Singapore earns SGD 32.8 billion from 16.9 million tourists in 2025

Singapore saw the arrival of 16.9 million tourists in 2025 with the city-state earning a record SGD 32.8 billion USD 25.9 billion from tourism, officials said on Friday. STB projects SGD 31 billion to SGD 32.5 billion in tourism receipts and between 17 million and 18 million international visitor arrivals this year.

Singapore saw the arrival of 16.9 million tourists in 2025 with the city-state earning a record SGD 32.8 billion (USD 25.9 billion) from tourism, officials said on Friday. Minister-in-charge of Trade Relations Grace Fu announced an additional SGD 740 million in funding for the Tourism Development Fund over the next five years, building on the more than SGD 300 million injected in 2024. ''Our strong performance in 2025 is encouraging, but we cannot afford to be complacent. There are challenges on the horizon, given the Middle East energy crisis and its knock-on effects on consumer spending,'' Fu said at the Tourism Industry Conference. ''This funding will support our ambitions under Tourism 2040, charting the next chapter of growth and ensuring that Singapore remains a compelling destination,'' the Channel News Asia quoted Fu as saying. Among other things, the fund will allocate SGD 5 million to a grant meant to help businesses undertake marketing activities and build attendance for business events in Singapore. Another SGD 5 million will go to a market access fund to help firms grow their presence in new markets, she said. Under Tourism 2040 plan, the Singapore Tourism Board (STB) projects tourism receipts to reach between SGD 47 billion and SGD 50 billion by 2040. Minister Fu elaborated on the plan including the rejuvenation of Orchard Road, a hotel-cum-shopping belt in the main city centre and bazaars. ''We envision Orchard Road to be an iconic lifestyle destination for all – enlivened by vibrant activations, concepts and experiences set within a city garden,'' said Fu. To this end, a new Orchard Road Rejuvenation Initiative will be launched in the middle of 2026, she said. STB projects SGD 31 billion to SGD 32.5 billion in tourism receipts and between 17 million and 18 million international visitor arrivals this year. Comparatively, Singapore earned SGD 29.8 billion in receipts from 16.5 million tourists in 2024. Singapore's Changi Airport handled nearly 70 million passenger movements in 2025, according to media reports, citing officials from the conference. STB chief executive Melissa Ow was cautioned that demand is expected to be muted in the coming months amid global headwinds, with the conflict in the Middle East posing challenges to the tourism industry. ''Our tourism businesses are under strain from the crisis and the global uncertainty that persist,'' Ow said, adding that while visitor arrivals grew 3 per cent year-on-year in the first quarter, demand may soften in the months ahead.