July marked a major milestone for Singapore as it welcomed its first 1-million visitor arrival in a single month. Travel Agent spoke with Kershing Goh, the Singapore Tourism Board's regional director for the Americas to find out more.
"This has been and continues to be a very pivotal and exciting year for Singapore," says Goh. "Singapore has experienced a remarkable growth in visitor arrivals, rebounding with the highest record number of visitor arrivals in the month of December last year, followed by seven consecutive months of record visitor arrivals in 2010."
Visitor arrivals to Singapore reached a 26.7 percent growth to 950,000 as of June 2010, which was overshadowed by July with the one million mark. The STB forecasts visitor arrivals at 11.5 to 12.5 million visitors, showing a 19 percent-29 percent increase over 2009.
Goh attributes this success to the continued rebound in the global travel industry and regional economies. "The new developments coupled with the strong pipeline of events and activities are collectively transforming Singapore into a compelling and exciting destination for visitors."
Among these developments, Marina Bay Sands and Resorts World Sentosa, the two new integrated resorts, come to the forefront. Marina Bay Sands opened in June of this year, featuring three hotel towers topped by a Sky Park, a museum, retail stores, restaurants, theaters, night clubs and a casino. Resorts World Sentosa is home to Southeast Asia's first Universal Studios.
Looking forward, Goh remains optimistic. "In 2011, the futuristic and ecological Gardens by the Bay, three interconnected gardens along the waterfront, will be an integral part of Singapore's 'City in a Garden.' "
The new International Cruise Terminal, slated for 2012, is also a driving force behind the STB's optimism for the future.
"Overall," concludes Goh, "Singapore is well-positioned to maintain its elevated visitor arrivals and hit its target of 11.5 to 12.5 million visitor arrivals in 2010."
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