'World's least exciting cities': Singapore hits back over ranking

Singapore's tourism agency has hit back at lifestyle magazine Time Out for ranking the wealthy city state among the world's least exciting cities, by releasing a video that mockingly declares, "There is nothing exciting to do."

The magazine's City Life Index 2018, published this week, ranked Singapore 31st out of 32 cities, one spot above Istanbul, based on a survey of more than 15,000 people.

Sydney also did poorly in the list, coming in at number 28.

Chicago topped the index, followed by Porto in Portugal and New York City, scored on factors such as food, drink, culture, friendliness, affordability, happiness and liveability.

Singapore won praise for safety and public transport, but was rated the lowest for its arts and culture scene, with just 17 percent of respondents saying, "There is always something to see and do."

In response, the Singapore Tourism Board posted a 56-second video on its Facebook page, opening with the tongue-in-cheek claim, "Singapore is boring ... there is nothing exciting to do."

The message backdrop features Universal Studios Singapore, the Formula One race, and the city's Artscience Museum, as well as a newly-opened A J Hackett bungy jump at Sentosa island.

"Yeah, Time Out London, we're pretty 'unexciting'," it continues, turning the spotlight to Singapore's delicacies, including a S$2 ($1.52) Michelin-star soy sauce chicken meal at a Chinatown food stall with the caption, "Everything is so expensive."