- Singapore is poised to set a new record for international arrivals in 2025, outpacing other Southeast Asian nations such as Thailand and the Philippines.
- Singapore’s Travel & Tourism sector is predicted to contribute almost $80BN to the economy by the end of the decade, supporting over 637,000 jobs.
In an encouraging development for the Travel & Tourism industry, the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) today disclosed that Singapore is poised to surpass its previous record for international arrivals this year. According to WTTC’s latest research, international arrivals are projected to touch nearly 16MN in 2025, marking a 9.6% increase from pre-pandemic levels in 2019.
India is anticipated to significantly contribute to this tourism surge, with arrivals expected to rise from just over 1.11MN in 2019 to 1.25MN in 2025, a new high. Despite a sluggish recovery in outbound travel from China globally, Singapore is set to welcome record numbers of Chinese visitors this year, almost 2.8MN, paving the way for further growth in 2026.
Julia Simpson, WTTC President & CEO, lauded Singapore’s progress, noting, “Singapore is setting the pace for global tourism growth, breaking records, and outpacing its regional rivals. With soaring visitor numbers expected from India and a return of Chinese travelers, the city-state’s tourism engine is running at full throttle.”
In 2024, Travel and tourism were projected to contribute $66.1BN to Singapore’s economy, accounting for 9.8% of GDP, and support a record 570,000 jobs. By 2030, the sector is expected to add almost $80BN to the economy, a 19% increase from its 2019 levels. Additionally, it is projected to support over 637,000 jobs, adding over 90,000 more since 2019.
Environmentally, Singapore’s greenhouse gas emissions from Travel & Tourism dropped 4.1% per year between 2019 and 2023, reducing the sector’s share from 23.5% to 18.4%. Singapore’s Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) mandate, set to be implemented in 2026, will require all departing flights to incorporate 1% SAF.
Regionally, in 2024, the Travel & Tourism sector was expected to inject nearly $379BN USD into Southeast Asia’s economy, accounting for 9.7% of the region’s GDP and supporting approximately 42.5MN jobs. By 2030, this figure is projected to reach nearly $551BN USD, a 48% increase from 2019. The sector is also forecast to support 51.5MN jobs, an increase of over 10MN since 2019.
Despite these promising figures, the WTTC calls for more robust environmental measures, urging governments to expedite the SAF mandate and increase the minimum usage target.
