According to Singapore Tourism Board’s (STB’s) cumulative tourism receipts for January to December 2009 were estimated to reach SGD12.4 billion, a decline of 19 per cent compared to the same period in 2008. Visitor arrivals to Singapore reached 9.7 million in 2009, registering a year-on-year percentage decline of 4.3 per cent. Visitor days were estimated at 39.1 million days, a year-on-year decrease of 5.5 per cent in comparison with January to December 2008.
Indonesia (SGD 2,123 million), P R China (SGD 1,403 million), Australia (SGD 934 million), India (SGD 891 million) and Malaysia (SGD 673 million) were Singapore’s top five markets in terms of tourism receipts for 2009. These markets accounted for 49 per cent of total tourism receipts during this period.
Strong growth in visitor arrivals from Malaysia in the second half of 2009 resulted in an 11 per cent growth in tourism receipts. Japan (-30 per cent), Philippines (-28 per cent) and India (-27 per cent) registered the largest declines in tourism receipts from January to December 2009. |