Resorts World Singapore targets to bring in 16 million visitors in 2013

Resorts World Sentosa, or RWS, targets to bring in 16 million visitors to its integrated resort next year.

This, as the resort announced that its second anchor attraction - the Marine Life Park, will open BY early December, ahead of RWS' official opening on December 7.

The Marine Life Park will be the world's largest oceanarium and will house more than 100-thousand marine animals of over 800 species in more than 60 million litres of water. 

These include 25 dolphins, which will be part of the park's interactive programme that starts next year.

The dolphins were the subject of controversy last year, with some animal welfare groups calling for them to be freed. 

In response to critics, Director of Education and Conservation at the Marine Life Park, Biswajit Guha, said the park is confident the dolphins will be well taken care of. 

"The dolphins are doing very well, 25 of them in the Philippines. I don't have any firmed up dates yet to share with you at this stage about when they'll be arriving. They will be part of our conservation research and education outreach for the public, through interactive immersion programmes.From the onset we have been very committed and sure of the kind of standards that we will be setting. Essentially all of the standards meet and in fact exceed the guidelines set by the American Zoos and Aquariums Association, as well as the Alliance for Marine Mammals Parks and Aquariums. In that respect, we're fully confident that the dolphins will receive the best care possible. We have also recruited the best in the industry, in terms of veterinarians, aquarists, life support system specialists, to ensure that the animals will be comforatble and be given the best care any facility can possibly give them."

Mr Guha added the Marine Life Park is open to continue working with non-government organisations (NGOs) and other agencies that focus on marine education and conservation. 

He said they welcome the opportunity to collaborate on such issues. 

The Marine Life Park will have two ticketed attractions - the Adventure Cove Waterpark, the region's only water park with marine life elements.

And the Southeast Asia Aquarium, which is the world's largest, featuring over 100,000 sea creatures.

RWS first opened to the public in 2010 and has attracted some 30 million visitors since then