Singapore’s tourism sector recovered strongly and demonstrated resilience with a solid performance for 2023.
International visitor arrivals reached 13.6 million in 2023, which is 71 percent of 2019’s figures, meeting Singapore Tourism Board’s (STB) forecast of between 12 and 14 million visitors. Tourism receipts are estimated to reach S$24.5 to S$26.0 billion, surpassing the forecast of S$18 billion to S$21.0 billion set out in 2023.
Visitor arrivals were driven by strong demand from a mix of Singapore’s key markets, led by Indonesia (2.3 million), China (1.4 million) and Malaysia (1.1 million). Other key markets that posted buoyant recovery included Australia, South Korea and USA. Full year tourism receipts are expected to register between $24.5 and $26 billion. For the first nine months of 2023, the top generating markets were China, Indonesia and Australia.
Visitors also spent more time in Singapore compared to before the pandemic. The average length of stay in 2023 was approximately 3.8 days. This is an increase compared to 3.4 days for the same period in 2019.
Key Industry Performance in 2023
STB successfully secured several significant business events that took place in Singapore for the first time in 2023. These accomplishments underscore Singapore’s growing prominence as a leading destination for impactful and influential business gatherings.
Singapore’s hotel industry performance in 2023 was encouraging, driven by stronger demand for leisure and business travel. In 2023, the Average Room Rate surpassed 2019 levels, reaching S$282. Average Occupancy Rate was 80.1 per cent in 2023, compared to 86.9 per cent in the same period in 2019.
In 2023, the hotel industry welcomed an addition of 3,210 new hotel keys and unveiled new establishments such as Pan Pacific Orchard, Mondrian Singapore Duxton, Artyzen Singapore, and The Singapore EDITION.
Singapore’s position as a regional cruise hub also strengthened in 2023 with a record two million passenger throughput received from more than 340 ship calls. In addition, STB and Disney Cruise Line signed a MOU to collaborate on the exclusive five-year year-round homeporting of Disney Adventure in Singapore from 2025.
2023 Highlights
Singapore welcomed new and enhanced experiences, including HyperDrive, the gamified electric Go-Kart at Sentosa; Bird Paradise and the world’s first surf-snow-skate attraction TRIFECTA, right in the heart of Orchard Road.
Singapore’s tour operators introduced new and innovative tours, including the Zero to Hero Food Sustainability Tour and Changi Airport & Jewel Guided Tour. STB also partnered Google to pilot the development of Augmented Reality (AR) experiences for tourists by creating an immersive AR-guided tour on STB’s VisitSingapore app.
STB expanded its branded entertainment partnerships with leading media and entertainment companies through creative storytelling. One example is working with former F1 world champion Jenson Button to showcase some of Singapore’s most exhilarating experiences.
STB also made its first foray into one of the world’s most popular online game platforms Roblox, with Singapore Wanderland. Singapore Wanderland puts a playful spin on real-life attractions to inspire travel to Singapore and has drawn over six million visits since the launch in May 2023.
2024 Outlook
STB expects the tourism sector’s recovery to continue in 2024, driven by improved global flight connectivity and capacity as well as the implementation of the mutual 30-day visa-free travel between China and Singapore. In 2024, international flight capacity is expected to continue to increase, with capacity at or approaching pre-pandemic levels for the majority of key source markets.
2024 international visitor arrivals to Singapore are expected to reach around 15 to 16 million, bringing in approximately S$26 to S$27.5 billion in tourism receipts. Geopolitical uncertainty, the state of the global economy and other factors such as the continued restoration of flight connectivity will have bearing on the pace of travel recovery.
Looking ahead to 2024, the industry can anticipate exciting developments, including upcoming hotel openings, new experiences at the two integrated resorts, and a vibrant line-up of leisure offerings featuring global pop culture, lifestyle events, and music festivals. Additionally, Singapore will host top-tier MICE events, further solidifying its position on the global stage.
