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A senior official from the Singapore Tourism Board (STB) said Singapore is now very open and continues to welcome tourists from the Middle East.
GB Srithar, STB’s regional director for Southeast Asia, the Middle East and Africa, said Singapore remains a family destination with a wealth of experiences and a safe city.
He was speaking to the media at a media luncheon organized by STB and Singapore Airlines in Dubai.
Srithar, who is based in STB’s Mumbai office and covers GCC/Middle East, said the Singapore Tourism Board is still involved in this market.
Singapore Airlines general manager Gulf and Middle East Aswin K added that the airline is adding flight connections and is currently running at 75% of its pre-Covid capacity.
“China is a huge part of our network. So with that in mind, we’re more or less back to normal, and in the next few months, that number will skyrocket,” he said.
Singapore Airlines has invested heavily over the past few years and during Covid to ensure the Singapore experience shines on board, including food. In the coming months, many new developments will be announced, he said.
Srithar shared the recently released Singapore tourism data.
Singapore’s International Visitor Arrivals (IVA) will reach 6.3 million in 2022, about 33% of the 2019 IVA. That beat forecasts of 4 million to 6 million, he said. Tourism receipts are estimated to have reached S$13.8 billion to S$14.3 billion, about 50-52% of 2019 levels.
Looking at the GCC markets, Singapore received 79,630 tourists in 2022, accounting for about 60% of the region’s 2019 IVA. The UAE accounted for 42,970 of these, or 39% of IVAs in 2019. The peak months are July and August 2022. The average length of stay in the region was 5.3 days.
“The UAE is clearly our number one source market within the GCC,” he said.
Different experiences that existed before, such as zoos, safari parks, Sentosa and Marina Bay Sands, among others, are adding to their experience, and besides, tourists now want to experience local delights, he said.
Singapore is also popular with young travelers as the city is seen as a great lifestyle, activities and dining destination.
Cruises are another growing market segment, and Singapore is looking at maintaining and growing its destination as a cruise hub. The Middle East will be the main source of this segment, Srithar said.
India Regional Director Renjie Wong. Middle East and South Asia, added: “As someone who was born and raised in Singapore, for me personally, the most exciting thing about Singapore is that the city is constantly changing.” –trade arab news agency
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