Singapore expects pre-Covid level visitors from India this year

Singapore anticipates reaching pre-Covid visitor levels from India in 2025, with the country currently at 85% of the 2019 figures. India remains a crucial source market, recording 1.20 million visitors in 2024, making it Singapore’s third-largest market after China and Indonesia, said senior officials of the Asian city-state.

In 2019, some 1.42 million visitors from India visited Singapore. While travel has evolved post-pandemic, India remains one of the strongest outbound travel markets in the Asia-Pacific. Markus Tan, regional director (India, Middle East, South Asia & Africa), Singapore Tourism Board (STB), told ET. “Momentum is expected to remain strong. The entire outbound for India has been growing leaps and bounds.”

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The 2023 figure of 1.07 million visitors was surpassed early in 2024, officials said.

Singapore’s accessibility from India remains a key driver of visitor growth. Currently, 280 plus weekly flights connect 17 Indian cities to Singapore, with a flight time of 3.5 to 5 hours.

However, flights remain fewer than pre-Covid between India and Singapore.

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“We acknowledge the growing demand for increased air capacity. The expansion of flight operations depends on the terms of the existing air services agreement. We are working with partners to optimize connectivity,” Tan said.

Some 13.6 million international travellers visited Singapore in 2023, with India contributing 1.07 million arrivals. In 2024, Indian visitor numbers rose to 1.20 million, making it Singapore’s third-largest source market. “India’s appetite for travel to Singapore continues to grow, supported by enhanced connectivity, cultural exchanges, and rising disposable incomes,” said Tan.

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From an outbound perspective, Singapore’s business interest in India remains strong.

“Our business interest in India has been very sustained. The number of Indian companies registered in Singapore has been increasing, and interest from Singaporean companies to enter India is much higher,” said Cheong Ming Foong, Consul-General for the Republic of Singapore High Commission in Mumbai.

Singapore is currently ranked 12th in trade with India, with the potential to break into the top 10. "It’s looking good. Our commercial relationship has a firm foundation, and I am confident trade between our nations will continue to expand," said Cheong.

Singapore has been promoting the Disney Cruise Line’s new Disney Adventure.

Tan said that while it will have a year-round homeport in Singapore, it is unlikely to call at Indian ports. “At this point, I’m not sure about India’s port infrastructure to sustain large cruise lines and the kind of throughput Disney Cruise Line will get.”

However, he affirmed that cruise tourism remains a key growth area.

Cruise tourism remains a high-growth segment for Indian travelers.

In 2023, over 100,000 Indian visitors travelled to Singapore to cruise, accounting for 24% of Singapore’s global cruise arrivals.

Resorts World Cruises will launch its presence in India with the Resorts World One cruise ship, operating from Mumbai between March 5 and June 1, 2025. Tan acknowledged the strong cruise demand but added, “the level of interest in cruises among Indian tourists is very strong, but homeporting depends on facilities available for MRO (maintenance, repair and operations) and refueling.”