TravTalk Middle East Online Magazine
Middle East continues to be an important market for Singapore, as it is a popular family leisure destination, as well as a world renown MICE hub. At a recent event hosted by Singapore Airlines and Singapore Tourism Board it was revealed that travellers from the UAE had been on the rise as much as 35 per cent of the 2019 levels in 2022.
Shehara Fernando
GB Srithar – Regional Director, India, Middle East & South Asia – Singapore Tourism Board, said that international visitor numbers had exceeded their own forecast. Srithar shared, “I’m happy to say that Singapore Tourism Board remains engaged in this market. Singapore international visitor numbers reached 6.3 million in 2022, which is 33 per cent of 2019, exceeding our own forecast of last year, which was between 4 and 6 million. So at 6.3 million we have exceeded out own forecast. Tourism receipts estimated to have reached $13.8 to $14.3 billion, which is above 50 to 52 per cent of 2019 TR. Looking at Middle East market, overall GCC, we welcomed 79,630 visitors, which is about 61 per cent of 2019’s IVA and UAE, specifically we welcomed 42,970 visitors, which is about 35 per cent of 2019 IVA, so those are the numbers and the peak months have been July and August last year, which registered very strong visitor arrivals and the average length of stay was about 3 to 5 days. In terms of importance of the market, UAE is our number one source market in the region.”
He further reiterated, “We continue to welcome visitors from the Middle East, the good thing is that Singapore is very much open, it is quarantine free and you can come to the country and moving around in various places like in Dubai is the same as before. My key overarching message is that Singapore is not only welcoming leisure travellers, as Singapore continues to be a family holiday destination, the Middle East travellers when they come to Singapore learn that its easy to enjoy in terms of experiences and it’s a different kind of feel. With the diverse culture Singapore has, there is much to be enjoyed by the visitors and lots of places have been spruced up. It is not only the big attractions in the past but more are coming up very soon to provide those diverse experiences. What we have noticed during this post covid travellers look for authentic experiences from the destination.”
Renjie Wong, Area Director, India, Middle East & South Asia, shared, “Singapore is constantly changing and opening up the Museum of Ice Cream in Singapore, the first outside of the United States of America, is now a tourist attraction, which opened in the middle of the pandemic. It is an exhibit-based attraction set in one of the most historical places in Singapore Dempsey Hill, its one of the examples which puts Singapore in the map.” Aswin K, General Manager, Singapore Airlines, reaffirmed, “As you know last year has been an exciting year for all of us. Srithar was mentioning about the in-visitor arrivals and I’m happy to share that Singapore Airlines had a major play in that as well.”
