“STRONG PENT-UP DEMAND”
Singapore’s tourism business has been battered with the COVID-19 pandemic.
With borders around the world closing and regulators putting up travel restrictions to curb the particular spread of COVID-19, Singapore’s visitor arrivals plummeted more than 80 per cent year-on-year to second . 7 million in 2020, and plunged further to 330, 000 guest arrivals in 2021.
In 2019, Singapore hosted a record 19. 1 million visitors , plus tourism receipts amounted to S$27. seven billion.
The particular tourism board said that it continues to anticipate that tourism runs will recover in order to pre-COVID levels by the mid-2020s.
“The encouraging growth in visitor arrivals plus tourism receipts signals strong pent-up demand, and underscore Singapore’s continued appeal being a vibrant and attractive destination for leisure and business travellers, ” said STB chief executive Keith Tan.
“While the pandemic is certainly not over yet, we are assured that Singapore’s extremely rich calendar of events, as well as new and refreshed tourism offerings, will continue to attract visitors throughout 2022 and over and above. ”
Singapore’s roster of events includes the Formula one Singapore Airlines Singapore Grand Prix 2022 , Tour de France Singapore Criterium and Sail Grand Prix.
Tourism invoices reached an estimated S$1. 3 billion in the first quarter of 2022, a 213 per cent year-on-year increase over the same time period last year. Visitors from Indonesia were the very best spenders, followed by Indian and China.
Looking ahead, STB said that the travel and leisure sector may face some headwinds for the rest of the year because of the risky global political and economic environment, as well as the changing health situation.
“STB will carry on and develop the travel and leisure sector with new offerings and rejuvenated concepts to reinforce Singapore’s appeal being an attractive destination. ”