The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) has announced that Singapore is poised to surpass its historical record for international arrivals this year, outshining other prominent Southeast Asian destinations, including Thailand and the Philippines.

Recent findings indicate that international tourist numbers in Singapore are anticipated to reach nearly 16 million in 2025, marking a 9.6% increase compared to pre-pandemic figures from 2019.

A significant contributor to this growth is the surge in visitors from India, with arrivals projected to rise from just over 1.11 million in 2019 to an all-time high of 1.25 million in 2025.

Despite a sluggish global recovery in Chinese outbound travel, Singapore is set to welcome a record influx of Chinese tourists this year, with projections nearing 2.8 million visitors. This sets the stage for continued growth into 2026.

Thailand is also on track to achieve a historic peak in international arrivals this year, with an expected 5% increase. Meanwhile, the Philippines is likely to come very close to its 2019 peak.

Malaysia is forecasted to experience a robust 10% growth in international visitors compared to 2019, potentially exceeding its previous high from 2016 by approximately 7% this year.

Explosive Growth in Singapore’s Travel & Tourism Sector

In 2024, Singapore’s Travel & Tourism industry is projected to inject $66.1 billion into the nation’s economy, representing 9.8% of the total GDP while creating a record-breaking 570,000 jobs.

Looking ahead, the sector is anticipated to contribute nearly $80 billion by the end of the decade, which is 19% higher than its peak in 2019. Additionally, employment in the industry is set to exceed 637,000 jobs, marking an increase of more than 90,000 positions compared to 2019.

Pioneering Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) in Singapore

Singapore has made significant strides in reducing its Travel & Tourism sector’s carbon emissions, achieving a 4.1% annual decrease from 2019 to 2023. This effort lowered the sector’s carbon footprint from 23.5% to 18.4%.

Despite hosting the world’s largest SAF production facility, sustainable energy currently powers less than 2.5% of the industry. However, a new SAF mandate will require all departing flights from Singapore to use at least 1% SAF by 2026. In comparison, other leading tourism destinations, including the United Kingdom and Japan, aim for 10% SAF adoption by 2030.

Catalyzing Economic Growth Across Southeast Asia

In 2024, the Travel & Tourism sector is forecasted to contribute almost $379 billion USD to Southeast Asia’s economy, accounting for 9.7% of the region’s GDP while supporting approximately 42.5 million jobs.

By 2030, the sector’s economic impact is expected to soar to nearly $551 billion USD, reflecting a 48% increase from 2019. Employment within the industry is also projected to reach 51.5 million jobs, representing a rise of over 10 million jobs since 2019.

Environmental Impact and Future Mandates in Southeast Asia

Between 2019 and 2023, Southeast Asia’s Travel & Tourism industry reduced its environmental impact by 7% annually, decreasing its share from over 10% to just under 7% of the region’s total emissions.

Currently, sustainable energy sources supply just under 5.5% of the industry’s power needs. The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) is urging Southeast Asian governments to accelerate SAF mandates and increase the minimum usage requirements to further enhance environmental sustainability.

The post Here’s how Singapore’s International Tourism Surge Will Shatter All Records In 2025 appeared first on Travel And Tour World.