Is Singapore expensive? Yes, but visitors visit for other reasons

The British National Tony Cross set the primary foot in Singapore in 1992 when the principal complex of the town state was its glittering shopping centers, the pulsating Zouk night club and the renowned Singapore Zoo.

Today shopping got here into the background since the prices for goods along with the industrial rents have risen in a city where space is scarce. And Singapore once vibrating clubbing industry is confronted with difficult times, which violates high costs and the shift in alcohol consumption habits.

The competition from other Southeast Asian cities which are far cheaper can be heated.

Instead of applying for the value, Singapore relies on world-class attractions corresponding to Marina Bay SandsPresent Gardens on the bay And the expanding Mandai Wildlife Reserve To draw each budget and luxury travelers alike.

Others arrive at business conferences and live events, from the annual formula of 1 night to live shows from megastar corresponding to Taylor Swift and Coldplay. This yr, Singapore live shows by Lady Gaga organizes the one stop within the Asian-Pacific space on 18, 19, 21 and 24.

“Singapore built up a brilliant position as an accessible Southeast Asia in the 80s and 90s. But many other cities in the region have now also increased their game,” said Cross, a financial advisor who has visited the island state around 20 times up to now three a long time.

Singapore attracted 16.5 million visitors overseas in 2024, a rise of 21% in comparison with 2023, in line with the Singapore Tourism Board. The numbers don’t contain the a whole bunch of 1000’s of people that enter Singapore day by day in Singapore, connect the Singapore with Malaysia.

This is an unlimited increase in comparison with 1992 when the town state attracted lower than 6 million visitors, in line with the country's national archives. However, it continues to be shy of the 19.1 million who arrived in 2019.

The Singapore Tourism Board predicts the visitors who will grow between 17 and 18.5 million this yr, that are increased by a series of lifestyles and mice (meetings, incentives, conventions and exhibitions) in addition to recent attractions from the evaluation of incentives, conventions and exhibitions Rainforest wild AsiaA park that opened the Disney Adventure Cruise Ship last week to sail in December.

The Tourism Board in Singapore announced CNBC Travel that it will proceed to support projects that supply interactive experiences in harmony with global postponement towards experience.

Galastein Tan, the previous head of the corporate's most significant events, who manages the Sport -Hub in Singapore, the venue for Taylor Swift's live shows last yr, said that Singapore needed a vigorous tourism sector to draw and keep the human capital that makes it a worldwide city. This includes the event of a portfolio of fixed assets corresponding to Marina Bay Sands and “liquid” assets corresponding to live shows in addition to sporting and cultural events.

A big selection of tourism attractions can even increase domestic expenditure and create on site, he said.

The retail and food and food and drinks area in Singapore contract last yr, although the general economy increased by 4.4%, because the expenditure of residents in Singapore abroad compensates for the rise in tourism income.

“The challenge remains that Singapore remains because regional countries and cities catch up and build their own unique tourism portfolios,” said Tan. “Tourists now have more options.”

Expedia, the web travel division, said that the seek for flights to Singapore from China, Indonesia and India and India's three largest sources of tourists from the town state for the period from February to July 2025 was withdrawn by 1% in comparison with the previous period of six months. The seek for accommodation also fell 2% in the identical period, said the corporate.

Singapore continues to be a well-liked destination for MICE events which are classified in second place in Paris within the 2023 International Congress and Congress Association in 2023. However, Thailand and Malaysia are built into the sector as a consequence of lower costs and the advance of the infrastructure.

Albert Lee, a Malaysian organizer, said that Quality Convention Space in Kuala Lumpur will be rented for about half of what it costs in Singapore, while dinner for 40 in a good looking restaurant with entertainment and transport will be arranged to a 3rd of the value. The costs in Bangkok are comparable to Kuala Lumpur, he added.

“Singapore is the perfect place to stop events – it is nice and safe, accessible and StB is very helpful. However, the costs are very high,” he said.

Lee noticed that Kuala Lumpur has no legendary hotels like Marina Bay Sands in Singapore, the town's five-star hotels cost much less. For example, a room within the Shangri-La Singapore in Singapore ($ 375) costs $ 170 per night in his sister hotel in Kuala Lumpur, a review by Hotels.com.

The Tourism Board in Singapore tried to vary the perception that Singapore is dear by emphasizing how much visitor can do because of the general public transport system in Singapore in at some point, some extent that also made cross.

“We worked with various influencers to show how Singapore not only offers a price -performance ratio, but also how travelers can maximize their travel route and time in our goal,” said a spokesman.

The Japanese businessman Yoshihiko Tano, who often visits Singapore to satisfy friends, said that the hotels are expensive, the food is affordable because of the numerous Hawker centers during which a meal and a drink for lower than 10 SG $ will be bought.

“Hokkien Mee is my favorite meal of local food,” he said, adding that he also likes natural hikes in the numerous parks of Singapore.

The city state may count on the support of repeated visitors corresponding to Nazia Tanzem, who said that Singapore still stays an emerging destination for Indians because of Indians “Dekhoji Dekho Singapore“A Hindi song in a movie that was shot in 1960.

Tanzzeem lived in Singapore for several years before moving to Bangalore, where the college is cheaper for her children, but her husband continues to work in the town state, she said.

“There are many people who want to visit Singapore at least once in their lives,” she said.