Singapore is poised to break all tourism records in 2025, surpassing Southeast Asian peers with record international arrivals and strong growth from key markets.

Singapore Set to Shatter Tourism Records in 2025, Surpassing Southeast Asian Peers

The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) has unveiled fresh projections indicating that Singapore is primed to achieve an unprecedented boom in international tourist arrivals in 2025, leaving regional competitors like Thailand and the Philippines in its wake.

According to the latest insights, Singapore is expected to welcome close to 16 million overseas visitors in 2025 — a 9.6% increase compared to the peak figures recorded before the pandemic in 2019.

One of the biggest catalysts for this surge is the growing influx of travelers from India, where visitor numbers are set to climb from just over 1.11 million in 2019 to a record-breaking 1.25 million by 2025.

Despite the slower-than-anticipated recovery in outbound travel from China on a global scale, Singapore is preparing for a historic upswing in Chinese arrivals. Nearly 2.8 million Chinese visitors are expected in 2025, setting a strong foundation for even higher volumes in the years ahead.

Thailand is also forecast to exceed its all-time high this year, with an estimated 5% increase in international arrivals. Meanwhile, the Philippines is poised to come remarkably close to matching its pre-pandemic numbers from 2019.

In neighboring Malaysia, international visitation is projected to surge nearly 10% beyond 2019 levels. The country is on course to surpass its 2016 tourism peak by nearly 7% this year alone.

Travel & Tourism: A Major Growth Engine for Singapore

Travel and tourism are fast becoming cornerstones of Singapore’s economic landscape. In 2024 alone, the sector is projected to inject around $66.1 billion into the national economy, contributing nearly 9.8% to the country’s GDP and supporting a record 570,000 jobs.

Looking ahead, WTTC forecasts suggest that by 2030, the sector’s economic output could rise to nearly $80 billion — a staggering 19% increase over its pre-pandemic high in 2019. Employment in the industry is also predicted to climb beyond 637,000 jobs, reflecting an impressive gain of over 90,000 roles compared to 2019.

Driving Sustainability Through SAF Innovation

Singapore has made noteworthy progress in greening its travel sector. Between 2019 and 2023, carbon emissions from the Travel & Tourism industry declined by an average of 4.1% annually, bringing the sector’s emissions footprint down from 23.5% to 18.4%.

Despite being home to the world’s largest Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) facility, low-carbon fuels still account for less than 2.5% of the sector’s total energy usage. However, change is on the horizon — a new SAF mandate will require all outbound flights from Singapore to utilize at least 1% SAF starting in 2026.

Other global tourism markets are setting more ambitious benchmarks: the United Kingdom and Japan are both aiming for 10% SAF adoption by 2030. WTTC is advocating for Singapore to expedite its implementation timeline and raise its minimum SAF usage thresholds.

Tourism Powering Southeast Asia’s Economic Ascent

The Travel & Tourism industry continues to serve as a vital economic engine across Southeast Asia. In 2024, the sector is expected to contribute almost $379 billion to the region’s GDP — equating to 9.7% of total economic output — while sustaining an estimated 42.5 million jobs.

By 2030, WTTC forecasts that the sector’s economic footprint in Southeast Asia could swell to nearly $551 billion — a remarkable 48% growth over 2019 levels. Employment within the sector is also expected to hit 51.5 million jobs, an increase of more than 10 million since before the pandemic.

Addressing the Region’s Environmental Challenges

While economic contributions continue to rise, Southeast Asia’s Travel & Tourism sector has made modest gains in environmental sustainability. From 2019 to 2023, emissions linked to the sector declined by 7% annually, reducing its share of the region’s total carbon output from over 10% to under 7%.

Nevertheless, the adoption of cleaner energy sources remains limited. Currently, just under 5.5% of the sector’s energy is derived from low-carbon alternatives. WTTC is urging regional governments to act swiftly and establish stronger mandates to accelerate the transition to sustainable energy sources — including fast-tracking SAF integration.

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