Singapore tourist arrivals inch down by 0.6% to 10.2 million

Despite a surge of Chinese tourists.

Dwindling arrival numbers are indicative of the city-state’s ailing tourism sector, with travelers shunning Singapore for more exotic destinations.

According to OCBC, tourist arrivals fell for January-August this year, dragged down by visitors from Indonesia, which dropped by 11.2% and Malaysia which dropped by 4.4%.

The disappointing numbers spoiled the influx of tourists from China, which rose by 19.3% over the same period.

However, OCBC says despite the recent pick-up in arrivals in July-August, the average room rate still fell to 5.4% yoy to around $242.

“Revenue per available room also down 6.1% to $207,” OCBC said.