Singapore is getting ready to embrace a surge in Indian tourists, with expectations soaring to over 1.5 million visitors in the year 2024. Following a recovery from the pandemic-induced slowdown, the island nation is strategically enhancing its hospitality infrastructure and streamlining visa processes to accommodate the anticipated influx.
Before the onset of global travel restrictions, Singapore had witnessed a remarkable inflow of 1.4 million Indian tourists in 2019. Despite challenges, this figure rebounded to 1.1 million in 2023. With optimism, the Singapore Tourism Board (STB) anticipates surpassing the 2019 benchmark in 2024.
Poh Chi Chuan, Executive Director of Exhibition & Conference at STB, emphasized on the efforts to facilitate seamless visa procedures for Indian tourists. With dedicated offices in key Indian cities like Mumbai, Delhi, and Chennai, STB aims to ensure a hassle-free experience for travelers.
Singapore is also ramping up its accommodation capacity, with 9,000 new hotel rooms slated for addition to the existing 72,000. Furthermore acknowledging the pivotal role of air connectivity, Poh expressed optimism for the restoration of pre-pandemic flight frequencies between India and Singapore.
Singapore is also recognising the significance of catering to business travelers. Poh highlighted the burgeoning opportunities in sectors such as pharmaceuticals, biomedicine, IT, and FinTech, which serve as pivotal pillars for bilateral trade growth.