Singapore is targeting up to two million more visitors in 2025 than last year, after recording a 21% annual increase in 2024 to 16.5 million arrivals.
The 16.5 million guests welcomed in 2024 take the Southeast Asian republic’s total arrivals to only 86% of pre-pandemic levels but even so, the year’s tourism receipts are expected to match 2019’s record figures of at least S$27.7 billion (€19.8 billion), giving the country’s tourism stakeholders something to celebrate.
Quality tourism and revenue
Echoing the words of many tourism agencies in destinations around the world where overtourism is an increasing problem, the Singapore Tourism Board (STB) said the 2024 receipts and the new target of 17 to 18.5 million arrivals for 2025 align “with our pursuit of quality tourism, where we prioritise growing tourism revenue and its impact on the economy.”
The targeted 17 to 18.5 million guests for 2025 are anticipated to bring in receipts of S$29 billion to S$30.5 billion (€20.7 billion to €21.8 billion) – a potential uplift in tourist spending of around 8%.
“While acknowledging potential headwinds stemming from geopolitical tensions and macroeconomic challenges, STB remains focused on driving quality tourism growth to defend and extend Singapore’s global position as we continue to develop tourism in the years ahead,” STB said in a statement.
Diverse source markets
Mainland China sent more visitors to Singapore than any other source market (3.08 million), aided, according to STB, by the reciprocal 30-day visa exemption the two nations share and an increase in air connectivity.
China was followed by Indonesia (2.49 million) and India (1.20 million). Another growth market the island and city state will be eyeing is the UK, which sent 580,000 visitors over. That beat Japan, but was fewer than Taiwan, the US, the Philippines, Australia and Malaysia. STB hailed this blend as “a good mix of short, mid and long-haul markets.”
A developing cruise offer and calendar of lifestyle events
That diversity is also seen in the republic’s developing offer. Both Disney and Ritz Carlton Yachts have chosen Singapore as the home port for their respective Disney Adventure and Lumina sailings, which will further contribute to the 1.8 million passenger throughput recorded from 340 ship calls last year.
Another growth factor acknowledged by STB is the city’s “robust year-round calendar of lifestyle events and concerts”, which last year included the Swiftonomics phenomenon with Taylor Swift’s descent on the city in March, as well as the Asian premiere of the Harry Potter: Visions of Magic exhibition and a range of other MICE-driven (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Events) boosts.
To look forward to in 2025 are the openings of Illumination’s Minion Land at Universal Studios Singapore and Rainforest Wild Asia at the Mandai Wildlife Reserve, as well as Artbox Singapore 2025 and the World Accountancy Forum 2025.
