By Bing Hong Lok
SINGAPORE (Reuters) – Singapore recorded a 21% increase in international visitor arrivals to 16.5 million last year, the highest number since the COVID pandemic, and the tourism board said it expected further growth this year.
Arrivals in 2025 were expected at between 17 million and 18.5 million, the Singapore Tourism Board (STB) said in a statement on Tuesday, continuing the recovery towards 2019’s pre-pandemic peak of 19.1 million visitors.
The STB said it expected tourist spending in 2024 to be at the upper end of its forecast of S$27.5 billion to S$29.0 billion ($20.3 billion to $21.4 billion), after spending of $$22.4 billion over the first nine months of last year.
If the forecast is realised, tourism receipts would reach a record, surpassing spending of $27.7 billion in 2019.
Mainland China, Indonesia and India were the top markets for arrivals in 2024, while visitors from mainland China, Indonesia, and Australia were the top sources of spending, the STB said.
Changi Airport had a total international seat capacity of over 41 million, which was a 98% recovery to pre-pandemic 2019, the board said.
($1 = 1.3523 Singapore dollars)
(Reporting by Bing Hong Lok; Editing by John Mair)
