That’s about 88 to 94 percent of 2019 levels, according to data released by the STB on Thursday.
Tourism receipts reached S$20.1 billion between January and September 2023. Final figures for tourism receipts will be available in the second quarter of 2024.
For the first nine months of 2023, China, Indonesia and Australia generated the most tourism revenue, contributing S$2.3 billion, S$2.2 billion and S$1.5 billion respectively, excluding sightseeing of sights, entertainment and games.
Sightseeing, entertainment and gaming are excluded from the analysis of the country’s tourism revenue due to commercial sensitivities, the STB said.
The STB also said visitors spent more time in Singapore than before the pandemic. The average length of stay in 2023 was around 3.8 days, up from 3.4 days for the same period in 2019.
More Chinese are expected to travel abroad for the Lunar New Year
More Chinese are expected to travel abroad for the Lunar New Year
“Singapore’s tourism sector has rebounded strongly and demonstrated resilience with a solid performance for 2023,” STB said.
STB said it expects the recovery of the tourism sector to continue in 2024, led by improved global flight connectivity and capacity, as well as the implementation of reciprocal 30-day visa-free travel between China and Singapore.
Singapore and China agreed to a 30-day reciprocal visa-free entry for their citizens last week.
Under the agreement, citizens of Singapore and China holding ordinary passports can enter China or Singapore without a visa for up to 30 days if they travel for business, sightseeing, visiting friends and family or other personal affairs.
The arrangement will officially begin on February 9, the eve of the Lunar New Year.
“In 2024, international flight capacity is expected to continue to increase, with capacity at or near pre-pandemic levels for most of our key source markets,” STB said.
International visitor arrivals are expected to reach about 15 to 16 million in 2024, generating about S$26.0 to S$27.5 billion in tourism revenue.
Geopolitical uncertainty, the state of the global economy and other factors such as the continued recovery of flight connectivity will have an impact on the pace of travel recovery, STB added.
“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 capacity building,” said the chief STB CEO Melissa Ow.
In the Meetings, Incentives, Conventions and Exhibitions (MICE) sector, STB said it secured several significant business events that took place in Singapore for the first time last year.
02:27 a.m
China expands visa-free travel to 6 new countries
China expands visa-free travel to 6 new countries
These include the 25th World Congress of Dermatology 2023, the Million Dollar Global Round Table (MDRT) 2023 and the International Trademark Association (INTA) Annual Meeting 2023 Live+.
For hotels, the average room rate and revenue per available room exceeded 2019 levels. The average room rate reached S$282, about 128 percent of the 2019 price, while the revenue per available room reached S$226, which is about 118 percent of the 2019 figure.
The average employment rate was 80.1% in 2023, compared to 86.9% in the same period in 2019.
The hospitality industry’s performance in 2023 was driven by higher demand for leisure and business travel, the STB said.
China and Singapore agree to allow each other’s citizens to travel without visas
China and Singapore agree to allow each other’s citizens to travel without visas
For cruises, Singapore reached a record 2 million passengers received from more than 340 ship visits since the opening of Marina Bay Cruise Center Singapore.
STB also announced in 2023 its partnership with Disney Cruise Line to make Singapore the exclusive home port for Disney Cruise Line’s new ship for at least five years from 2025.
STB also unveiled new attractions and enhanced experiences in 2023, including Go-Kart at Sentosa, Bird Paradise and the world’s first surf, snow and skate attraction TRIFECTA.
