Singapore expects 1 million Indian visitors in 2013

The Singapore Tourism Board is aiming at having close to one million visitor arrivals from India during the current calendar year, according to GB Srithar, area director (south Asia).

“The recent opening of new attractions like River Safari and Gardens of Bay are expected to boost tourist arrivals from India,” he told mediapersons here on Thursday.

The board claims to have registered the best-ever performance in 2012 with international tourist arrivals of 14.4 million and tourism receipts of S$ 23 billion, as against 13.2 million and S$ 22.3 billion respectively in 2011.

“Top 15 countries accounted for 76 per cent of international visitors in 2012, with India being the fifth largest visitor source market after Indonesia, China, Malaysia and Australia, and the third largest tourism receipt contributor after Indonesia and China,” Srithar said.

Singapore witnessed 670,000 Indian visitors (tourism receipts S$ 809 million) during January-September 2012, as compared with 870,000 visitors and tourism receipts of S$1.1 billion in 2011.

Around 33 per cent of tourism receipts from Indians was spent on accommodation, as against the international average of 28 per cent.

Stating that the board was targeting 17 million international visitors to Singapore with a S$30-billion tourism receipts contributing to 5-6 per cent of the country’s gross domestic product (GDP), Srithar said India’s tourism value for Singapore remained very high and expected China, India and Indonesia to be Asia’s top 3 outbound markets by 2020.

At present, eight international airlines operate 430 flights with a total seat of 40,000 a week between India and Singapore. Srithar said the board was planning to work with SilkAir to try and see what kind of travel opportunities it could further provide to Indian tourists.

According to him, Singapore is no longer a destination for Indian film shoots alone. Small screen shoots are picking up in the country and StarPlus’ serial ‘Diya Aur Baati Hum’ and NDTV Good Times’ ‘Ten Things To Do Around The World’ have been shot in Singapore.

The board is in talks with various regional TV channels to facilitate their travelogue programmes, he added.