Singapore’s heartlands are getting a new spotlight as the Federation of Merchants’ Associations, Singapore (FMAS) launches Heartland Trails, a three-year initiative designed to turn neighbourhood precincts into destinations for residents and visitors.
The programme begins in Yishun with the Cabinet of Curiosities: Yishun Heritage Trail, a two-hour walking experience that takes participants beyond the area’s familiar landmarks and into the shops, food establishments, trades and communities that have helped shape the neighbourhood.
Participants can visit an old-school bakery, traditional food establishments and an aquarium, while discovering stories connected to Yishun’s development and its local businesses. Activities include learning about the history behind the soon-to-be-refreshed Golden Village Yishun, biscuit tasting and encounters with creatures including isopods and Madagascar hissing cockroaches.
Unlike a conventional sightseeing trail, the initiative brings visitors directly into participating businesses. Merchants can share their personal stories, introduce their products and services, and encourage visitors to return after the organised experience.
FMAS plans to introduce at least three Heartland Trails each year from 2026 to 2028, creating a network of at least nine curated experiences across Singapore’s heartlands. Future trails will be developed with local merchants’ and hawkers’ associations and tailored to each precinct’s food, culture, history, trades and community stories.
The initiative comes as businesses in Singapore’s northern areas prepare for potential changes in shopper behaviour following the expected opening of the Johor Bahru-Singapore Rapid Transit System (RTS) Link. FMAS president Yeo Hiang Meng said heartland businesses cannot rely solely on competing on price and instead need to highlight experiences and local character that are difficult to replicate elsewhere.
The Yishun trail costs S$30 per participant, with the full amount redeemable through the SG CulturePass. Participants also receive a Heartland Trails goodie bag containing items and promotional vouchers from participating businesses in Yishun Central.
FMAS says the longer-term goal is not simply to increase participation in individual trails, but to encourage people to discover neighbourhood businesses and return independently. The initiative forms part of broader efforts to strengthen Singapore’s heartland commercial areas and give local merchants greater visibility.
