SINGAPORE: The number of visitors to Singapore reached 6.3 million in 2022, exceeding the Singapore Tourism Board's (STB) forecast of between 4 million and 6 million.
This was one-third of the number in 2019, before international travel came to a halt in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Singapore's tourism receipts, meanwhile, are estimated to reach S$13.8 billion to S$14.3 billion for 2022 - about 50 to 52 per cent of 2019 levels, according to figures released by STB on Tuesday (Jan 17).
In the first nine months of 2022, receipts came up to an estimated S$8.96 billion, with the top spenders hailing from Indonesia, India and Australia.
Final figures for tourism receipts will be available in the second quarter of 2023.
Barring unexpected circumstances, tourism activity is now expected to recover to pre-pandemic levels by 2024, said STB.
Marquee events such as the Formula 1 night race and strong demand from Singapore’s key source markets drove the rebound, said the agency.
The top markets for visitor arrivals were Indonesia (1.1 million), India (686,000) and Malaysia (591,000).
Key tourism industries also picked up pace in 2022, with the resumption of the Meetings, Incentives, Conventions and Exhibitions (MICE) sector and the recovery of the cruise industry.
For cruises, passenger throughput was 1.2 million, which was about two-thirds of pre-pandemic levels.
With stronger demand for leisure and business travel, the hotel industry had an average occupancy rate of 79.1 per cent from April to December 2022, nearing the 87.3 per cent recorded for the same period in 2019.
Average room rates during this period increased by 17 per cent to S$260, and revenue per available room increased by 6.2 per cent to S$206.
STB said visitors were also spending more time in Singapore compared to before the pandemic.
For the last three-quarters of 2022, when Singapore no longer required fully vaccinated travellers to quarantine, the average length of stay was about 4.81 days, up from 3.36 days for the same period in 2019.
STB chief executive Keith Tan said: “Our 2022 tourism performance underscores Singapore’s appeal as a leading business and leisure destination for post-pandemic travellers.
"To sustain our growth in 2023 and beyond, we will expand our partnerships, build up a rich year-round calendar of events, ramp up investment in new and refreshed products and experiences and continue to support industry efforts to build the capabilities they need to meet consumer demands.”
STB also expects the tourism sector to "continue its growth momentum" this year, on the back of increasing flight connectivity and capacity as well as China’s gradual reopening.
International visitor arrivals are expected to reach around 12 million to 14 million visitors in 2023, bringing in about S$18 billion to S$21 billion – around two-thirds to three-quarters of tourism receipts in 2019.
To support tourism recovery, STB will "front load" S$110 million of the S$500 million set aside for Singapore’s tourism recovery, to ramp up business and leisure events over these two years.
The board said it would continue to help the tourism sector ramp up hiring. As of September last year, the total tourism workforce was around 65,000 – about 78 per cent of 2019 levels.
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This was one-third of the number in 2019, before international travel came to a halt in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Singapore's tourism receipts, meanwhile, are estimated to reach S$13.8 billion to S$14.3 billion for 2022 - about 50 to 52 per cent of 2019 levels, according to figures released by STB on Tuesday (Jan 17).
In the first nine months of 2022, receipts came up to an estimated S$8.96 billion, with the top spenders hailing from Indonesia, India and Australia.
Final figures for tourism receipts will be available in the second quarter of 2023.
Barring unexpected circumstances, tourism activity is now expected to recover to pre-pandemic levels by 2024, said STB.
Related:
Marquee events such as the Formula 1 night race and strong demand from Singapore’s key source markets drove the rebound, said the agency.
The top markets for visitor arrivals were Indonesia (1.1 million), India (686,000) and Malaysia (591,000).
Key tourism industries also picked up pace in 2022, with the resumption of the Meetings, Incentives, Conventions and Exhibitions (MICE) sector and the recovery of the cruise industry.
For cruises, passenger throughput was 1.2 million, which was about two-thirds of pre-pandemic levels.
With stronger demand for leisure and business travel, the hotel industry had an average occupancy rate of 79.1 per cent from April to December 2022, nearing the 87.3 per cent recorded for the same period in 2019.
Average room rates during this period increased by 17 per cent to S$260, and revenue per available room increased by 6.2 per cent to S$206.
LONGER STOPS
STB said visitors were also spending more time in Singapore compared to before the pandemic.
For the last three-quarters of 2022, when Singapore no longer required fully vaccinated travellers to quarantine, the average length of stay was about 4.81 days, up from 3.36 days for the same period in 2019.
STB chief executive Keith Tan said: “Our 2022 tourism performance underscores Singapore’s appeal as a leading business and leisure destination for post-pandemic travellers.
"To sustain our growth in 2023 and beyond, we will expand our partnerships, build up a rich year-round calendar of events, ramp up investment in new and refreshed products and experiences and continue to support industry efforts to build the capabilities they need to meet consumer demands.”
Related:
STB also expects the tourism sector to "continue its growth momentum" this year, on the back of increasing flight connectivity and capacity as well as China’s gradual reopening.
International visitor arrivals are expected to reach around 12 million to 14 million visitors in 2023, bringing in about S$18 billion to S$21 billion – around two-thirds to three-quarters of tourism receipts in 2019.
To support tourism recovery, STB will "front load" S$110 million of the S$500 million set aside for Singapore’s tourism recovery, to ramp up business and leisure events over these two years.
The board said it would continue to help the tourism sector ramp up hiring. As of September last year, the total tourism workforce was around 65,000 – about 78 per cent of 2019 levels.
Continue reading...