The Singapore Tourism Board (STB) plans to attract Indian business travellers, young adults, and cruise passengers, as it is looking to collaborate with Disney Adventure ship for an exclusive cruise product home-ported from Singapore starting in 2025. The Singapore Tourism Board (STB) is making efforts this year to ensure tourist footfalls from India return to pre-Covid levels 2019. The board will focus on family, corporate, and film tourism segments besides regular travel objectives. Markus Tan, regional director for India, Middle East, South Asia, and Africa at STB said, “It’s not difficult to achieve [pre-Covid levels of tourist arrivals from India] given the increase in the number of Indian passport holders, the [income] rise of the middle class and strong connectivity between the two countries.” The tourism board has plans to attract business travellers, young adults, and cruise passengers, given it is looking to collaborate with Disney Adventure ship for an exclusive cruise product home-ported from Singapore starting in 2025. Tan expressed optimism, saying, “We hope to launch our first product next year.” To achieve its goal of returning to pre-Covid tourist arrivals from India, STB is working with trade partners, media relations, and influencers. Recognising Bollywood’s influence in generating interest in destinations, STB is engaging with production houses for collaborations to showcase Singapore to Indian audiences. Highlighting that there is direct and indirect air connectivity between Singapore and 17 Indian cities, Tan stressed that this will boost Indian footfalls to Garden City in 2024. Singapore ranks India as the fifth largest source market for tourism, with substantial spending by Indian visitors contributing significantly to the tourism sector. As global travel recovers, STB is targeting an 84% recovery of pre-Covid levels for international visitor arrivals in 2024. The STB is also directing attention towards attracting business travelers, young adults, and cruise passengers, with plans to collaborate with Disney Adventure ship for an exclusive cruise product home-ported from Singapore starting in 2025. Tan expressed optimism, saying, “We hope to launch our first product next year.” To achieve the goal of returning to pre-Covid numbers from India, STB has intensified efforts through various channels including trade partners, media relations, campaigns, social media programmes, and influencers. Furthermore, recognizing Bollywood’s significant influence in generating interest in destinations, STB is actively engaging with production houses for collaborations to showcase Singapore to Indian audiences. Highlighting the robust air connectivity between India and Singapore, Tan noted, “With so many Indian cities (17) connected with Singapore, there will be a boost in Indian travellers visiting the Garden City in 2024.” Singapore ranks India as the fifth largest source market for tourism, with substantial spending by Indian visitors contributing significantly to the tourism sector. As global travel recovery progresses, STB remains optimistic about tourism growth, targeting around 78% to 84% of pre-Covid levels for international visitor arrivals in 2024. Tan concluded, “Looking at the growth in the tourism sector in India, this year we hope that these rankings will continue.”
In Brief
Singapore Tourism Board (STB) is tapping into India’s growing market to boost its post-pandemic tourism recovery, with plans to bring visitor numbers from India back to pre-COVID levels.
- STB aims to attract family, corporate, and film tourism segments from India, leveraging the increasing number of Indian passport holders and strong air connectivity between the two countries.
- The board is planning to collaborate with Disney Adventure ship to introduce an exclusive cruise service home-ported from Singapore starting in 2025, anticipating the launch of its first product next year.
- Recognizing the influence of Bollywood in attracting tourists, STB is engaging with Indian production houses to promote Singapore as a filming destination.
- The robust air connectivity, with 17 Indian cities linked directly or indirectly to Singapore, is expected to contribute to a surge in Indian travelers in 2024.
- STB is targeting a recovery of 78% to 84% of pre-Covid international visitor arrivals by 2024, with India being the fifth-largest source market for Singapore’s tourism sector.
