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Singapore

Singapore

Singapore Airlines raise $500 mil USD through USD bond issue, see capacity growing to 25% of pre-COVID levels by Mar.
Lockdown Status
Partial
Inbound Travel
Partial
Outbound Travel
Partial
Confirmed
59,157
Deaths
29
Active
234
5 Day Rolling Ave
+20
Source: John Hopkins University via COVID19 API (2021-01-19)

Latest Travel Industry News

Policy Summary

Lockdown Status

Phase 3 of lockdown easing started 28 Dec. Businesses reopened and social activities restarted. Gatherings limited to 8 pax. Approved attractions, hotels for leisure stays and tour operators permitted to reopen at limited capacity. Wearing a mask outdoors obligatory. MICE events up to 250 pax permitted from 1 Oct.

Travel Restrictions

All short-term visitors to Singapore are barred from entering the country from 23 Mar. “Fast lane” for Chinese and South Korean business travellers. Reciprocal Green Lane (RGL) and Periodic Commuting Arrangement (PCA) with Malaysia opened 17 Aug. Travellers from China, New Zealand, Brunei, Vietnam, Taiwan and Australia (excl. New South Wales) do not have to serve quarantine on arrival to Singapore. RGL with Brunei, Indonesia. Air Travel Bubble with Hong Kong, Connect@Singapore to begin in 2021. Travellers from South Africa will not be permitted entry.

Containment Policies Timeline

How to read this graph
International Travel Restrictions
  • 0 - no restrictions
  • 1 - screening arrivals
  • 2 - quarantine arrivals from some or all regions
  • 3 - ban arrivals from some regions
  • 4 - ban on all regions or total border closure
Internal Movement Restrictions
  • 0 - no restrictions
  • 1 - recommend not to travel between regions/cities
  • 2 - internal movement restrictions in place
Stay At Home Requirements
  • 0 - no measures
  • 1 - recommend not leaving house
  • 2 - require not leaving house with exceptions for daily exercise, grocery shopping, and 'essential' trips
  • 3 - require not leaving house with minimal exceptions (eg allowed to leave once a week, or only one person can leave at a time, etc)
School Closures
  • 0 - no measures
  • 1 - recommend closing
  • 2 - require closing (only some levels or categories, eg just high school, or just public schools)
  • 3 - require closing all levels

Economy Summary

Fiscal support for the tourism industry

Fortitude Budget (26 May):

  • Wage subsidies extended until Aug 2020, including MICE and tourism businesses at 75% of salary

Resilience Budget (26 Mar):

  • Job support scheme for tourism businesses which will subsidise up to 75% of salary up to $4,600SGD/ month

  • $90 million SGD budget for recovery marketing when the time is right

  • Property tax rebates and rental waivers

  • Enhanced training industry Professionals in Tourism grants extended

  • Rebates on certain fees for private bus operators

  • $350 million SGD fund for airlines to fund rebates on landing and parking charges; rental relief for airlines, ground handlers and cargo agents

  • CAAS allow Singapore carriers and airport operator to defer payment of certain fees by up to one year, as well as 50% rebate on regulatory fees

Singapore Tourism Board (24 Apr):

  • $20 million SGD Marketing Partnership Programme

  • Phase 1 was launched for hotels in Apr 2020, funding half of qualified marketing costs

  • Phase 2 will increase to funding for 70% of marketing costs for hotels, attractions, inbound travel agents and MICE

  • $2 million SGD SG Stories Content Fund for local and international digital video content creators to create stories about Singapore

  • Tourism Transformation Index to help tourism businesses go digital

  • Launch of ThreeHouse, an innovation space for companies to collaborate

  • STB Marketing College – joint scheme with UOB, Facebook, Google and LinkedIn to develop online training

  • Minimum financial requirement for travel agents to be reduced by 90% until 31 Dec

GDP Growth Rate

% per year
3.4
2018
0.7
2019
-6.0
2020
forecast
3.2
2021
forecast

Inflation Rate

% per year
0.4
2018
0.6
2019
-0.2
2020
forecast
0.8
2021
forecast
Source: Asian Development Bank. Asian Development Outlook (April 2020).

Consumer Trends Summary

Google Consumer Survey (May 2020):

  • 35% of Singaporeans would consider no change/ cancellation fees a motivator to book a hotel in the next 3 months

  • 38% of Singaporeans would consider no change/ cancellation fees a motivator to book a flight in the next 3 months

  • 39% of Singaporeans would travel anywhere in the region if they were to travel in the next 3 months

Booking.com Singaporean customers' international travel wishlist (Mar/ Apr 2020):

Kuala Lumpur, Johor Bahru, Bangkok, Seminyak-Bali, Tokyo, Taipei, London and Osaka

Consumer Sentiment

Tourism Arrivals Summary

International Tourism Arrivals

YoY % change
3.9
Jan'20
-51.2
Feb
-84.7
Mar
-100.0
Apr
-86.9
May
-99.9
Jun
-99.6
Jul
-99.5
Aug
-99.4
Sep
-99.1
Oct
-99.0
Nov
Dec
Jan'21
Source: Singapore Analytics Tourism Network.

📋 About This Page

Travel impact dashboard is an easy-to-read resource to stay informed on the impact of COVID-19 on the travel industry. Get the latest travel news and analysis on Southeast Asia tourism.

For travel professionals who need regular updates on their source markets. Know when to start marketing for inbound and outbound tourism.

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The content is a general description of informative nature only and is accurate at time of publication. Pear Anderson assumes no responsibility for completeness, errors or omissions in the information and makes no warranty as to the accuracy, completeness or suitability of the information. This collection of content is created by Pear Anderson and various sources credited on the page.