2023 was great for Singapore tourism, and 2024 promises to be even better

SINGAPORE: The Singapore Tourism Board (STB) has noted Singapore’s strong recovery and resilience, with 13.6 million international visitor arrivals in 2023. Moreover, receipts from tourism for last year are estimated to reach between S$24.5 to S$26 billion, which is between 88 and 94 per cent of pre-pandemic (2019) numbers. These estimated figures surpass STB’s earlier forecast of S$18 to S$21 billion for last year.

In addition, this year is expected to do even better, with between 15 and 16 million visitors from around the globe expected to arrive in 2024 and $26.0 to $27.5 billion expected in tourism receipts. This is likely to be helped along by high-profile events such as Taylor Swift’s The Eras Tour. Next month, pop superstar Bruno Mars is coming to Singapore, as is the hit Broadway musical Hamilton. The Singapore Yachting Festival 2024 is also happening in April.

However, STB added that “Geopolitical uncertainty, the state of the global economy, and other factors such as the continued restoration of flight connectivity will have bearing on the pace of travel recovery.”

Many of this year’s tourists are expected to come from India, which, along with China, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Australia, are the top five countries where visitors to Singapore come from.

Mr Markus Tan, the Regional Director for India, Middle East, South Asia & Africa (IMESA) at the Singapore Tourism Board, was quoted as saying in businessline earlier this month, “We are confident in Singapore’s tourism rebound. In 2019, we recorded a record high of 1.4 million Indian tourists, and in 2023, we achieved a 75 per cent recovery with 1.07 million Indian visitors, solidifying India as our fifth-largest tourism source.

Even if we reach 90 to 95 per cent of pre-Covid levels this year, it is a good number to achieve,” he said, adding that an additional boost from tier 2 cities is also expected this year.

“We are committed to captivating Indian travellers and sustaining positive momentum in the market,” Mr Tan underlined.

The STB has offices in strategic areas in India, which are found in Mumbai and Delhi. 

STB’s chief executive, Ms Melissa Ow, said, “To sustain our growth in 2024 and beyond, STB will focus on achieving quality tourism, cultivating strategic partnerships, investing in new and refreshed products and experiences, and supporting stakeholders in building capabilities.”

Note: An earlier version of this story was amended after we heard from STB. The Independent Singapore regrets the errors in the earlier version and has corrected the information in this article. /TISG

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