Lim Wei Chean scouts out who queued at the Natas travel fair.

TALK about getting bitten by the travel bug.

The first person in line for the Natas travel fair that began today arrived at 7 am – a full five hours before doors opened.

In scenes normally reserved for property launches and freebie giveaways, there were 50 people in the queue by 9 am.

Even a hardened travel salesman like Natas chief Robert Khoo was surprised by the early birds. “Really? So far, 7am is unheard of. Usually the queues start half an hour before the doors open,” he said.

Singaporeans are snapping up tour packages in preparation for the year-end holidays, and this has pleased agents who were initially worried that we’d gone off travel because of rising costs for food and other essentials.

The first day of the fair saw a smorgasbord of people swooping by to score deals: Parents with children in prams, elderly folks on walking sticks, and the occasional well-dressed executive.

Mr Early Bird?

He was in the market for a winter holiday in Hokkaido.

Only wanting to be known as Mr Tan, the 56-year-old said there was no particular reason he arrived at 7 am.

But his job description gave a clue: He’s a retiree.

The queue at the Natas travel fair.
ST photo: Lim Wei Chean