World News | Singapore tourism expected to return to pre-pandemic levels by 2024

Author: Li Jiahui

SINGAPORE, Jan 23 (ANI): Driven by strong demand from key markets such as India, Indonesia and Malaysia, Singapore’s tourism industry will recover strongly in 2022, surpassing the Singapore Tourism Board’s (STB) initial forecast last year of 4-6 million. tourists.

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Last week, the Singapore Tourism Board revealed that tourist arrivals to Singapore will hit 6.3 million in 2022, led by Indonesia with 1.1 million, followed by India with 686,000, while 591,000 Malaysian residents will arrive with visitor passes in 2022. Singapore. “Barring unforeseen circumstances, tourism activity is expected to return to pre-pandemic levels by 2024,” it added in a statement.

Tourism receipts (TR) are expected to reach S$13.8-14.3 billion (US$10.5-10.8 billion) after the final figures are released, 50% to 52% of 2019’s pre-pandemic levels.

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From January 2022 to September 2022, TR reached S$8.96 billion (US$6.8 billion). The markets that generated the most TR were Indonesia, India and Australia, which contributed S$1.1 billion, S$704 million and S$633 million respectively, excluding tourism, entertainment and gambling.

One of the key metrics in the tourism industry is length of stay. Singapore, a small island, has faced challenges in the past to improve the city’s appeal as a tourist destination. In 2019, the last year before the COVID-19 pandemic, the average length of stay was 3.36 days.

However, in the newly released data, tourists appear to be staying longer in Singapore than they were before the pandemic.

In the last three quarters of this year (April-December 2022), when Singapore no longer requires quarantine for fully vaccinated travelers, the average length of stay was about 4.81 days. Indians stay an average of 8.08 days, almost double the overall average.

Indian tourists to Singapore are also generally younger. For Indian residents, those aged between 25 and 34 will be the largest tourist group in 2022, reaching 199,940. Those aged 35 to 44 came in second with 151,300, while those aged 45 to 54 came in third with 82,340.

Two key factors in increasing the country’s post-pandemic appeal are the focus on bringing more events and new attractions to Singapore.

With the easing of border restrictions in the second quarter of 2022, the number of MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions) events has grown exponentially as the city is one of the first in the region to fully reopen.

Major international events return to Singapore, including Food & Hospitality Asia – Food & Beverage and Food & Hospitality Asia – HoReCa, held for the first time as two dedicated trade shows, ITB Asia and Singapore Fintech Festival, attracting record attendance Participants came from more than 115 countries. STB also hosts FIND: Design Asia and new events such as the Global Health Safety Congress 2022 and the 14th World Stroke Congress.

Sports and leisure activities also recovered strongly. The Singapore Formula 1 Grand Prix, held in 2022 for the first time in three years, attracted a record 302,000 spectators, half of whom were from abroad. Other events include the Tour de France Prudential Singapore Standard (the first in Southeast Asia), Singapore Food Festival, Christmas Wonderland, Christmas on Orchard Road, Countdown to Marina Bay Singapore and ZoukOut Singapore.

Singapore has also added new attractions and experiences to attract more foreign tourists during the pandemic. These include the Singapore Children’s Museum; Avatar: Experiences at Gardens by the Bay, Sentosa Night Luge, Scentopia, Wings of Time and Central Beach Bazaar; ArtScience Museum’s new gallery at Epcot: “Exploring New Territories”; A POV experience at Resorts World Sentosa; Mr. Dempsey’s Bucket Chocolaterie; and Singapore Night Safari’s new amphitheater and refreshed nocturnal creature show.

STB expects the travel industry to continue its momentum this year, supported by increased flight connectivity and capacity and the gradual reopening of China. International tourist arrivals are expected to be around 12-14 million, bringing in tourism receipts of around S$1.8-21 billion (US$13.6-15.9 billion) — around two-thirds to three-quarters of 2019 levels.

There are also plans for new or updated attractions in 2023, such as Bird Paradise @ Mandai Wildlife Sanctuary, and new Orchard Road experiences such as the Trifecta sports complex. The STB will also support business and leisure activities over the next two years.

Keith Tan, CEO of STB, said: “Our 2022 tourism performance underscores Singapore’s attractiveness as a key business and leisure destination for post-pandemic travellers. To sustain our growth in 2023 and beyond, we will expand our partnerships relationships, build a rich year-round calendar of events, invest more in new and refreshed products and experiences, and continue to support industry efforts to build the capabilities needed to meet consumer demand.” (Arnie)

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from a Syndicated News feed, the content body may not have been modified or edited by LatestLY staff)