Singapore tourism grows with China-led visitor surge in 2024

The surge was due to the 30-day mutual visa exemption with Mainland China

Singapore’s International Visitor Arrivals (IVA) increased by 21% year-on-year (YoY) from 16.5 million in 2023, the Singapore Tourism Board (STB) reported.

Visitors from Mainland China led inbound tourism with 3.08 million arrivals, followed by Indonesia (2.49 million), and India (1.20 million).

STB attributed this surge to the 30-day mutual visa exemption with Mainland China, Singapore’s strong growth in air connectivity, and the increase in Changi Airport’s total international seat capacity to over 41 million in 2024.

Tourism Receipts (TR) in 9M2024 reached $22.4b, rising 10% YoY with all spend categories recording YoY growth.

The growth was driven by Sightseeing, Entertainment & Gaming (SEG) at 25%, followed by Accommodation (+17%). Food & Beverage (F&B) and Shopping rose by 6% and +5%, respectively, whilst other categories, including airfares and business spending, also contributed to TR.

Of these receipts, $3.58b came from Mainland China, $2.13b from Indonesia, and $1.44b from Australia, excluding SEG.

In addition, this surge in tourism also created jobs for locals. According to STB, as of September 2024, the total tourism workforce has recovered to around 76,000 which is about 4% higher YoY.

“Our Tourism 2040 roadmap will guide our efforts to drive the next phase of quality tourism growth for Singapore. This will ensure Singapore continues to thrive as a world-class destination that meets the needs of the evolving global traveler,” Melissa Ow, chief executive of STB said.