SINGAPORE: More tourists visited Singapore in the second quarter of this year compared to the same period last year but they spent less, the Singapore Tourism Board said in a report on Wednesday (Oct 30).
International visitor arrivals grew by 1.7 per cent on-year to 4.6 million, with visitors from China, Indonesia, India, Malaysia and Australia making up the top five markets.
However, tourism receipts in the second quarter fell by 1.3 per cent to S$6.5 billion, due to tourists spending less in sectors such as accommodation as well as food and beverage.
Q2 2019 highlights. (Infographic: Singapore Tourism Board)
Accommodation, which accounted for 20 per cent of tourism receipts, registered the biggest fall, declining 13 per cent to S$1.31 million. But despite the fall in spending on accommodation, gazetted hotel room revenue held steady at an estimated S$1 billion.
Meanwhile, the food and beverage segment, which accounted for 9 per cent of tourism receipts, fell by 3 per cent to S$586 million.
However, tourists spent more on shopping, with the segment marking an 11 per cent increase to S$1.39 million, accounting for 21 per cent of tourism receipts.
Tourism receipts by major components. (Infographic: Singapore Tourism Board)
Excluding the sightseeing, entertainment and gaming segment, China (S$897 million), Indonesia (S$757 million) and India (S$478 million) were the top three revenue markets, contributing 42 per cent of tourism receipts.
Among the top 10 markets, Vietnam, the Philippines and the United States registered the highest on-year growth in tourism receipts, excluding the sightseeing, entertainment and gaming segment.
