition to Sanrio's portfolio of boy bands, which are popular across Asia. The group's Singapore performances mark its third market outside Japan this year, following stops in Thailand and South Korea. Each market visit requires coordination between Sanrio's licensing team, local venue operators, and local promoters. The fact that Hapidanbui is performing at Adventure Cove rather than a concert hall reflects the waterpark's strategy of filling slower weekdays with ticketed entertainment rather than relying solely on ride admissions.

What Comes Next

Both activations are scheduled to end on 30 November, but the organisations behind them are already planning follow-up events. Changi Airport Group has hinted at a December activation tied to the holiday travel season, while Resorts World Sentosa confirmed it is in discussions with two other major character brands for early 2025 activations. For investors watching Singapore's tourism sector, the performance of these events will inform how aggressively operators pursue similar activations next year.

The stakes are considerable. If Meet Snoopy and Hapidanbui drive measurable increases in foot traffic and spending, expect other venues across Singapore to pitch similar deals to character licensors. The airport and waterpark have roughly three weeks to prove the model works before the current activations wrap up. Tourism watchers will be keeping a close eye on December arrival figures to see whether the events leave a lasting imprint on the numbers.