Singapore

Agoda ranked the top 5 most-searched activities on its platform, Hong Kong Disneyland took the top spot, followed by Universal Studios Singapore and Gardens by the Bay, Singapore; Aquaria KLCC, Malaysia; and Tokyo Skytree, Japan

The Singapore Tourism Board noted that MICE events in Singapore are still seeing “strong participation and healthy attendance, reflecting sustained confidence among event organisers and delegates”, with no widespread cancellations or shifts, according to the Singapore Association of Convention & Exhibition Organisers & Suppliers (SACEOS). SACEOS reported that venue booking rates are still strong, especially in Sep-Oct 2026, the peak MICE season. Accor Asia reported some postponements and cancellations of its MICE event spaces, but mostly from Mar-May 2026, with those who had delegates from the Middle East or needed to transit via the Middle East. They noted that “short-term booking pace is softer, but overall demand remains resilient as Asia captures displaced events”, and that they are focusing on “flexibility, fast response to relocation enquiries, and leveraging our regional network to capture shifting demand”. They have seen some reduction in corporate travel rooms, with new bookings being “more cautious”

The ASEAN Economic Community Council released a joint statement that the disruptions in oil and liquefied natural gas are “posing severe risks to global energy security, fuelling persistent volatility in oil and LNG prices, and sharply increasing freight, insurance, and logistics costs”. It noted that these rising costs are impacting food systems, with higher fertiliser prices and disruptions in supply chains, and an increase in cost of living. It committed to avoid unnecessary trade barriers and non-tariff measures on food and energy, as well as keeping trade infrastructure open. ASEAN is considering proposal on regional oil stockpiling

The Ministry of Manpower (MOM) stated that Singapore’s total employment increased by 5,000 in Q1 2026, vs 2,300 in Q1 2025 but dropped from Q4 2025, where it recorded a 17,700 growth. MOM added this was due to seasonal effects, rather than weakening in the labour market. MOM stated construction activity usually slow down during the Chinese New Year period

Cross border taxi services between Malaysia and Singapore will be expanded from 4 May, allowing licensed taxis to drop passengers anywhere in Singapore, Johor Bahru, Iskandar Puteri, Forest City, Kulai and Senai. The quota for cross-border taxis will be increased by 100 to 300 per country, and eventually, further expanded to 500

Q1 2026 saw hotel average room rates of $274.96 SGD, up 1.6% YoY. Jan 2026 was $269.81 SGD (-1% YoY), Feb $289.41 SGD (+5.4% YoY) and Mar 2026 $265.80 (+0.5% YoY). RevPAR for Q1 2026 was +4.8% YoY at $228.45 SGD. The average occupancy rate in Q1 2026 was 83.09%, up from Q1 2025’s 80.54%. Overall room revenue was $1.36 billion SGD, +7.1% YoY. STB CEO warned that changeable market conditions will impact the tourism industry over the next few months

TUI Hotels & Resorts is set to open Mora Singapore in Sep 2026, its first brand in Asia. The hotel is located within the Labrador Nature Reserve, featuring 20 guest rooms and suites, an executive lounge, a bar, and two restaurants. After launching the brand in Singapore, The Mora Munduk is set to open in Bali, Indonesia

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has cut its economic growth forecast for Asia to 4.7% in 2026 and to 4.8% for 2027. The ADB increased the inflation forecast for Asia and the Pacific to 5.2% for 2026, an increase from its previous forecast of 3.6%. The ADB cited if oil prices surged in May and remained high, growth in developing Asia and the Pacific could slow to 4.2% in 2026 and 4.0% in 2027, while the inflation is expected to increase to 7.4% in 2026

K-pop group Le Sserafim will hold their concert in Singapore on 28 Nov, as part of the Pureflow world tour. More details on tickets and venue will be announced later

The Immigration and Checkpoints Authority is expecting heavy traffic at Woodlands and Tuas checkpoints during the Labour Day long weekend. Travellers are advised to plan ahead and consider travelling during non-peak hours. During the Good Friday long weekend from 3-5 Apr, over 1.4 million travellers crossed both checkpoints, with the peak travel of over 498,000 travellers on 4 Apr

Jane’s Singapore Tours and The Urbanist Singapore have partnered to launch Best of Both, a guided urban storytelling programme until the end of 2026. Through this partnership they will offer high-quality experiences for the business events sector with 10 flagship tours, such as, “The Flagship: The Vanished Shore of Beach Road” exploring the original coastline of Singapore and the “Stamford Canal” tour, highlighting the development of Orchard Road and Bras Basah

Fairmont Singapore, the Singapore Tourism Board (STB), and The Pinkfong Company have partnered to launch an immersive Baby Shark-themed family stay experience from 18 May to 17 Nov. This will be the first collaboration in Singapore featuring Baby Shark alongside Merli (STB’s Merlion-inspired mascot) and Pakcik (Fairmont Singapore’s lion mascot). This collaboration is a first step of the Pinkfong Company’s venture into location-based entertainment (LBE) across Southeast Asia

EU Holidays is set to launch 1835 a new subsidiary for travellers aged 18 to 35 in Q2 2026, with a focus to design socially-driven and experience-led tours. The Managing Director of EU Holidays said Gen Z and younger millennials have “a very short decision-to-execution window”, making quick travel decisions driven by social media and conversations. 1835 also prioritise community and immersions

The National University of Singapore (NUS) has launched the Ridge, a 185-room hotel for visiting academics, executive learners, and conference delegates. The hotel is not open for bookings for the public or tourists. NUS hosts around 8,000 to 10,000 overseas visitors annually

Plaza Singapura and The Atrium@Orchard will undergo a major renovation with an estimated cost of $160 million SGD, according to CapitaLand Commercial Trust’s (CICT) Q1 2026 business update report. This project is aligned with the Urban Redevelopment Authority’s (URA) plans to pedestrianise parts of Orchard Road and expand Istana Park

Data from Traveloka shows that Vietnamese travellers’ searches for flights and accommodations have increased by 30% ahead of the Reunification Day and Labour Day holiday in Vietnam. Singapore is ranked in the top five most searched list, boosted by the short flight time from Hanoi or HCMC to Singapore and its “city-in-a-day” experience

Marina Bay Sands (MBS) and Las Vegas Sands will contribute over $2 million SGD for the Sands Hospitality Scholarship programme from 2026 to 2029. This is expected to support more than 160 Singaporeans students who are studying hospitality or tourism-related courses. MBS signed an agreement with the Institute of Technical Education, Nanyang Polytechnic, Ngee Ann Polytechnic, Republic Polytechnic, Singapore Polytechnic, Temasek Polytechnic, and the Singapore Institute of Technology. MBS will also support 10 undergraduates under the Singapore Industry Scholarship over the next 3 years and another 15 students with disabilities under TomoWork’s Talent Uplift Program. MBS has offered a $75,000 SGD contribution for the initiative, which aims to improve access to education and career opportunities. The company currently employs 93 persons with disabilities in various roles. Over 100 students have received assistance since 2022

FairPrice supermarkets will freeze prices for a total of over 300 staple products, compared to the initial list of 100 products, as part of the efforts to help Singaporeans manage the rise in costs due to the energy crisis

The Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) and the Ministry of Trade and Industry (MTI) announced that Singapore’s core inflation increased to 1.7% YoY in Mar vs 1.4% in Feb. Core prices (excluding accommodation and private transport) increased by 0.1% MoM in Mar. Overall inflation increased to 1.8% in Mar vs 1.2% in Feb, due to high private transport and core inflation

The Malay Heritage Centre (MHC) will reopen on 25 Apr with 6 renovated permanent galleries and a reopening festival from 25 Apr to 3 May. The gallery is located at the former Istana Kampong Gelam

National Gallery Singapore will host the first R18 exhibition from 24 Apr to 30 Aug, titled “Passion is Volcanic: Desire in Southeast Asian Art”, featuring 70 works from various periods divided into 3 sections: Asian Mythos and Ritual, Conventions of the Erotic, and Public Arenas/Private Interiors sections

K-pop group EXO will add a second show on 24 Jul, in addition to their 26 Jul show, due to high demand, at the Singapore Indoor Stadium. The ticket sales for the additional show started on 22 Apr

Singapore’s Foreign Affairs Minister said Singapore, Malaysia, and Indonesia are 'strategically aligned' to ensure the Strait of Malacca remains open. He added that all three countries will not collect tolls

Business event industry surveys show some events have been postponed or relocated due to the Middle East conflicts. The survey also found that some events are planned with shorter timelines and contingencies. Singapore is receiving more enquiries from companies to hold events, as Singapore is considered safe and stable. The survey also shows that despite the demand for events remaining strong, there are concerns about safety and broader economic risks. CEO of Northstar Travel Group said there is “no slowdown” in the planning and sourcing of events, and they are seeing a good demand to take part in the events ecosystem

The 23rd Singapore HeritageFest, organised by HeritageSG, will be held from 1-24 May, with over 100 programs across Singapore with a focus on maritime heritage

Mett Singapore has signed a strategic partnership with UPGroup Asia and the MasterPlan on 17 Apr during the Mettup 2026 event to improve its position in business events. UPGroup Asia will become the preferred AVL (audio, visual, and lighting) partner for the hotel. MasterPlan will offer its expertise in C-level meetings, product launches, and conference design as the preferred B2B event agency and programme partner

According to a snap poll by the Singapore National Employers Federation (SNEF) from 10-16 Apr, 83% of 210 companies have not implemented workforce or workplace changes as a response to the increase in energy prices. The companies involved in the survey were from the manufacturing, services, and construction sectors. The employers are also halting plans to implement workforce or workplace changes, and exploring operational adjustments instead

The Meetings Show Asia Pacific (TMS APAC) 2026 welcomed 1,913 meetings and travel professionals, including over 600 buyers from 80 countries, +10% YoY. The event also saw participation from Korea Tourism Organisation, Hilton, Malaysia Convention & Exhibition Bureau (MyCEB), Budapest Convention Bureau, HUNGEXPO Budapest Congress and Exhibition Centre, Destination Vancouver, Spain Tourism Board, Aichi Sky Expo, AYANA Resort Bali, Banyan Group, and Bintan Resorts. It was held alongside the second edition of Business Travel Show Asia Pacific (BTS APAC) and the first Global Travel Marketplace (GTM) Luxury Asia Pacific. The 2027 edition of TMS APAC and BTS APAC will be held from 21-22 Apr 2027

Senior Minister Lee Hsien Loong said the government will offer more help to Singaporeans if the Middle East conflict worsens. He added the government are in a “strong position” to deal with the conflict and to help Singaporeans

Singapore saw 4.43 million international arrivals in Q1 2026, +2.8% YoY. Overnight visitors were 3.26 million, +2.76% YoY. March 2026 arrivals were 1.43 million, +10.1% YoY, with overnight visitors accounting for 72.7% of arrivals, +11.1% YoY, but the average stay was 3.31 days, -4.5% YoY. The largest source markets for Q1 2026 were China (913,370, +9.8% YoY), Indonesia (625,850), Malaysia (338,790, +8.5% YoY), Australia (311,680, +1.2% YoY) and India (246,940)

The Singapore Tourism Board (STB) launched an innovative robodog pilot program from 18 Apr to 17 May at Sentosa Sensoryscape, Exploria and Curiosity Cove at the Mandai Wildlife Reserve. STB is partnering with Mafengwo, a China-based travel platform, to introduce the AI-powered, multilingual visitor guides. The robodogs will use AI and travel content ecosystem from Mafengwo to offer a curated storytelling, and real-time assistance in English and Mandarin

Dive operators in Singapore are scaling up manpower and their operations ahead of the reopening of Sisters’ Islands Marine Park for diving activities in 2026. This park will join the existing diving spots such as Pulau Hantu, Pulau Jong, and St John’s Island. The Submersibles co-founder stated the demand at the diving centre has increased by about 20% annually, and he believes the reopening of Sisters’ Islands could offer a more accessible and affordable alternative to overseas dive trips >>

CGS International report shows Singapore-listed hospitality real estate investment trusts (REITs) will post a better performance for Q1 2026, supported by a recovery in hotel demand. Hotel performance in Feb 2026 recorded a 11% YoY increase, after a slight drop in Jan 2026, and CGS is expecting a flat-to-positive hotel performance for Mar 2026. The Singapore Tourism Board’s (STB) data shows international arrivals dropped by 8% YoY in Jan, and recorded a 9% recovery in Feb, attributed to the Chinese New Year, and major events like the Singapore Airshow and HSBC Golf Tournament. STB is expecting 18 million visitor arrivals in 2026, with $31 to $32.5 billion SGD in tourism receipts, which is expected to reach $47 billion SGD to $50 billion by 2040 SGD

Tourism Economics, a travel industry consulting firm, released its first “Economic Impact Assessment of Cruise Tourism for Southeast Asia” report, commissioned by the Singapore Tourism Board (STB) and Cruise Lines International Association. The report found that Southeast Asia cruise passengers generated 2.4X economic value as the global average in 2024, and Singapore alone captured 48% of the 3.9 million passengers who visited Southeast Asia. The economic impact per passenger visit was $2,564 USD ($3,260 SGD), yielding $10 billion USD ($12.7 billion SGD) to Southeast Asia’s cruise industry. The region accounts for 5% of the global cruise industry’s economic output in 2024, even though it only received 2% of the 186 million cruise passengers globally. Singapore accounts for $3.6 billion USD in economic output, the top in the region, followed by the Philippines with $3.2 billion USD, and Indonesia with $1.5 billion USD. Singapore also received half of the total cruise passengers to Southeast Asia, and 500,000 Singaporeans went on cruises in 2024, 2X vs 2016. The report also stated that 8 in 10 Southeast Asian cruise travellers in 2024 were Singaporeans. Malaysia and Singapore together account for 70% of the 3.9 million cruise passengers

The Ministry of Trade and Industry’s (MTI) advanced estimates show Singapore’s GDP expanded by 4.6% YoY in Q1 2026, below the 5.7% growth recorded in Q4 2025. MTI stated that overall growth was resilient in Q1 2026 despite the Middle East Conflict. Accommodation and food services, real estate, and administrative and support services recorded 2.3% YoY growth in Q1 2026, vs 2.9% growth in Q4 2025 >>

The Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) is expecting inflation to “ease progressively” over 2027 in line with global energy prices. However, MAS warned a prolonged disruption to energy supplies may increase inflation >>

The Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) released its latest quarterly macroeconomic review, which shows that companies are more cautious in hiring extra manpower in 2026 and salary increments are likely to be smaller than in 2025. MAS said the employment growth is expected to slow in 2026 compared to 2025 due to “slowing of the economy” >>

Reclamation works for Greater Southern Waterfront, land size of 213ha, around half the size of Marina Bay, will start in 2027 after the Keppel and Tanjong Pagar terminals relocate to Tuas. The area will be redeveloped into a leisure and tourism destination, and is expected to take at least 10 years to complete >>

Genting Singapore has said that it was confident in the group’s long-term resilience, but that it was monitoring the Middle East conflict

Singapore will offer assistance, equivalent to 13% of transport fare revenues, covering services from Apr to Jun for transport operators serving school students, people with disabilities, seniors, and patients, following an increase in fuel costs

Grab announced new 13 artificial intelligence (AI) powered experiences, including 4 focused on travel, such as personalised travel experience, GrabStays (hotel booking service through Nuitee), Discovered by Grab (culinary guide), and GrabPay for Travel (allowing tourists to pay with the card issued by their home country). Grab has also partnered with WeRide to bring AV taxis to Singapore, investing $60 million in Vay, a remote driving company in Nov 2025, and partnered with May Mobility to offer robotaxi services in Southeast Asia in Oct 2025

Science Centre Singapore is hosting its first robotics and artificial intelligence festival called “RoboFest 2026: Meet Tomorrow, Today” until 12 Apr

The Deputy Prime Minister has advised Singapore to reduce electric consumption and use public transportation instead of personal cars to save energy. He also urged businesses to improve energy efficiency by investing in better equipment and utilising the Energy Efficiency Grant. He also warned that rising fuel costs will push up electricity tariffs. Singapore will distribute $500 SGD in vouchers to households in 6 months ahead of schedule and will add $200 SGD to a cash handout scheme for eligible adults

Singapore Government will reduce electricity consumption across government facilities to boost energy resilience. The Ministry of Sustainability and Environment (MSE) and the National Environment Agency (NEA) listed down measures such as setting air-conditioning to 25°C or higher, managing the operating hours of air-conditioning, lighting and lifts, and unplugging non-essential equipment and appliances

The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) stated that Malaysian border laws will apply in part of the Woodlands North station of the Johor Bahru-Singapore Rapid Transit System (RTS) Link under a proposed bill tabled in parliament on 7 Apr. The law will designate the area as a Malaysian customs, immigration and quarantine (CIQ) zone, which will give the officers the power to conduct immigration and customs checks. Malaysian officers will only have power within their scope of jobs, while Singapore’s laws will continue to apply

Acting Minister for Transport announced they will offer targeted support for platform workers, private-hire car drivers, and taxi drivers, including cost-of-living support for households

The Deputy Prime Minister stated that the economic activity is expected to slow and prices are expected to increase in Singapore, following the Middle East conflict. He added that the manufacturing companies which use natural gas, crude oil, and crude oil derivatives will be affected the most, followed by the energy-intensive industries such as electronics and precision engineering. He added that due to higher costs and weaker demand, air and sea transport and tourism will be affected, and domestically oriented sectors will face an increase in operating costs

Indian hip-hop artist, DIVINE, has partnered with the Singapore Tourism Board (STB) for his latest music video, which will be shot in Singapore. Regional Director of STB for India said, “We’re seeing a clear shift in how young Indian travellers engage with destinations today. Travel is no longer about sightseeing; it’s about identity and self-expression”. He added collaboration with DIVINE will help STB to connect with young travellers

K-pop group Mamamoo will perform a concert in Singapore on 31 Jul, as part of their 2026 World Tour. Details about the venue and ticket sales will be announced later