Singapore saw 16.9-million international-visitor arrivals in full-year 2025, up 2.3 percent year-on-year, according to an update from Singapore Tourism Board (STB).
That was below an earlier forecast for 2025, of 17.0 million to 18.5 million. But the tourism-receipt value of those that did come – once the full-year data are compiled – appears to be tracking ahead of the authority’s 2025 forecasts.
For the first nine months of last year, tourism receipts reached SGD23.9 billion (US$18.8 billion), a 6.5-percent increase from the equivalent period in 2024, “and the highest tourism receipts recorded for this period” of the calendar, said STB in a Tuesday update.
The full-year 2025 tourism receipts update should be available in the second quarter this year.
“Tourism receipts performance from January to September 2025 puts full-year performance on track to exceed STB’s projections of SGD29.0 billion to SGD30.5 billion for 2025,” said the board in the statement.
In the nine months to September 30, tourism receipts from “sightseeing, entertainment and gaming” (SGD5.3 billion) and “food and beverage” (SGD3.7 billion) showed the highest year-on-year growth, each tracking 15 percent.
Singapore hosts a casino duopoly consisting of the Resorts World Sentosa property of Genting Singapore Ltd, and Marina Bay Sands, controlled by Las Vegas Sands Corp.
The tourism authority also noted that Singapore’s tourism-sector strength was demonstrated by “infrastructure developments”, including the expansion projects of the city-state’s gaming resort operators.
STB said: “Both integrated resorts saw significant expansions: Marina Bay Sands marked a major milestone in 2025 with the groundbreaking ceremony for its US$8 billion ultra-luxury development.”
The tourism authority added that Marina Bay Sands’ new project would “feature a 570-suite luxury hotel tower with signature rooftop and dining experiences, 200,000 square feet of premium meeting space, a 15,000-seat arena, and additional food and beverage and retail options”.
The tourism board also stated that in 2025,“Resorts World Sentosa launched Illumination’s Minion Land at Universal Studios Singapore, Singapore Oceanarium, and Weave.”
The update further noted: “STB expects 2026 international visitor arrivals to reach between 17 to 18 million, bringing in approximately SGD31 billion to SGD32.5 billion in tourism receipts.”
The 2026 forecast range for arrivals from overseas would represent year-on-year growth of 0.6 percent to 6.5 percent, per the Tuesday update.
It added: “The 2026 projections take a measured approach given global economic uncertainty and political instability affecting travel patterns globally.”
The top five markets for the city-state’s inbound tourists in 2025 were: mainland China (3.1 million), Indonesia (2.4 million), Malaysia (1.3 million), Australia (1.3 million) and India (1.2 million).
Of those five, Indonesia was the only feeder market that saw a decline, down circa 2 percent relative to 2024.
Visitor volume from mainland China and India in 2025 was respectively up circa 1 percent year-on-year; while that from Malaysia and Australia had respectively grown by circa 8 percent.
Consumers from mainland China, Indonesia and Australia were identified as the “top” tourism-receipt generators, contributing SGD3.68 billion, SGD2.09 billion and SGD1.54 billion respectively for the January to September period in 2025, according to the update.
Tourism receipts from “sightseeing, entertainment and gaming” are excluded from the analysis of the spending from each of the main feeder markets, according to STB, citing “commercial sensitivities”.
Nonetheless, STB remarked that the “strong” tourism spending seen in 2025 was due to new or “refreshed” offerings, such as attractions, cruise travel, and events.
