Singapore

Air quality in Singapore has stayed in the good-to-moderate range since 11pm on 25 Oct 2026, and at 9am on 30 Oct 2026 1-hour PM2.5 readings were in the normal band in all regions, according to the National Environment Agency. The agency stated that the public can continue with usual outdoor activities

Indian travellers can now use Unified Payments Interface apps to book tickets online at Resorts World Sentosa, covering Universal Studios Singapore, Singapore Oceanarium and Adventure Cove Waterpark, India's Ministry of Finance stated. The facility was enabled through a partnership between NPCI International Payments Limited and the payment service provider FOMO Pay, announced on 9 Sep 2026

Singapore's total employment grew by 27,700 in Q3 2026, from 11,400 in Q2 2026 and 25,100 in Q3 2025, according to advance data from the Ministry of Manpower. Retrenchments rose to 4,800 from 4,620 in the previous quarter, the highest since Q4 2020, whilst the incidence of retrenchment stayed at 2 per 1,000 employees. The overall unemployment rate remained at 2%, and resident and citizen unemployment rates rose to 3% and 3.1% in Sep 2026, from 2.9% and 3% in Aug 2026. The share of firms expecting to hire over the next 3 months rose to 42.3% in Sep 2026 from 30.5% in Aug 2026, and the share expecting to retrench rose to 3.1% from 2.8%

Orchard Road's 43rd Christmas light-up will run from 17 Nov 2026 to 3 Jan 2027 along a 3.1km stretch from Tanglin Road to Dhoby Ghaut. New attractions include a Marvel Avengers: Doomsday installation at Ngee Ann City, Singapore's first LEGO Santa's Toy Factory and an expanded Great Christmas Village with 50 carnival game booths. The Orchard Road Business Association is introducing an Orchard Road Tourist Pass, offering $60 SGD in vouchers, $30 SGD in Kiztopia carnival credits and a tote to international travellers who book a stay of at least 3 nights at one of 5 participating hotels using Mastercard or spend $1,000 SGD at participating establishments

Sentosa Development Corporation and Tada will trial free on-demand self-driving shuttles on Sentosa from early 2027, starting with two 8-seater vehicles operating between 1pm and 7pm across 21 pick-up and drop-off points along Siloso and Palawan beaches, booked through the Tada app. A second phase will expand the service to 27 points across the island, subject to Land Transport Authority approval

AIA HYROX Singapore will be held at Singapore Expo on 26-29 Nov 2026, the city's first 4-day HYROX race weekend, with more than 18,500 competitors from 92 nationalities expected. The race is part of the qualifying season for the HYROX World Championships 2027 in Hong Kong in Jun 2027

Meta's AI assistant Muse has launched in Singapore, with Singapore Airlines, Agoda, Klook and Trip.com among its early partners for travel planning and reservations, although features will be introduced in stages

The haze in Singapore is expected to improve as inter-monsoon conditions set in, bringing light and variable winds and wetter weather, the Meteorological Service Singapore stated. Air quality reached unhealthy levels on 7 days and very unhealthy levels on 3 days between 16-28 Oct 2026. Moderate to heavy thundery showers are forecast on most afternoons in the first 2 weeks of Nov 2026

Area D of East Coast Park reopened on 29 Oct 2026 after being closed since 24 Oct 2026 because of oil patches near the beach, the National Environment Agency stated. Swimming and other water contact activities can resume. The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore is investigating the source of the oil

Singapore's Foreign Minister met the President on 28 Oct 2026 during a 3-day visit to Jakarta, and stated that the Singapore Prime Minister and the President had committed to do what is necessary to resolve bilateral issues, including the haze. He added that both sides share a commitment to honouring contracts, following Indonesia's cut in gas exports to Singapore

Senior executives of 10 Singapore-based companies potentially linked to the haze-causing fires pledged on 28 Oct 2026 to cooperate fully with Singapore's investigations, after meeting the Deputy Prime Minister and 2 other ministers. The government will amend the Transboundary Haze Pollution Act at the next parliamentary sitting to make it an offence for companies to refuse independent assessments or fail to cooperate fully with investigators

The Housing Board's revised plans for Maju Forest will retain 10ha of greenery, up from 8ha in its initial plans, as a new nature park, with a wider wildlife corridor and plans for a new nature way along Brookvale Drive

International flight bookings to Singapore for arrivals between 16-23 Dec 2026 are +62% YoY, coinciding with BTS concerts at the National Stadium on 17, 19, 20 and 22 Dec 2026, according to Amadeus Travel Intelligence. The Philippines recorded the largest increase in bookings (+647% YoY), followed by Thailand (+569% YoY) and South Korea (+342% YoY). As of 26 Sep 2026, hotel rooms booked for 17-22 Dec 2026 represented average occupancy of 32%, +49% on the same booking point in 2025, rising to 40% for 19 Dec (+68% YoY), whilst average daily room rates across the 6 nights reached 237 USD, +6% YoY

Fares for the Johor Bahru-Singapore RTS Link will be set at an affordable level and will not cost more than travelling by private transport, particularly motorcycles, the Transport Minister stated. Fares will be decided jointly by the operating company, which is owned by both countries and will receive no government subsidies, so it has to break even. He added that Singapore’s planned increase in vehicle entry permits for motorcycles could encourage commuters to use RTS Link

The Deputy Haj and Umrah Minister urged Indonesian umrah pilgrims to fly directly to Saudi Arabia on Indonesian airlines rather than on connecting flights via Singapore and Malaysia, which around 70,000 Indonesian pilgrims use, to support the national economy. He added that Garuda Indonesia and Lion Group would need to improve their services and offer competitive fares

Singapore and Indonesia will set up a joint task force to investigate companies linked to the forest and land fires, covering information sharing, financial intelligence and cross-border evidence gathering, the 2 countries' Foreign Ministers stated. They will also set up hotlines at ministerial and senior official levels to handle bilateral differences

Mission Blue designated Sisters' Islands Marine Park as Singapore's first Hope Spot on 26 Oct 2026, recognising it as a sanctuary for marine biodiversity, one of 172 Hope Spots worldwide

Singapore's first joint Institute of Technical Education and polytechnic Hospitality and Tourism Student Chapter was launched on 23 Oct 2026 under an MoU between 6 institutes, the Singapore Association of Convention & Exhibition Organisers & Suppliers and the Singapore Hotel Association, offering networking, learning journeys and mentorship. The MoU signing was held during the Singapore Hospitality and Tourism Conference (SHTC), alongside a career fair for students with over 20 employers, including more than 20 employers, including first-time exhibitors Banyan Tree, Museum of Ice Cream Singapore and The Lo & Behold Group, offering approximately 1,400 job and internship opportunities. Marina Bay Sands sponsored a student hackathon during SHTC 2026, challenging 40 students to explore ways of integrating AI with human-centred hospitality to help workers in the sector rather than replacing them. Singapore's tourism workforce grew by 8% from 69,000 in 2023 to 75,000 in 2025, the Singapore Tourism Board Assistant Chief Executive stated. STB also announced the Age for Productivity grant from 1 Nov 2026, which will offer pre-approved digital concierge and robotics solutions for tourism companies.

The Singapore Tourism Board held a full-day destination marketing workshop for the Cambodia Tourism Board on 23 Oct 2026, covering partnership development, data-driven campaign management and engagement strategies for key source markets

Indonesia's gas export cuts to Singapore, of about 8%, fall within contractual limits, and a breach would only occur with a cut of 10%, the Coordinating Minister for Downstreaming and Energy Transition stated. Singapore's Ministry of Energy, Trade and Industry welcomed the clarification that Indonesian suppliers will honour their contracts

Indonesia began cutting pipeline gas exports to Singapore on 24 Oct 2026 and is diverting the gas to power generation in Batam, Bintan and Sumatra, as part of the President’s effort to boost domestic supply. Singapore's Energy Market Authority (EMA) stated that the cuts are expected to last 18 days and amount to less than 2% of Singapore's daily gas demand. EMA also noted that Singapore's energy supplies remain sufficient

Dino-A-Live will stage its first show outside Japan, Dinosaur Odyssey, at Resorts World Convention Centre on Sentosa on 3-6 Dec 2026, featuring 15 robotic dinosaurs, and expects more than 30,000 guests

Indonesia began cutting piped gas exports to Singapore on 24 Oct 2026, with the Energy Market Authority (EMA) stating that the total reduction is 17 billion British thermal units per day (BBTUD) over 18 days, less than 2% of Singapore's daily gas demand of more than 1,000 BBTUD. The cuts follow remarks on 22 Oct by Indonesia's Energy and Mineral Resources Minister that Indonesia could stop exporting energy to countries that failed to show it mutual respect. EMA said it has contingency plans and sufficient energy supplies, and Singapore GasCo is ready to import more. Natural gas accounts for about 95% of Singapore's electricity generation

Singapore's 19-day stretch of unhealthy air from 5 to 23 Oct 2026 has cut inbound bookings at some travel firms. Six Stars Tours and Services reported inbound bookings from 3 cities down 30-80% since air quality declined in Sep, with cancellation rates of 30-50% for upcoming bookings. VTL Travel, which runs Rediscover Singapore, saw an estimated 20-30% drop in ticket purchases and cancellation requests for about 10-20% of bookings, though 4 tours are confirmed for Nov 2026, its Director of Business Development stated. World Express's MICE Director said the agency has not seen a significant drop in bookings. A Singapore Tourism Board spokesperson said some hotels have enhanced air filtration and adjusted the use of outdoor facilities

Singapore's core inflation eased to 2% YoY in Sep 2026 from 2.2% in Aug 2026, and +0.1% MoM. Overall inflation fell to 2.2% from 2.3%, and +0.2% MoM. Services inflation eased to 1.7% from 2% on a smaller increase in point-to-point transport costs, retail and other goods fell to 1.2% from 1.8%, and food rose to 2.4% from 2.3%. Private transport inflation eased to 7.1% from 7.5%. The Monetary Authority of Singapore and the Ministry of Energy, Trade and Industry expect core inflation to average 1.5-2% in 2026 and 1.5-2.5% in 2027, and said risks are tilted to the upside if global energy or food prices surge sharply and persistently

Visa and the Singapore Tourism Board (STB) have signed a 3-year MoU focused on 3 areas: driving discovery of dining and night-time experiences, identifying high-value tourism opportunities and developing co-branded marketing campaigns. Singapore joins Visa Destinations from Nov 2026, as the second Asia-Pacific country after Thailand. Visa and STB will work to curate benefits and local experiences for attractions, dining, entertainment, retail and tours, key tourism spend categories. Night-time will also be in focus. Visa data for Apr 2025-Mar 2026 shows repeat visitors spend about 4 times more than first-time visitors, and restaurant and entertainment spend rose by two-thirds during F1 night race week

DBS PayLah! users can now scan to pay at more than 250,000 merchants in Taiwan through the TWQR network from 21 Oct 2026, about 2/3 of the network, with full coverage expected in 2027. DBS is the first Singapore bank connected to TWQR, adding to its coverage of Indonesia's QRIS, Malaysia's DuitNow and Thailand's PromptPay. DBS customers in Taiwan are expected to be able to scan SGQR codes in Singapore in 2027

The Singapore Tourism Board (STB) and Booking.com signed a 3-year MoU, STB's first with the platform, to raise visitor arrivals, tourism spending and length of stay. Both sides will run joint marketing campaigns across accommodation, flights, attractions and experiences aimed at converting long-haul stopovers into visits and extending stays. Booking.com will also work with merchants on new products and targeted promotions. They will also set up a framework to exchange data on travel patterns, seasonal trends and visitor preferences, and Booking.com will take part in STB's sustainability initiatives

Some food and beverage businesses have reported sales falling by up to 70% as the haze keeps diners away, with outdoor venues hardest hit, during what is usually its high season. The Restaurant Association of Singapore warned that prolonged haze could affect staffing, outdoor seating capacity and delivery services, and some operators have called for government support such as rental relief

The Singapore Tourism Board (STB) and HYBE will stage BTS The City Arirang initiative across Singapore on 1-31 Dec 2026, reportedly the longest period and the only Southeast Asian stop of the city-wide fan experience after Seoul, Busan, London, Las Vegas and New York. The initiatives are held around BTS's 4 concerts at the National Stadium on 17, 19, 20 and 22 Dec 2026. Activations include a rave and drone show on Sentosa, opening and closing night takeovers at Zouk, a light show at Jewel Changi Airport's Rain Vortex, a fireworks display at Universal Studios Singapore, an art trail at National Gallery Singapore, themed light and sound installations at the National Museum of Singapore, interactive experiences at The Kallang, as well as a landmark-themed takeover of Exploria at the Mandai Wildlife Reserve. Multiple Singapore landmarks will also be lit red on 8-22 Dec 2026. STB described it as the largest city-wide destination project it has worked on for a recording artist

The 24-hour PSI in central Singapore reached 227 at 9am on 16 Oct 2026, in the very unhealthy range and a new high for 2026, with other regions at 149-200. The hourly PM2.5 reading in the west peaked at 288 on 14 Oct 2026, the highest in Singapore since 2015. The Prime Minister stated that Singapore is identifying the companies responsible for the fires in Indonesia and, where warranted, will take action under the Transboundary Haze Pollution Act and explore joint action with other countries

Singapore will issue preventive measure notices to 7 Indonesia-based companies linked to the fires behind the haze, the Minister for Sustainability and the Environment stated on 16 Oct 2026. The National Environment Agency will issue the notices under the Transboundary Haze Pollution Act, requiring each company to deploy firefighting personnel, stop any burning on its land and submit action plans to extinguish fires and prevent their recurrence. The Minister stated that fines or charges are within the realm of consideration for next steps, and that she had again offered Indonesia civilian assistance for firefighting and cloud seeding

Singapore's tourism receipts fell 6.2% YoY and 15.4% QoQ to $7.21 billion SGD in Q2 2026, whilst visitor arrivals fell 6.6% YoY to 3.76 million, according to the Singapore Tourism Board (STB). In H1 2026, receipts fell 0.3% YoY to $15.71 billion SGD and arrivals fell 1.7% YoY to 8.19 million. STB attributed the decline to the escalation of the Middle East conflict in Q1 2026, which raised fuel costs, reduced air capacity and weighed on travel, particularly from European markets. In Q2 2026: • Sightseeing, entertainment and gaming receipts fell 15.4% YoY to $1.58 billion SGD, with the FIFA World Cup in Jun 2026 and Jul 2026 reportedly taking budgets away from gaming and towards sports betting instead • Food and beverage -9.8% YoY • Accommodation -8.4% YoY and shopping -1.5% YoY For the top source markets: • China was the top market for Q2 2026 receipts at $965.5 million SGD, -1.9% YoY • Indonesia $589.7 million SGD, -15.2% YoY • Australia $526.7 million SGD, +5.6% YoY • India $471.6 million SGD, -5.6% YoY • The US $427.2 million SGD, +16.1% YoY By Q2 2026, the top markets for arrivals were China (619,624), Indonesia (518,893), India (357,152), Malaysia (305,752) and Australia (294,086)

AEG Presents Asia issued a haze advisory for BIGBANG's concerts at the National Stadium on 17-18 Oct 2026. Under Kallang's haze management policy, all indoor and outdoor activities will be suspended if the 24-hour PSI exceeds 300. The Kallang has also suspended Water Sports Centre operations until further notice because of reduced visibility

Pan Pacific Hotels Group’s Singapore properties recorded double-digit growth in Q3 2026, supported by the Formula 1 Singapore Grand Prix and business conferences. Occupancy and average room rates across its Asian properties also rebounded in Q3 2026 after a sharp fall in Q2 2026, with the CEO stating that the group could probably meet its 2026 budget. The group plans 10 new-build and major renovation projects across Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia, Cambodia, and the Philippines in 2027, including new luxury hotels in Bangkok and Phnom Penh. The CEO added that the Middle East conflict had affected travel from the region to the group’s properties in Kuala Lumpur, Jakarta, and Bangkok, but the group had picked up demand from leisure and corporate travellers. He also noted that affluent travellers are taking more short-haul trips within Asia, alongside an increase in free independent travellers from China and India. Vietnam, Malaysia, and Singapore are seeing strong demand, with growth in Vietnam extending beyond HCMC and Hanoi. The group’s properties in Kuala Lumpur, Penang, Langkawi, and Melaka are also recording strong occupancy and average room rates

Small states and developing countries must have a say in the rules and guardrails governing technologies such as AI, rather than these being set by a few powerful nations and technology companies, the Foreign Minister stated at Singapore International Cyber Week. He called for a new agreement between governments, technology companies and the international community to develop common norms

Singapore recorded 1.23 million international visitor arrivals in Sep 2026 (-2.2% YoY), bringing Jan-Sep 2026 arrivals to 12.65 million (-1.7% YoY), according to Singapore Tourism Board data. Overnight visitors accounted for 9.22 million arrivals (-3.3% YoY), while the average length of stay fell 2.8% YoY to 3.42 days. The top source markets for Jan–Sep 2026 were China (2.62 million, +4.8% YoY), Indonesia (1.66 million, -9.8% YoY), Malaysia (933,820, +0.2% YoY), Australia (926,570, +0.7% YoY), and India (868,490, -5.9% YoY). Visitors from China and India stayed longer than the overall average, at 3.62 days (-4.3% YoY) and 6.06 days (-5.4% YoY), respectively

GetYourGuide and the Singapore Tourism Board (STB) signed a 2-year MoU to develop and promote Singapore tours and experiences, covering the sharing of insights on traveller demand, co-creating new experiences with tourism providers, and joint marketing. It is GetYourGuide's first international destination marketing partnership outside Germany

The 24-hour PSI in western Singapore entered the very unhealthy range on 14 Oct 2026, reaching 205 at 11pm. The government brought forward N95 mask distribution to vulnerable Singaporeans and opened haze shelters at community clubs, whilst Sport Singapore closed outdoor and non-air-conditioned ActiveSG facilities in the east, central, south and west regions. Some Boat Quay restaurants reported cancellations and fewer walk-in customers, with one owner reporting business down about 60% compared with the 2025 F1 season. The National Environment Agency forecast unhealthy to very unhealthy air quality over the following 24 hours

Singapore is “keeping its options open” on action against companies under the Transboundary Haze Pollution Act, which carries fines of up to $100,000 SGD a day capped at $2 million SGD, the Minister for Sustainability and the Environment stated. The law was introduced in 2014, targeting those responsible for the haze. Indonesia has not yet responded to Singapore's open offer of firefighting assistance

Singapore's economy grew +5.4% YoY in Q3 2026, down from +6.2% YoY in Q2 2026, and +1.1% QoQ on a seasonally adjusted basis, according to advance estimates from the Ministry of Energy, Trade and Industry. Accommodation and food services, real estate, administrative and support and other services grew +2.1% YoY as a group, with the accommodation sector growing on higher gross lettings in higher-value hotel segments, whilst food and beverage services did not grow. Water and air transport led growth in transportation and storage

Anthropic opened its Singapore office in Raffles Place, its fifth in Asia-Pacific, and signed an MoU with the Ministry of Digital Development and Information covering AI model safety and security evaluation, capability building and responsible adoption

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) advised Singaporeans to defer all travel to Saudi Arabia, after missile and drone attacks on airports in Riyadh, Abha, Dammam, Khamis Mushait, Najran and Jizan. Its previous advisory, in Apr 2026, had excluded Jeddah, Makkah and Madinah. Singaporeans already in Saudi Arabia should avoid King Khalid International Airport and non-essential travel within the kingdom, MFA stated. The Islamic Religious Council of Singapore advised Singaporeans to consider postponing umrah pilgrimages

Electronics retailer Courts reported that air purifier sales volume rose +600% YoY and air conditioner sales +50% YoY over 28 Sep-12 Oct 2026, as haze persisted across Singapore. Retailer Gain City stated that its air purifier sales had risen by 9 times vs Aug 2026 levels, with some models selling out over the 10-11 Oct weekend. Singapore's haze task force stated that N95 mask stocks in retailers' warehouses and government stockpiles are sufficient, and that mask vending machines will be made available at selected public transport hubs

The 17th Formula 1 Singapore Grand Prix at the Marina Bay Street Circuit drew 301,294 spectators, its second-highest attendance on record and the highest since the circuit was changed in 2023. The race weekend sold out, and hospitality attendance reached a record across more than 11 hospitality options. The 2026 edition also hosted Singapore's first F1 Sprint Race

Mount Faber Leisure Group cut training time per cable car technician by more than 60% using an AI and extended reality system developed with Illumia Labs, with estimated annual overtime savings of up to 200 hours. Training frequency rose from about once to 4 times a year. Singapore Expo operator Constellar automated parts of its sales lead research with ByteGenie through the Tcube initiative and the Singapore Tourism Accelerator, both run by the Singapore Tourism Board (STB), and is developing SalesHub, its first AI-native business platform. A workshop held with OpenAI as part of STB's AI support for the sector drew more than 140 travel operators, attractions and hospitality staff across 2 sessions

Singapore activated its haze subsidy scheme from 12 Oct 2026, for the first time since 2015, capping fees for haze-related conditions at $10 SGD for eligible Singapore citizens at polyclinics and participating Public Health Preparedness Clinics. The 24-hour PSI reached a 2026 high of 192 in the central region at 5pm on 9 Oct 2026. The Haze Task Force stated that it is ready to distribute N95 masks and open air-conditioned haze shelters at community clubs if the 24-hour PSI exceeds 200, and the Ministry of Education will consider closing schools when the next day's forecast exceeds 300

Businesses near the Formula 1 Singapore Grand Prix circuit reported little impact on demand from haze, with restaurants and bars at Raffles City and CHIJMES drawing locals and tourists whilst the 24-hour PSI stayed in the unhealthy range on 10 Oct 2026. Staff at several venues stated that tourists appeared less concerned about the haze than Singaporeans and were more willing to dine outdoors. A restaurant manager reported a full house every day that week, with more international visitors but fewer locals

Porsche Experience Centre Singapore, the first Porsche Experience Centre designed to serve Southeast Asia, has opened bookings for driving experiences from Apr 2027, priced from $300 SGD. Located at 7 Aviation Park Road in the Changi precinct, the facility has a circuit of more than 2km with over 20 track configurations, alongside heritage exhibitions, community spaces, simulator experiences, a children's play area and 2 dining outlets

Singapore's haze task force announced that N95 masks will be distributed to eligible Singaporeans when the 24-hour PSI reaches the very unhealthy range of 201-300, with mask vending machines at selected public transport hubs and social services offices. Air-conditioned haze shelters will open at community clubs and selected residents' centres in that range, with opening hours extended to 10pm if the PSI exceeds 300. Classroom lessons will continue with outdoor activity avoided, and the Education Ministry will consider closing schools only when the next-day forecast is hazardous, with the PSI above 300. The task force stated that the PSI may exceed 200

Spectators continued to attend the Formula 1 Singapore Grand Prix on 9 Oct 2026 despite air quality in the unhealthy range, with the 24-hour PSI reaching 192 in the central region at 5pm, the highest reading of the haze season so far. The organiser, Singapore GP, stated that it had no plans to modify entertainment activities for the time being and would continue to monitor conditions

Trip.com reported that hotel reservations in Singapore for 9-11 Oct 2026, the Singapore Grand Prix weekend, rose by more than 80% YoY, and CNA checks found some rooms priced at more than 7 times their usual rates. More than 40 MICE events are clustered around the F1 period, including TOKEN2049, the Global-Asia Family Office Summit and the Milken Institute Asia Summit, up from about 25-30 events in each of the previous 2 years, according to STB. DBS will hold its Asia Future Forward Conference on 12 Oct, one day after the Grand Prix. Occupancy rate at Carlton Hotel Singapore on Bras Basah Road reached between 95-98%, compared to 82-85% during the usual Oct week

Singapore Tourism Board stated that contingency plans for different 24-hour PSI and 1-hour PM2.5 levels are in place for the Singapore Grand Prix on 9-11 Oct 2026, including medical assistance and N95 masks at the Marina Bay Street Circuit if required. If haze causes visibility, public health or operational issues, government agencies will assess the situation with the promoter, Singapore GP, before making any decision on the event. The FIA noted that outdoor activities such as entertainment could face some restrictions if the haze worsens, but the race itself is not expected to be affected

The 24-hour PSI stayed in the unhealthy range across most of Singapore on 8 Oct 2026, peaking at 160 in the west at 10am, after entering the unhealthy range island-wide at noon on 7 Oct 2026. On 7 Oct 2026, the 1-hour PM2.5 reading in the west reached 152, entering the high band for the first time this haze season. NEA forecast the 24-hour PSI to be in the high moderate to mid unhealthy range

Singapore's nominal retail sales were -1% MoM (seasonally adjusted) in Aug 2026, according to CGS International, reversing 0.6% increase recorded in Jul 2026. Average monthly retail sales in Jul-Aug 2026 were only 2.9% above Q2 2026 levels, even though tourist arrivals averaged about 29% higher. Tourism-sensitive segments weakened in Aug 2026, with department store sales -1.5% MoM and watches and jewellery -7.8% MoM

COVID-19 vaccination will be added to Singapore's routine national immunisation schedules from 12 Oct 2026. It is recommended for people aged 60 and above, residents of aged care facilities and medically vulnerable people aged 6 months and above, the Ministry of Health and Communicable Diseases Agency stated. Updated vaccines targeting the XFG strain will be rolled out from the same date

Singapore Tourism Board revoked the travel agent licence of Sheen Yeow Travel because it believes the company submitted false financial statements for some years, and the company may no longer carry out travel agent activities. It must refund all existing customers or transfer its obligations to licensed travel agents

Marina Bay Cruise Centre Singapore will feature murals and music performances by local artists during peak cruise periods such as festive seasons and school holidays. The arrangement is a 3-year partnership between operator SATS-Creuers Cruise Services and the National Arts Council

Singapore's digital economy grew +5.6% YoY to $144.1 billion SGD ($112.4 billion USD) in 2025, accounting for 19.3% of GDP, according to the Infocomm Media Development Authority in its Singapore Digital Economy Report. AI adoption among enterprises rose to 23.5% in 2025 from 14.7% in 2024. AI adoption for accommodation & food services increased from 10.3% in 2024 to 17.7% in 2025

The former Hotel Miramar on Havelock Road has reopened as DoubleTree by Hilton Singapore Robertson Quay, the brand's first property in Singapore, with 344 rooms and suites and 7 meeting rooms

CDG Zig, Grab, Gojek and Tada have extended their per-trip driver fees of $0.50-1.20 SGD until 30 Nov 2026 as part of efforts to help them to manage their operating costs, according to the National Private Hire Vehicles Association. ComfortDelGro, Strides Premier and GrabCab have also extended their temporary fare surcharges to 30 Nov 2026 amid higher fuel costs

The Meteorological Service Singapore expects the dry season to end in late Oct or early Nov 2026, later than in the previous 2 years, because of a strong El Niño. Monsoon rains reaching Indonesia in late Dec 2026 or early Jan 2027 are expected to help contain the fires driving the haze, according to a meteorologist from the World Climate Research Programme

Passenger services on the Johor Bahru-Singapore Rapid Transit System (RTS) Link are now expected to begin in February 2027, later than the previously targeted end-2026 opening, according to a joint statement from Singapore's Land Transport Authority and Malaysia's Ministry of Transport. The operator, RTS Operations, expects to complete final system tests and trial runs by 31 Dec 2026, after which independent safety certification and regulatory approvals are required. The Singapore Transport Minister said the aim was to start services before Hari Raya Puasa on 10 Mar 2027

Overseas visitors accounted for 76% of hotel revenues during Singapore's 2025 race week, according to data from payment platform Adyen. Hotel receipts were +24% against a typical week in H2 2025, retail sales +27% over the race weekend and F&B revenues up to +31%

Hell's Museum's Halloween event Haw Ror Villa has returned for a 5th edition at Haw Par Villa due to overwhelming demand, after the 2025 edition was billed as the last. It runs on 22 nights between 8 Oct and 15 Nov 2026, with 4 scare zones