Singapore

Singapore Tourism Board will showcase local artists, performers, and local brands at its pavilion, The Dream Sphere, at the Expo 2025 Osaka. The pavilion will offer an immersive experience of Singapore’s culinary heritage, retail offerings, and dynamic performing arts

Wellness services and offerings are recording an increase in demand with 1 in 4 Singaporeans expected to be aged 65 and above by 2030. CapitaLand Investment has set up a fund in 2023 to focus on investing in healthcare, medical, and wellness in Singapore and Southeast Asia. The fund: acquired 50% in Lyf Bugis, a health and wellness focus hotel invested $190 million SGD in orthopedic hospital and 2 wellness resorts in Bangkok Perennial Holdings is investing $4 million SGD to construct a wellness centre which combines Western and traditional Chinese treatments. CEO of the company said they are working with the Singapore Tourism Board (STB) to develop the industry by attracting wealthy tourists. He added, “Singapore is very well-positioned to be a wellness centre if we can create and develop this industry properly”. STB has extended the deadline for a proposal for a new wellness centre at the Marina South Coastal site twice, with Huttons Asia putting this down to a lack of big companies able to develop the site

Singapore welcomed 646,000 international medical tourists and $270 million USD in revenue in 2024

TEG Sport and the Singapore Tourism Board (STB) signed a 5-year partnership to resume the Singapore Festival of Football (SFOF) with regular top-flight European football fixtures scheduled to play in Singapore in alternate years, 2025, 2027, and 2029. 2025 SFOF will feature teams like AC Milan, Arsenal FC, and Newcastle United FC. The Arsenal vs AC Milan match will be held on 23 Jul, and the Arsenal vs Newcastle United FC on 27 Jul. The matches will be held in the National Stadium. The first SFOF in 2023 welcomed 130,000 fans. Tickets will be sold from 25 Apr

Trip.com’s 2025 Trip.Best Global Ranking placed Singapore in the top spots for luxury hotels, gourmet dining, and must-visit attractions categories. Marina Bay Sands ranked 1st in the Instagrammable Hotel and 1st in the Gourmet Hotel in the world Raffles Hotel ranked 1st in Luxury Hotels in Asia and ranked 2nd globally Swissotel The Stamford Singapore ranked 5th Gourmet Hotel in Asia and 6th globally Hilton Singapore Orchard ranked 8th, and The Ritz-Carlton, Millenia Singapore ranked 9th in the Top Gourmet Hotels in Asia The Fullerton Bay Hotel Singapore, 9th Instagrammable Hotel in Asia Spago Dining Room by Wolfgang Puck, ranked 1st in Asia and 10th globally, while JAAN by Kirk Westaway ranked 5th in Asia under the Views and Experiences Restaurant category Odette ranked 1st in Fine Dining Restaurant in Asia Song Fa Bak Kut Teh ranked 1st in Light Bites Restaurant in Asia Jumbo Seafood ranked 2nd and Chatterbox ranked 5th in Local Restaurants in Asia Gardens by the Bay ranked 1st, Singapore Flyer 4th, and Marina Bay Sands SkyPark ranked 10th under Nightlife Attraction in Asia Universal Studios Singapore ranked 5th and Night Safari 10th in the Family-Friendly Attraction in Asia category

Singapore Tourism Board (STB) signed 7 MoUs and 1 collaboration agreement to drive tourism growth in the country. STB will collaborate with CapitaLand Investment to attract international brands and restore existing attractions like CQ @ Clarke Quay and Raffles City Singapore Dempsey Precinct Partnership to promote the historic lifestyle of the precinct Fever Labs to boost tourist arrivals and tourism spending Klook to boost inbound tourism via a joint global marketing campaign Pop Mart International to offer exclusive products and experiences in Singapore. Under the 3-year agreement, Singapore will host the only POP TOY SHOW outside China in 2025 and 2026 Singapore Flyer and WINGGLE WIGGLE, a South Korean lifestyle brand, to feature 5 themed capsules and giant inflatables at the Singapore Flyer

Senior Minister Lee warned about global uncertainty due to tariffs imposed by the US. He said, “A supportive and stable external environment is no longer a given”

Singapore’s parliament was dissolved on 15 Apr to pave the way for the 14th General Election on 3 May. The Nomination Day will be on 23 Apr

Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) expects heavy traffic at the Singapore-Malaysia checkpoints in conjunction with the Good Friday long weekend from 17-21 Apr. ICA said the Good Friday weekend is traditionally the busiest for the Tuas and Woodlands checkpoints. During the Hari Raya weekend, over 1.8 million travellers crossed the checkpoints

The CEO of Singapore Tourism Board (STB) said that the agency will collaborate with Pop Mart to bring Labubu to parks in Singapore. Singapore will host Lady Gaga’s concert, Jurassic World, NBA Rising Stars, Botero Immersive, and the Festival of Football. Singapore will host the Passenger Terminal Expo Asia 2026, SIBOS 2027 (bringing 7,000 global finance leaders), and World Robot Olympiad after 2 decades since the first event. STB also announced: an extension of the Kickstart Fund for 4 years a new Hotel Rejuvenation Fund, with up to 70% to support sustainability upgrades an expanded Experience Step-Up Fund a new $300 million injection into the Tourism Development Fund Marina Bay Sands will expand in mid-2025 to add a 15,000-seat entertainment arena, additional MICE spaces, a new hotel tower, and a public rooftop attraction, which will be completed in 2029

Singapore will be represented by 28 partners from DMCs, hotels, and venues at the Singapore Pavilion at The Meetings Show Asia Pacific (TMS APAC) 2025. Visitors to the pavilion can enjoy Peranakan food. Sustainability will be a main theme, and the pavilion will showcase eco-friendly materials and follow a reduced-waste approach. STB’s Executive Director for MICE said Singapore Pavilion will incorporate recycled plastic tabletops by Semula, recycled fibre carpets by Rewind Carpet, and reuse 2024’s components

Marina Bay Sands (MBS) recorded $2 billion USD EBITDA in 2024. MBS attributed this achievement to an increase in international arrivals in 2024. The hotel reduced its room count from 2,561 to 1,850 rooms and increased its butler service from 60 to 160. By May 2025, there will be 776 suites, an increase from 205 suites pre-pandemic. The hotel recorded a 95% occupancy rate in 2024. MBS’s hotel rooms start from $1,300 per night for the basic-level suite to $35,000 for the Presidential Suite

Train Pod @ one-north, a new boutique hotel located at JTC’s LaunchPad, will open in H2 2025 for bookings. The 8-room hotel is a conversion of a decommissioned Kawasaki-Nippon train car

The Ministry of Trade and Industry (MTI) downgraded Singapore’s GDP growth forecast to 0%-2% for 2025 due to the impact of tariffs imposed by the US on global trade. The Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) eased monetary policy for the second time in a row and lowered core inflation expectations for 2025 in anticipation of the trade war between the US and China. Economists polled by Reuters expect a 4.3% annual growth for Q1 2025. Singapore will form a task force comprising representatives from Singapore's economic agencies, the Singapore Business Federation, the Singapore National Employers Federation and the National Trades Union Congress to support businesses and workers as part of the response to the tariffs, which could slow the economy and affect jobs

The Ministry of Trade and Industry (MTI) announced Singapore’s economy slowed by 0.8% in Q1 2025 on a QoQ seasonally adjusted basis. The decline was due to a slowdown in the manufacturing, finance, and insurance sectors

Marina Bay Sands has seen its casino licence renewed by the SIngapore Gambling Regulatory Authority for a 3-year term, starting from 26 Apr 2025

Trade Relations Minister projects tourism spending in Singapore to reach $47-$50 billion by 2040, 1.7X of 2024. Singapore recorded $29.8 billion in tourism revenue in 2024 following an increase in tourist arrivals from China, Indonesia, and Australia. Singapore recorded 16.5 million tourists in 2024. STB projects 17-18.5 million tourist arrivals in 2025 and $29-$30.5 billion in tourism receipts. Singapore Tourism Board’s (STB) CEO said the rate of tourism spending will outpace visitor arrivals growth, and Singapore will focus on value compared to volume. STB hosted the Tourism Industry Conference on 11 Apr at Suntec Singapore Convention and Exhibition Centre. STB’s Tourism 2040 roadmap focuses on 3 key pillars: cultivating future demand, improving Singapore’s appeal as a destination, and developing a future-ready tourism sector. STB identified MICE as a high-growth and quality visitor segment. Singapore aims to record 3X revenue from MICE tourism by 2040

Marina Bay Cruise Centre Singapore will be upgraded to increase the capacity and improve the passengers’ experience. The renovation will cost $40 million, involving more lounge facilities, larger seating areas for embarkation and disembarkation, and check-in counters that can accommodate 2 cruise ships at the same time. SATS-Creuers Cruise Services will carry out the upgrade, and it will take 9 months to complete. They will carry out the work in phases to ensure the cruise centre continues to operate during the ship call days. Singapore Tourism Board (STB) gave an 8-year extension from May 2027-Mar 2037 to SATS-Creuers to operate the cruise centre. Once the upgrade is completed, the centre will have the capacity to manage 11,700 passengers, an increase from the current 6,800 passengers

Singapore’s tourism revenue in 2024 was $29.8 billion SGD, a record high, Mainland China, Indonesia and Australia were the top tourism receipt destinations, with China seeing a YoY growth of 48% and Japan 26% YoY. There were 30,000 MICE delegates in Singapore in 2024. The Minister for Trade & Industry expects that 2025 will be a “challenging global environment” due to tariffs, and that consumer confidence will be “adversely affected”

The Minister for Trade & Industry reported that 60% of hotels rooms in Singapore are expected to attain sustainability certification by end-2025. The Attractions Sustainability Roadmap has also been launched, with the aim to obtain international certification for 70% of attractions under the Association of Singapore Attractions members

Ginger Consultancy has created a new immersive audio tour in Dempsey Hill, which allows visitors to understand its history. A marketing consultant from Ginger Consultancy said they get this idea from their experience conducting heritage guided tours. The audio tour will be offered through the Cinewav app and Klook. She added that this type of tour often sells out within hours, and self-guided tours can help tourists to visit the hill at their own pace and schedule. The company also collaborates with local artists to host pop-up events to attract more visitors. They also organise events like the annual Motoring Heritage Day (vintage cars showcase) and the Latadina Festival (Latin American food and music festival). The event will incorporate sustainable tourism practices in the hospitality industry. The collaboration will focus on the importance of sustainability in the food and beverage sectors, aligning with the increasing demand for eco-friendly tourism initiatives

The Laurus luxury hotel at Resorts World Sentosa (RWS) will open in Q3 2025. The hotel is Singapore’s first The Luxury Collection hotel and will replace Hard Rock Hotel. The hotel managed under Marriott International will offer 183 suites

Equinox, a Singapore-based Travel Trade Marketplace’s segment brand, is offering SMEs and associations a travel booking model without relying on commissions or service fees. The CEO of Equinox said its low transaction-fee model, instead of sales commissions, allows it to offer a lower cost of sale. Some travel agencies and independent hotels have already signed up for Equinox, which is expected to launch by mid-2025, with secondary features to be launched in Q4 2025. Another platform called micelah.com offers bookings for 10 or more people. The platform offers services to select hotels as a venue, teambuilding, catering and transportation. Enterprise Singapore funded MiceLah, and they plan to extend to Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, and India by Q3 2025

The 2025 SIGEP Asia & Restaurant Asia event will be held from 16-18 Jul at the Sands Expo & Convention Centre. This will be an important event in the hospitality and food & beverage industries. This event is being held under a partnership between the International Food & Beverage Association (IFBA), Hospitality Alliance Singapore (HAS), and IEG Asia

The South Korean Embassy in Singapore will organise over 30 activities to celebrate 5 decades of diplomatic relations in 2025. The first event, Jongmyo Jeryeak, a Korean traditional music performance, was held at the Esplanade on 4 Apr. Korea Tourism Organisation will host a travel fair from 16-18 May at Plaza Singapore featuring Korean cuisine, beauty products, and performances

Singapore Tourism Board (STB) reported 1.38 million visitors in Feb, -2.9% MoM and -15.3% YoY. Singapore recorded 1.05 million overnight visitors, -2.4% YoY and -11.8% MoM. The top countries are; - China with 267,960 visitors, -18% YoY - Indonesia, 192,600, +1% YoY - Malaysia, 105,740, +5.7% YoY Chinese visitors recorded 4.16 days of average length of stay, whilst the overall average among international markets recorded 3.47 days. The STB reported 3.01 million visitors in Jan-Feb 2025, +6.1% YoY and 96.5% of pre-pandemic levels

The authorities carried out an oil patch clean-up operation at Pulau Ubin, Changi Beach and Pasir Ris Beach on 4 Apr. The oil leak was detected at the Langsat Terminal near the Johor River. Johor Port Authority said the leak has since stopped. The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA), National Environment Agency (NEA), Singapore Food Agency (SFA), and National Parks Board said no other oil patches were spotted. The agencies will deploy booms at Chek Jawa Wetlands in Pulau Ubin as precautionary measures to protect the area. NEA advised against swimming and other water activities at Changi Beach and Pasir Ris Beach. Chek Jawa Wetlands will be closed temporarily for oil spill clean-up

The US will impose a broad-based reciprocal tariff ranging 10%-50% on goods entering the country from 9 Apr. The tariffs will be: - Cambodia, 49% - Vietnam, 46% - Thailand, 37% - China, 34% - Indonesia, 32% - Malaysia, 24% - The Philippines, 18% - Singapore, 10% The executive order mentioned that the trading relationship between the US and its trading partners has become highly unbalanced

Booking.com recorded a +20% increase in Indian tourists searching for accommodation in Singapore during Lady Gaga's concert dates. India was among the top 5 global markets. Flight routes from Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Chennai, and Hyderabad are showing strong demand to Singapore. Australian fans are leading the search, followed by India, Singapore, Taiwan, and the UK

Cruise Line International Association’s data shows 31.7 million global cruise passengers in 2023, surpassing pre-pandemic levels of 29.7 million. The association projected 37.1 million in 2025. However, Crystal Cruises’ Vice President of Sales claims the Asian market has yet to see its full potential. He said Singapore and Hong Kong have the greatest potential to grow

The 2nd edition of APAC’s The Meetings Show Asia Pacific (TMS APAC) will be held from 16-17 Apr at the Marina Bay Sands Convention Centre. The event will feature the first Business Travel Show APAC. Singapore Tourism Board (STB) will support this year’s event

Trip.com recorded a 60% YoY increase in international travel bookings by Singaporeans during the Hari Raya season. Bangkok and Kuala Lumpur remained the popular destinations for Singaporeans, followed by Guangzhou and Osaka. Destinations like Chongqing, Chengdu, Busan, Shenzhen, Xiamen and Ipoh recorded more than 2X YoY increase in demand. Bookings to Spain, Switzerland, France, Italy, the UK, Canada and Germany recorded 3X YoY. Trip.com even recorded bookings in Lima, Peru. Singaporeans were taking an average of 9.19-day trip in 2025’s Hari Raya compared to 8.38 days in 2024. Singaporeans spent +5.9% YoY on international flights and hotels in 2025

Gardens by the Bay will feature Jurassic World: The Experience from 29 May

Chan Brothers Travel will give travellers a chance to win a 1-carat diamond for bookings made during their Mid-Year Holiday Fiesta on 5-6 Apr, at Marina Square Level 2 Central Atrium

The Deputy Prime Minister said there will be more than 200 shows and activities by over 80 artists and arts groups in 2025 through the ArtsEverywhere@CDC initiative. He said the number of artists will be 3X YoY in 2025. The initiative was launched in Jul 2024 by the National Arts Council (NAC), People’s Association (PA) and the five community development councils (CDCs) as part of efforts in conjunction with Singapore’s 60th year of independence. He added that more than 40,000 residents enjoyed arts performances across the 5 CDCs such as Heartbeat@Bedok, the HDB Hub in Toa Payoh and Kampung Admiralty

The Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) said heavy traffic is expected at both the Woodlands and Tuas land checkpoints on 26 Mar due to the Hari Raya Aidilfitri long weekend starting on 28 Mar-31 Mar. From 14-24 Mar, which included the school holidays, a total of 5.6 million travellers cleared both land checkpoints

The Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) said over 50.3 million travellers used QR codes to clear Woodlands and Tuas checkpoints since 19 Mar 2024-19 Mar 2025. 30 million travellers used QR code clearance at the car zone, representing 70% of total travellers. ICA said that since Jan 2025, QR code clearance has been fully implemented. ICA said they are able to clear 2,000 more travellers per hour in Mar 2025 compared to Mar 2024

Singapore Tourism Board (STB) and Kingsmen Exhibits announced a lineup of programs for the Dream Sphere, Singapore’s Pavilion at Expo 2025 Osaka, Japan. The pavilion will showcase exhibitions, 60 Dreams Collection, Dream Boutique (exclusive souvenirs), Cloud Bar, Shiok! Cafe (showcasing the country’s hawker culture), and Dream Rhythms (music performances)

BCD Travel’s Cities & Trends Asia Pacific 2025 report listed Singapore as the most visited city by Asia Pacific business travellers. Other cities in the list are Tokyo, Hong Kong, Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur, Shanghai, Seoul, Taipei, Jakarta, and Sydney

Chinatown Complex will undergo renovation for 3 months in 2026, following complaints about poor lighting and lack of lifts from the hawkers and stallholders. The complex is Singapore’s largest hawker centre and market with 220 stalls, including several Michelin-awarded hawker stalls

Singapore Tourism Board (STB), Changi Airport Group (CAG), and Sentosa Development Corporation (SDC) will work together to boost trade and marketing in India. Their joint initiative will run from 1 Apr 2025-31 Mar 2026. The key component of this initiative will be the Friends of Singapore Fellowship (FOSF) program, which will bring 30 Indian digital influencers to Singapore. STB will host the largest-ever B2B roadshow in Mumbai, Chandigarh, and Bengaluru, featuring 63 exhibitors, and it will attract 700 travel professionals from the 3 cities

Trip.com reported 3X YoY hotel bookings from 18-24 May for Lady Gaga’s concerts in Singapore, and +76% YoY from 25-31 May. Trip.com said the top international bookings were from China, Malaysia, Japan, the Philippines, and South Korea. Accommodation searches from 18-24 May recorded +38% YoY and +18% for 25-31 May

The Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) and the Ministry of Trade and Industry (MTI) said Singapore’s core inflation recorded 0.6% YoY in Feb, nearly a 4-year low due to slower price increases across most categories. The last time core inflation was lower than 0.6% was in Mar 2021 with 0.5%. Core inflation excluding accommodation and private transport recorded +0.1% MoM. Overall inflation recorded at 0.9% YoY in Feb from 1.2% in Jan. Overall inflation increased by 0.8% MoM. Food inflation dropped from 1.5% in Jan to 1% in Feb. Retail and other goods costs dropped from -0.6% in Jan to -0.4% in Feb. Accommodation inflation recorded at 1.6%

Experts said planting artificial coral reefs, installing barrages, and beach nourishment are solutions to safeguard Sentosa Island’s coast from high tides and high sea levels

In 2024, Singapore recorded record-breaking temperatures and unusual rainfall patterns. Jul recorded its first dry spell since 2019 and in Dec, the country recorded soaring temperatures and less rain. Nov 2024 was recorded as the wettest Nov in more than 40 years. In 2024, the total rainfall reached 2,739.8mm higher than the long-term average 2,534.3mm. The Meteorological Service Singapore (MSS) said this unusual rainfall pattern could be linked to climate change

Tanah Merah Ferry Terminal’s immigration clearance only takes 5 minutes compared to 20 minutes previously, after a $20 million SGD upgrade that added eight more immigration clearance lanes for departing travellers. The Singapore Cruise Centre (SCC) expects 70% of ferry passengers to perform self-check-ins at 15 kiosks, which will be fully deployed by end-2025. The terminal’s capacity has expanded by 25% to accommodate more than 3 million passengers per year, from 2.4 million it managed previously. The departure hall can hold 200 more passengers, 70% larger. Singapore’s Transport Minister said the upgrade is an important step to strengthen connectivity between Singapore, Johor, and the Riau Islands

The Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) advised travellers to defer non-essential travel to Johor this coming weekend as they expect heavy traffic at the Woodlands and Tuas checkpoints. ICA said the rain due to the monsoon surge in Singapore also contributed to the traffic congestion at the checkpoints. Travellers departing by car and motorcycle have had to wait for over 2 hours for immigration clearance

The continuous rainfall due to monsoon surge caused losses to outdoor businesses, including Kampong Gelam’s Ramadan Bazaar stall owners. The sellers said they faced a 50% drop in income, but some chose online sales and innovative menus to make up for losses. The National Water Agency (PUB) said Jurong West recorded the highest rainfall at 318 mm, and the highest amount of rainfall in the east was 298.4mm over 20-21 Mar. PUB said the rainfall exceeded Singapore’s average monthly rainfall of 209.7mm. A flood was reported on a 15km stretch along the Mountbatten Road and Jalan Seaview intersection