• About Us
  • The Team
  • Advertise with Us

The latest news on the gaming industry in Asia

() () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () ()
  • Home
  • Macau
  • Philippines
  • Singapore
  • Japan
  • Rest of Asia
  • World
  • Industry Talk
  • Trends & Tech
  • iGaming
  • follow
    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    • RSS Feed
    • LinkedIn

Singapore up to 5 yrs for tourism comeback, says STB boss

Sep 25, 2020 Newsdesk Latest News, Singapore, Top of the deck  


Singapore up to 5 yrs for tourism comeback, says STB boss

Singapore’s inbound tourism market could take up to five years to recover from the damage caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, said on Thursday the chief executive of Singapore Tourism Board (STB) during an online discussion panel.

“It will take many years, possibly three… to five years for… international visitor arrivals to return to 2019 pre-Covid-19 levels,” said Keith Tan, as cited by local media.

The city-state’s two casino complexes, Marina Bay Sands and Resorts World Sentosa, have already flagged the fact that their hotel facilities are currently being marketed to domestic customers, in the absence of foreign visitors.

Education minister Lawrence Wong Shyun Tsai, who co-chairs the governmental task force tackling Covid-19, said on Wednesday that Singapore might move soon to phase three of the exit from the country’s so-called “circuit breaker” measures to counter the pandemic. The third phase is known as “safe nation”, but also as a “new normal,” until, in the words of the authorities, “an effective vaccine or treatment for Covid-19 is developed”.

Under phase three, gathering sizes would still be limited, and masks would still be needed for using public transport, according to the government’s main website.

This stage would also involve Singapore “gradually” reopening its borders, “for Singaporeans to conduct essential activities overseas and to allow safe travel for foreigners entering or transiting through Singapore”. But for now, the city-state is mostly closed to foreign visitors.

According to STB data for the calendar year to July 31, visitor arrivals fell to 2.7 million, down 76 percent year-on-year. In 2019, the tally of visitors was 19.1 million, up 3.3 percent year-on-year.

STB’s Mr Tan hinted that the recovery might involve smaller numbers of high-value tourists.

“We need to be prepared for travellers who are looking for more exclusive, smaller-scale or special experiences that are hard to find elsewhere, because we believe that in the years after Covid-19, people will not be travelling so frequently,” he told the discussion panel.

The tourism boss reiterated that the government would in the meantime do its best to help the country’s industry, via steps including boosting domestic demand for such services.

As of 12 noon on Thursday, Singapore had 294 active cases of Covid-19, according to the Ministry of Health. As of that date, the country had 57,333 discharged cases, and had recorded 27 deaths.


  • tweet
Related articles
  • GEN Singapore posts US$29mln 1Q profit, up sequentially
    GEN Singapore posts US$29mln 1Q...

    May 12, 2022  

  • Casino firm Paradise Co slips to negative EBITDA in 1Q
    Casino firm Paradise Co slips to...

    May 12, 2022  

More news
  • Manila Westside launch aim still 2024: Suntrust
    Manila Westside launch aim still 2024:...

    May 23, 2022  

  • L&W says plugged in to ETG needs of players, casinos
    L&W says plugged in to ETG needs...

    May 23, 2022  


Latest News

Manila Westside launch aim still 2024: Suntrust

Manila Westside launch aim still 2024: Suntrust

May 23, 2022  

The year 2024 is still the targeted start date for operation of a five-star hotel and casino complex at the Westside City Project (pictured in an artist’s rendering) in Manila, the Philippine...
Read More
L&W says plugged in to ETG needs of players, casinos

L&W says plugged in to ETG needs of players, casinos

May 23, 2022  

Review saw no irregularity in Levo Chan link: Macau Legend

Review saw no irregularity in Levo Chan link: Macau Legend

May 23, 2022  

Sign up to our FREE Newsletter

UB8V5.qr.16(Click here for more)

Pick of the Day

”We anticipate being live with iGaming products in two jurisdictions in the U.S. by the end of calendar year 2022"

Trevor Croker

Chief executive and managing director of Aristocrat Leisure



Most Popular

  • Foreign tourists can get S.Korean peninsula visa from June 1Foreign tourists can get S.Korean peninsula visa from June 1 May 20, 2022
  • Review saw no irregularity in Levo Chan link: Macau LegendReview saw no irregularity in Levo Chan link: Macau Legend May 23, 2022
  • Crown Resorts’ shareholders nod Blackstone bidCrown Resorts’ shareholders nod Blackstone bid May 20, 2022
  • Wynn CEO, Macau execs in base pay cut in return for sharesWynn CEO, Macau execs in base pay cut in return for shares May 17, 2022
Copyright 2014-2022 TEAM Publishing and Consultancy Ltd / All rights reserved
  • Code of Ethics
  • Privacy Policy
  • Useful Links
  • Contact Us