SINGAPORE — Are those travel deals on Groupon tempting you? You can blame or thank Groupon’s Adrian Tan for daydreaming about your next holiday instead of focusing on work. The new country head of Groupon Singapore was part of the team that introduced hotels and vacation bargains to the site in 2011. “Because we offered buffets and restaurant deals, we got customers asking for staycations, ferry tickets and coach trips,” he revealed. “So we tested (the demand) with Batam.” The site now boasts about 150 travel deals and runs specials like its current Life’s A Beach promotion. The man himself only ever takes short breaks due to time constraints. “That’s the beautiful part about being in Singapore — we don’t have to travel halfway around the world for great beaches and spas when we’ve places like Bali and Boracay nearby.”

Q: Besides snapping up travel deals, how can travellers make use of Groupon to get more bargains?

A: You can create an account with Groupon of the destination you’re going to, for example Groupon Taiwan, Hong Kong or Thailand and buy vouchers for activities, restaurant meals or whatever you’re interested in. Our staff in those cities have seen Singaporeans at restaurants holding Groupon vouchers.

Q: Are you a good shopper when you travel?

A: I go to Hong Kong for clothes; I find that branded stuff is cheaper than in Singapore . There are also outlet shops like those in Horizon Plaza. I go to Causeway Bay, too, which has plenty of stores and boutiques. I visit Bangkok’s Chatuchak for furniture. My best buys from there are wooden panels (adorned) with gold-leaf encrusted Buddhas. It’s still cheaper to ship it back to Singapore because I saw the same thing being sold in Singapore for a much higher price. As furniture shopping in Chatuchak can be quite overwhelming, always go prepared with a list of exactly what you’re hunting for.

Q: Are you a picky traveller then?

A: Yeah, I’m picky in that I want a hotel or resort that’s at least four or five stars. I’m also all about the schedule. I can only travel within certain dates; time is always an issue, so I like pick-up options. I need to leave as planned and I’d fly anything as long as it gets me there quickly. I don’t like spending time on airplanes as I can’t sleep on them.

Q: Do you have a favourite hotel?

A: I like Taipei’s Hotel Eclat a lot —not just because it has Bang & Olufsen speakers in the room though I love my music when I travel. The Tanedewa in Bali is great for its spa and I had one of the my best trips of my life at Volando Urai Spring Spa & Resort in Taiwan with my wife. I do quite a bit of staycations here too and I like Oasia in Novena. I upgraded to a club room and they have a wonderful club lounge with a private, warm Jacuzzi pool.

Q: As you need to be connected all the time, is there any gadget you can’t bear to leave behind when you travel?

A: Plenty. I bring a lot of gadgets like my laptop, Bluetooth speakers because I need my music to relax, my Kindle, all kinds of cables, adapters and battery packs. I find myself losing them on the road or forgetting them, so I’m always bringing more along. That way, I’d have back-ups and won’t find myself stranded without my gadgets working.