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With nearly all of the visitor arrivals registered during the first two months of the year, visitor arrivals plummeted 85.7% to 2.7 million in 2020, while tourism receipts dropped 78.4% to $4.4 billion.
Singapore’s tourism sector endured its toughest year on record in 2020, with visitor arrivals plummeting 85.7% to 2.7 million last year, while tourism receipts dropped 78.4% to $4.4 billion during the first three quarters of 2020 due to unprecedented global border closures and travel restrictions amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
In a release issued on Monday (1 February) Singapore Tourism Board (STB) noted that nearly all of the visitor arrivals were registered during the first two months of the year.
“Singapore’s tourism sector has had to fight for survival in 2020. Our tourism businesses have displayed immense resilience and adaptability throughout this difficult period, reinventing their business models and leveraging technology to find solutions in a COVID-19 world,” said Keith Tan, Chief Executive at STB.
“I am also grateful for their commitment to keep Singaporeans safe and well. STB remains confident in Singapore’s position as one of the world’s safest and most attractive leisure and business destination, and the long-term prospects of Singapore’s tourism sector.”
However, he does not expect mass international travel to resume in a major way this year.
In fact, STB believes tourism arrivals and tourism receipts will remain weak in 2021 even with the development of vaccines.
Despite the difficulties faced in 2020, tourism businesses played a major role in Singapore’s battle against the pandemic, offering their properties for government quarantine facilities, stay-home notice dedicated facilities (SDFs) and swab isolation facilities.
SDFs have accommodated over 80,000 individuals on stay-home notice as of 31 December 2020, with the support of more than 2,300 frontline hospitality workers.
The integrated resorts also contributed, with staff members serving at community care facilities, managing operations, providing meals and packing care kits.
The cruise industry also provided accommodation for over 8,200 migrant workers who had recovered from COVID-19.
About 150 tourist guides served as safe distancing ambassadors since 7 April 2020 at tourism precincts. STB expects the figure to grow to more than 250 in the coming months.
With the Singapore economy gradually re-opened in 2H 2020, STB revealed that 1,686 tour itineraries, 270 hotels and 45 attractions also received approval to resume operations as of 25 January.
Singapore also piloted “cruises with enhanced safety protocols and no ports of call” from November. As of 31 December, 33 cruises carrying more than 42,000 passengers “have been completed with no reported incidents of COVID-19 transmission on board”.
Over 1,390 SG Clean Quality Mark certificates have been issued to tourism-related premises as of 25 January.
STB accepted applications for pilot meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions (MICE) events of up to 250 attendees from 1 October. The city-state held 29 MICE event pilots as of 31 December, starting with the Singapore International Energy Week in October.
To stimulate demand for tourism, the SingapoRediscovers campaign was rolled out “to rally locals to support tourism businesses and promote hidden gems and experiences in Singapore”.
The $320 million SingapoRediscovers Vouchers (SRV) scheme was launched in December to complement the campaign.
As of 1 January, More than 300,000 Singaporeans have used the vouchers to make bookings, spending $35.9 million in redemptions and out-of-pocket payments.
“To ensure that Singapore remains top of mind even while travel is curtailed, STB’s regional offices launched new initiatives to engage our fans and strengthen Singapore’s brand image around the world,” said STB.
The Tourism Recovery Action Task Force was also set up in February to develop as well as implement joint recovery strategies.
The Alliance for Action on Enabling Safe and Innovative Visitor Experiences under the Emerging Stronger Taskforce pioneered new ways to facilitate safe visitor experiences amid the pandemic and launched COVID-19 insurance coverage for visitor’s peace of mind.
Looking ahead, STB expects tourism arrivals and tourism receipts to continue to be weak this year.
“Even with the development of several vaccines, it will take time for mass leisure travel and traveller confidence to return.”
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