Singapore

Singapore’s international arrivals are likely to remain below the pre-pandemic high of 19.1 million in 2026, following the slow recovery from China’s outbound travel and the strong Singapore dollar. Tourism receipts for 2024 reached $29.8 billion, +7.9% vs pre-pandemic, and the figure is expected to reach between $29-$30.5 billion SGD in 2025. A senior lecturer in marketing at the National University of Singapore Business School forecast tourist arrivals to Singapore will reach between 18.5 million to 20 million in 2026. JLL poll from 32 Singapore hotel operators shows, the hotel outlook is expected to strengthen in 2026, after a softer 2025. The poll shows, 9 out of 10 respondents believe the revenue will grow, and the occupancy rate is expected to reach 81% and two-thirds of them think the average daily rate will increase marginally

ComfortDelGro will test a self-driving shuttle along a 12km route with 7 stops in north-east Punggol. Passengers can start to book rides from early 2026. The Land Transport Authority (LTA) approved the testing on public roads. The autonomous vehicles (AVs) was first tested by the Centre of Excellence for Testing & Research of Autonomous Vehicles – NTU (CETRAN) in Boon Lay. In Sep, the Acting Transport Minister announced plans to have 100 and 150 AVs by the end of 2026

Traveloka data shows short-haul travel is getting popular among Singaporeans in 2025. The data shows 60% of all destination searches from Singapore focused on short-haul, especially to Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Vietnam. Popular domestic destinations are the Singapore Oceanarium and Harry Potter: Visions of Magic. Traveloka will host 12.12 Super Sale from 3-12 Dec

Mandai Wildlife Reserve unveiled Curiosity Cove, the largest indoor nature playscape in Singapore for children aged 3-12 years old. This attraction will offer a multi-sensory experience across nature-themed zones, including Bird Paradise and Rainforest Wild

The National Gallery of Singapore has been recognised for integrating arts into public health and wellbeing, and has become the first museum to be designated as a Healing Arts Centre of Excellence in the world by the Jameel Arts & Health Lab in collaboration with the World Health Organisation (WHO). This museum features tactile collections to offer tailored tours for blind and low-vision visitors, a “calm room” for neurodivergent visitors, and sensory-friendly features

Singapore Tourism Board (STB) and Traveloka launched their second partnership for travellers who are looking to book “spontaneous escapes”, especially young travellers. This campaign will run until Mar 2026, and users can collect stackable discount coupons through Traveloka and redeem flights, hotels, and travel activities at special rates. STB will highlight the New Bahru area, a former school, which has been converted into a retail and dining lifestyle hub. Families can also book attractions such as the Singapore Oceanarium, Bird Paradise, and Rainforest Wild Asia. This campaign will target the Indonesia, Malaysia, Vietnam, and Thailand markets

Cross-border taxis between Singapore and Malaysia will be expanded, increasing the quota to 500 on each side, up from 200. It will initially be expanded by 100 taxis per country, with priority given to larger and premium vehicles. The taxis will also be allowed to drop passengers off anywhere in the other country, but pick ups will remain limited to designated points. The Ministries noted that they will increase the number of pick up points for e-hailing app bookings, and said that they will work together for a common regulatory regime. They have also pledged to improve the bus services between the two countries, with a “wider range of services”

Ritz-Carlton’s cruise line Luminara has introduced its Asia Pacific routes, with the first cruise scheduled to depart from Singapore on 23 Dec for a 7-night trip with port calls to Kuala Lumpur, Langkawi, Malacca, Phuket and Penang. Luminara offers a total of 10 voyages, covering 28 ports in 10 countries, such as Singapore, Japan, Malaysia, the Philippines, South Korea, Thailand and Vietnam

Singapore and Malaysia agreed to improve collaboration and will hold talks on longstanding issues, such as water, airspace, and maritime boundaries. Both countries signed an additional deal on the Johor Bahru-Singapore Rapid Transit System (RTS) Link. Malaysia and Singapore will also work together on healthcare

Singapore’s national water agency PUB announced rainfall across Singapore on 4 Dec caused flash floods in western Singapore. PUB said the rainfall corresponds to 36% of Singapore’s average monthly rainfall in Dec. PUB added the flood subsided within 30 minutes

Toyou Travel’s licence has been revoked by the Singapore Tourism Board (STB), following concerns over the authenticity of the company’s financial statements. STB ordered the agency to refund its customers or hand over its existing obligations to licensed travel agents. Toyou Travel’s spokesperson said they have settled all obligations to suppliers or customers, and they are not taking any new bookings. The agency is not appealing against the decision

The CEO of Far East Hospitality said the tourism sector in Singapore needs to offer a unique experience for visitors to survive. He added that the hotels can’t take advantage of the demand, but they have to create it. He said that the hotels can offer basic essentials to support concerts and events being held in Singapore. But the hotels need to be interesting to attract demand in the next 20-30 years. He added that Singapore can look into the active ageing, longevity, and wellness market

The Capitol Kempinski Hotel Singapore will manage the historic Capitol Theatre to offer a curated selection of public and private events. The theatre can accommodate 865 seats, and can welcome up to 400 guests in reception style

DN Media Group (Recharge), Hamburg Messe und Congress (HMC), Enterprise Singapore (EnterpriseSG), and the Singapore Tourism Board (STB) signed a 5-year MoU to establish wind energy conferences and exhibitions in Singapore. The MoU signing took place during the Recharge Wind Power Summit 2025 in Hamburg, Germany. This will be the WindEnergy Hamburg brand’s first venture outside Europe. EnterpriseSG and STB will support WindEnergy Hamburg in organising the 2-day Recharge Wind Power Summit Asia-Pacific in 2026, while Recharge in Singapore will organise the 3-day WindEnergy Asia-Pacific in 2027 and 2029. WindEnergy Asia-Pacific will alternate with the biennial WindEnergy Hamburg. Australia, India, Japan, the Philippines, South Korea, and Vietnam have set wind energy targets, and the Asia-Pacific region recorded 607.5 gigawatts of installed capacity in 2024, the largest in the world. Offshore wind is expected to deliver 50 gigawatts of capacity by 2034, accounting for over 60% of new global offshore capacity

The death toll in North Sumatra, Aceh and West Sumatra from flooding and landslides reached at least 303, with 279 still missing. More than 126,000 have been displaced across the 3 provinces

A new direct ferry between Batam’s Gold Coast International Ferry Terminal in Bengkong, and Singapore’s Harbourfront has started operations on 28 Nov, operated by Sindo Ferry and Batamfast, running two roundtrips each. 10,000 tourists and workers make the trip between Singapore-Batam daily. There are now 6 connections between the two destinations, with many headed to Batam Centre. Ferry operators noted that the passenger traffic on the ferries is still 70-80% of pre-pandemic levels, with visitors from China and India not returning, due to visa requirements. Batamfast is also looking at a new ferry route in Pasir Gudang, Johor, Malaysia

The Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) announced it will issue a list of high-risk and undesirable travellers to bar them from boarding Singapore-bound flights from 30 Jan 2026. ICA said no-boarding directive (NBD) notices will strengthen border security, and this will be issued to airline operators at Changi and Seletar airports. The NBDs will be extended to cover sea-going vessels inbound to Singapore from 2028. NBD will also be issued to those who do not possess a valid visa or a passport with at least 6 months’ validity

The Foreign Affairs Ministry (MFA) said 608 Singaporeans have boarded flights to Singapore or are waiting at Hat Yai Airpgd. MFA said 893 Singaporeans have reached out to MFA for assistance after being stranded in Hat Yai due to severe flood

The Ministry of Manpower (MOM) reported the share of Singapore workers in permanent jobs reached 90.8% in 2025, vs 90.1% in 2024. Permanent employment for youths aged 15 to 24, recorded +8 percentage points (pp) YoY, and for those 25-29 years old saw a +1 pp YoY. However, the percentage of residents taking part in the labour force dropped for the fourth consecutive year to 67.9%, a drop from 68.2% in 2024. MOM’s data shows that there are about 1.16 million unemployed people in 2025, 20,000 more than in 2024

Singapore-based Travel DMC launched DMC Quote (www.dmcquote.com), a new B2B travel platform for travel packages for the Singapore-Malaysia corridor. This platform will integrate hotel contracts, attraction partnerships, and in-house transport services into one platform. It secured exclusive and preferred rates with leading Singaporean attractions. DMC Quote also features a new multi-currency wallet, which can transact in more than 15 currencies. Travel DMC group has exclusive hotel partnerships, involving 45 hotels in Singapore, 5 hotels in Sentosa, 24 hotels in Kuala Lumpur, and 3 hotels in Genting Highlands

Nintendo will acquire 80% Bandai Namco Studios Singapore shares on 1 Apr as part of its effort to strengthen its development structure and develop it into Nintendo Studios Singapore

Kallang Alive Sport Management, which managed the Singapore Sports Hub, will be renamed as the Kallang Group and Singapore Sports Hub will operate under “The Kallang” name

China Trading Desk found that 30% of the 1.44 million trips to Japan from China for the end of Dec have been cancelled following an advisory from the Chinese government. According to the CEO of China Trading Desk, Japan is set to lose $500 million USD in spending, and the figure could even increase to $1.2 billion USD, based on the data that Chinese tourists spend over $900 million USD a month from UnionPay and other financial service companies. Singapore and South Korea recorded a 15% YoY increase in new bookings, while Thailand, Malaysia, and Vietnam recorded an 11% YoY increase

Aeroline, a coach operator, will resume its bus operations between Singapore and Malaysia from 28 Nov. The Land Public Transport Agency (APAD) issued a ban until 5 Dec for dropping passengers at unregulated spots

Singapore recorded 12.9 million visitors, +2.3% YoY, from Jan-Sep 2025 and $15.7 billion SGD, +5.3% YoY, in tourism receipts in H1 2025. The accommodation sector recorded a 4.9% expansion in Q3 2025. The momentum in tourist arrivals helped Singapore's GDP to grow by 4.2% in Q3 2025, and 2.4% on a QoQ basis. Concerts and major events in Singapore helped with the strong increase in spending on food and beverage, entertainment, gaming and accommodation

The Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA), supported by the Singapore Tourism Board (STB), will organise the Marina Bay Singapore Countdown 2026. The event will feature the “Brightening Lives” light projection show, showcasing artworks by artists with disabilities at the facade of the Fullerton Hotel Singapore from 26-31 Dec; performances by local artistes at Esplanade; Togetherland by World Christmas Market at the Bayfront Event Space; and countdown fireworks on New Year’s Eve

Agoda published a new report, “Tailored to Win: Capturing Asia’s Tourism Boom,” on guest satisfaction and loyalty for hotels. 99% reported higher satisfaction scores, and 91% reported guests were willing to pay more per room. The share of global international arrivals to Asia increased to nearly 28% in 2025 vs 9% in 2022. The report highlighted that hotels which offer strong cultural and linguistic adaptation saw an increase in demand from visitors from China, Japan, South Korea, and Singapore. Hotels with advanced localisation reported a stronger RevPAR impact, along with an increase in repeat stays and guests’ willingness to pay. 55% of hoteliers said they have limited insight into cultural preferences, and 44% of them are not sure of expected returns. OTAs will help to bridge capability gaps, with 80% relying on their partners for guest analytics, cultural data, and digital tools that support multi-currency and multilingual engagement. Hotels with localisation strategies are recording up to 95% of higher repeat bookings and stronger guest satisfaction

Mount Faber Leisure Group will organise the Pokémon-themed cable car experience from 22 Nov 2025 to 30 Apr 2026. Each cabin exterior will showcase Pokemon characters, and the interiors will feature a matching theme

UOB Travel will work with Amadeus to modernise its travel technology to offer a seamless end-to-end experience for its clients, in digital retailing, automation, productivity, and back-office solutions. UOB Travel is a subsidiary of United Overseas Bank (UOB), which offers business travel, bespoke itineraries, and cruises to UOB cardmembers and banking customers

Booking.com published its 10th Travel Predictions report, highlighting 10 trends of Asia Pacific travellers. The report surveyed 29,000 travellers in 33 countries and territories. More Asia Pacific travellers are open to innovative experiences. 86% of respondents said they would consider staying in robotic-enhanced homes, with 48% influenced by cleaning bots, 37% by robotic chefs, and 26% by robots managing sustainability Road trip has become an important trend, with 85% open to carpooling, 63% willing to use apps to connect with fellow travellers, and 72% considering AI to map scenic routes For wellness travel, 82% are interested in skin-specific treatments, AI-guided destination choices, hydration stations, smart mirrors, and sleep-enhancing suites 75% of respondents are willing to recreate memories using AI-powered location mapping 79% are interested in fantasy-inspired retreats 74% are considering design-led kitchenware and pantry items as cultural keepsakes 72% are open to travel as compatibility check, and exploring astrology, with 60% considering spiritual guidance-based travel 46% prefer nature-focused hobbies, such as birdwatching, foraging, and insect spotting 66% of travellers book trips without a traditional reason, 75% travel to reward themselves, 26% to celebrate promotion, 14% for tax refund, 14% for breakup closure, 9% for new outfit, and 24% for health milestones like sobriety or fitness transformations

Singapore’s core inflation increased to 1.2% YoY in Oct, the highest in 2025, vs 0.4% in Sep. Core inflation had been recorded below 1% for several months. Core prices grew by 0.5% MoM in Oct. The Consumer Price Index-All Items increased to 1.2% in Oct, vs 0.7% in Sep, due to an increase in private transport costs. Services inflation increased to 1.8% in Oct vs 0.3% in Sep

A report from the Economic Division of the Ministry of Trade and Industry (MTI) shows that the spending per visitor has increased by 24.4% from 2019 to 2024. The researchers said the increases in YoY tourism receipts in 2024 were attributed to robust growth in accommodation, sightseeing, entertainment and gaming and accommodation, which was supported by events in 2024. MTI said tourism contributes 6% to Singapore’s services exports in 2024. In 2024, Singapore received 16.5 million international arrivals and posted $29.8 billion SGD in tourism receipts, vs 19.1 million international arrivals and $27.7 billion SGD in tourism receipts in 2019. MTI said the 7.6% tourism receipts growth vs the 2019 level was supported by an increase in spending per visitor, which offset the drop in international visitor arrivals in 2024 vs 2019. Food and beverage spending increased by 71% in 2024 vs 2019, but accommodation dropped by 7% and shopping dropped by 7.8%. In 2025, spending on &B, accommodation and sightseeing, entertainment and gaming increased, helping to offset a drop in spending on shopping. MTI report also stated that Singapore’s tourism receipts are expected to grow between $47 billion SGD to $50 billion SGD by 2040

Oct 2025 saw 1.38 million international visitors to Singapore, +4.9% YoY, driven by MICE and sporting events in the month. 1.02 million were overnight visitors, +2.2% YoY. The average stay was 3.38 days, -3.1% YoY. The top source markets in Oct were China (226,000), Indonesia (117,200) and Australia (116,370). South Korea also had a strong performance, seeing +21% YoY growth. From Jan-Oct 2025 Singapore saw 14.25 million pax, +2.54% YoY

The National Museum of Singapore will showcase the character Skullpanda for the first time from 12 Dec 2025 to 22 Feb 2026 in the “Skullpanda Cage-Uncage Showcase”. This showcase will be conducted under a collaboration between Pop Mart, the Singapore Tourism Board, and the National Museum of Singapore

Various activities are being held ahead of Blackpink’s 3-night concert at the National Stadium, including photo zones, light installations at the Supertree Grove and the Singapore Flyer, and a pop-up store at Kallang Leisure Park from 25-30 Nov

Far East Hospitality Trust (FEHT) reported gross revenue of $81.9 million SGD, -0.7% YoY due to softer performance in the Singapore Hotels and Serviced Residences (SRs), which was offset by growth in commercial premises income and its newly acquired Japan hotel. Net property income dropped to $71.6 million SGD, -5.4% YoY, and the financial expenses dropped to $18.4 million SGD, -19.9%. FEHT owns 13 properties valued at $2.57 billion SGD, including 10 hotels and 3 serviced residences in Singapore, and Four Points by Sheraton Nagoya in Japan. FEHT’s Singapore hotels reported: In Q3 2025, an 86.5% occupancy rate, driven by events like the World Aquatics Championship. ADR was at $171 SGD, while RevPAR dropped by 4.3% YoY From Jan-Sep 2025, the occupancy rate was recorded at 81.8%, but ADR dropped 4.8% YoY to $169 SGD, and RevPAR was recorded at $138 SGD, -5.2% YoY FEHT’s Singapore serviced residences recorded; In Q3 2025, occupancy was at 87.8%, ADR at $270 SGD, -2.8%, and RevPAU dropped 3% YoY From Jan-Sep 2025, the occupancy dropped to 81.4%, ADR at $270 SGD, and RevPAU reached $220 SGD, -5.2% YoY Hotels contributed 74% of the group’s revenue; serviced residences, 10.3%; other commercial premises, 15.7%; and the new Japan hotel, 5.2%

The Singapore Tourism Board (STB) announced that Haw Par Villa will be partially closed for maintenance and repair works from 8 Dec until further notice. The Hell’s Museum, including the 10 Courts of Hell, will remain open to the visitors during this time

Woodland and Tuas Checkpoints are expecting heavy traffic from 21 Nov to 1 Jan ahead of the year-end school holidays. The Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) said it will conduct checks against the smuggling of e-vaporisers. From 17-20 Oct, during the Deepavali long weekend, 2 million travellers crossed the checkpoints, with a peak of 550,000 people crossing on 17 Oct

The Sentosa Development Corporation (SDC) is planning to build a people-mover system between Pulau Brani and mainland Singapore similar to the Sentosa Express monorail service, which connects Vivocity shopping complex with Sentosa Island. The tender documents show SDC is looking for consultancy services to conduct a feasibility study for the system along the Keppel Link, a new bridge connecting Singapore and the west of Pulau Brani. This project is part of the Greater Sentosa Master Plan, previously announced as the Sentosa-Brani Master Plan in 2019. The Brani Terminal, which is operated by port operator PSA, which makes up a larger part of Pulau Brani, will be relocated to the new Tuas megaport by 2027. The masterplan shows, the eastern part of Pulau Brani will house the Waterfront Zone and the central part will host the Ridgeline zone, connecting green spaces with nature and heritage attractions. The west Pulau Brani will be the Vibrant Cluster, with attractions connecting Sentosa and Pulau Brani, with lifestyle and commercial zone, hotels, conference venue, dining, and shops