Russian engineer Valeriy Val’Chun, 52, became Singapore Changi Airport’s first lucky shopper to qualify for the ‘Be a Changi Millionaire’ 2013 Grand Draw.

Valeriy Val’Chun, 52, won his Changi millionaire draw opportunity after buying a watch at Changi Airport on his way home from Bangladesh to Vladivostok last May, where the purchase paved his way to possibly becoming the next Changi millionaire.

The Russian told Changi Airport personnel that he always makes a conscious decision to fly through Changi and he won his prize on his third and most recent transit via Changi on 2 May 2013 with his colleagues. During his nine-hour wait for his connection he spent most of his time shopping for gifts for the family and himself, buying two smart phones, some perfume and a Tissot watch for S$675 ($533) from Gassan Watches at Terminal 1’s transit mall. This last item was the winning purchase that secured his place in the Grand Draw.

ONE OF SINGAPORE’S MOST SUCCESSFUL PROMOTIONS…

The ‘Be a Changi Millionaire’ promotion is Singapore’s largest retail promotion. Since the campaign’s debut in 2010, ‘Be a Changi Millionaire’ has made three lucky shoppers at Changi Airport overnight millionaires with its grand prize of S$1m ($789,935). Past winners consist of two Singaporeans and an Australian. The promotion has gained much momentum with more than double the number of entries from 830,000 in 2010 to 2.1m for 2012 and is now regarded as one of Singapore’s most successful retail promotions.

Valery Val’Chun will now be one of six finalists to take centre stage at the ‘Be a Changi Millionaire’ Grand Draw – to determine who among them will walk away a Singaporean dollar millionaire.

HOW IT WORKS…
During the six-month ‘Be a Changi Millionaire’ promotion which runs from 1 May to 31 October 2013, one finalist will be drawn each month for participation in the Grand Draw. Each finalist wins a cash prize of S$5,000 ($3,950) plus and a three-night stay in Singapore.