Singapore tourism receipts hit record S$32.8 billion in 2025: Grace Fu
S$740 million will be added to the Tourism Development Fund over the next five years to support Singapore's ambitions under Tourism 2040.
Minister-in-charge of Trade Relations and Sustainability and the Environment Grace Fu speaking at the Tourism Industry Conference on May 8, 2026. (Photo: CNA/Abigail Ng)
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SINGAPORE: Singapore’s tourism sector hit a new high in 2025, with receipts reaching a record S$32.8 billion (US$25.9 billion), Minister-in-charge of Trade Relations Grace Fu said on Friday (May 8). The previous record was S$29.8 billion in 2024.
Alongside the strong performance, Ms Fu announced an additional S$740 million in funding for the Tourism Development Fund over the next five years, building on the more than S$300 million injected in 2024.
"Our strong performance in 2025 is encouraging, but we cannot afford to be complacent. There are challenges on the horizon, given the Middle East energy crisis and its knock-on effects on consumer spending," Ms Fu said at the Tourism Industry Conference 2026.
"This funding will support our ambitions under Tourism 2040, charting the next chapter of growth and ensuring that Singapore remains a compelling destination," Ms Fu, who is also Minister for Sustainability and the Environment, said.
Among other things, the fund will allocate S$5 million to a grant meant to help businesses undertake marketing activities and build attendance for business events in Singapore. Another S$5 million will go to a market access fund to help firms grow their presence in new markets, she said.
Under Tourism 2040, STB projects tourism receipts to reach between S$47 billion and S$50 billion by 2040.
Also speaking at the same conference, Singapore Tourism Board chief executive Melissa Ow said that Singapore welcomed 16.9 million visitors in 2025, marking progress towards its Tourism 2040 goal.
The growth was driven by key achievements last year, with Changi Airport welcoming an all-time high of nearly 70 million passenger movements. Cruise traffic also exceeded two million passengers last year.
However, Ms Ow cautioned that demand is expected to be muted in the coming months amid global headwinds, with the conflict in the Middle East posing challenges to the tourism industry.
"Our tourism businesses are under strain from the crisis and the global uncertainty that persist," Ms Ow said, adding that while visitor arrivals grew 3 per cent year-on-year in the first quarter, demand may soften in the months ahead.
STB projects S$31 billion to S$32.5 billion in tourism receipts this year, and between 17 million and 18 million international visitor arrivals.
"STB has already stepped up our efforts to support our industry partners to overcome immediate challenges. We will monitor the situation and adjust our support as needed," Ms Ow said.
Speaking to reporters at the conference, Ms Ow described 2025's performance as "exceptional" and the growth as "exuberant", then reiterating that consumer sentiment has been affected by the Middle East conflict.
The tourism board is stepping up efforts to work with partners to drive demand over the short term and longer term, including by encouraging stakeholders to attract tourists from new markets, she said.
"It may not immediately yield a result, but it's something which we're hoping they will appreciate is critical as they build resilience and competitiveness in the mid to long term," she said.
NEW FACILITIES FOR CRUISE SECTOR
Against this backdrop, Singapore is pushing ahead with new developments to bolster the industry's sector performance and resilience, she said.
In the cruise sector, Ms Ow said that the Singapore Cruise Centre at HarbourFront will relocate to a new purpose-built facility — adjacent to the current terminal — set to open on Jul 15, 2026.
The new facility will feature a dedicated VIP lounge for premium travellers and an automated baggage handling system.
Looking further ahead, the authorities are studying the potential development of an Integrated Cruise and Ferry Terminal to support future cruise and ferry demand.
Ms Fu said the authorities are assessing the feasibility of locating the Integrated Cruise and Ferry Terminal at Straits View, adjacent to the Marina Bay Cruise Centre Singapore (MBCCS), as part of the broader Greater Southern Waterfront development.
The proposed terminal could accommodate three cruise berths and up to 10 ferry berths, with a passenger capacity of about 1.5 times that of the existing MBCCS and roughly double that of the HarbourFront Passenger Terminal.
DEVELOPMENTS AT SENTOSA
Ms Fu said that the Greater Sentosa Master Plan, comprising Sentosa and Pulau Brani, will be developed over the next two decades into a world-class tourism destination.
Pulau Brani, spanning 120 hectares, will have space for new hotels, attractions and experiences, while preserving the island’s natural elements.
Once completed, Greater Sentosa is projected to attract twice as many visitors as it does today.
Ms Ow said that Sentosa Development Corporation will launch design consultancy tenders to lay the groundwork for key components of the master plan in the coming months.
Other upcoming additions include immersive experiences such as a flight simulation experience by AltitudeX and a new day-to-night thrill ride at the upcoming SkySlides in SkyPark Sentosa.
Other new moves in tourism sector
Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions (MICE)
Singapore has identified Straits View near Marina Bay as the potential site for a new downtown MICE hub. STB will hold an industry networking session on May 15, followed by a Request for Information exercise to gather feedback on the project parameters. Developers are invited to partner MICE players to jointly submit bids for the Request for Proposal to be called in 2027.
- AI playbook for tourism
To keep pace with ongoing technology trends, STB has developed an AI playbook for tourism, which will help businesses in the sector accelerate AI adoption. Through the playbook, businesses can learn where and how to apply AI to improve operations and enhance visitor experience. - Inaugural Asia Cruise Investment Forum 2026
Key decision makers from regional governments and private sector partners will meet in Singapore to discuss port infrastructure developments in Southeast Asia to amplify the region's attractiveness for cruises. - Nurturing homegrown brands
In collaboration with Enterprise Singapore and DesignSingapore Council, STB will roll out the Singapore Collectibles Programme, an initiative which will assist local businesses to develop souvenirs with distinctive Singapore character and packaging.
- Technology solutions for tourism
A next phase of STB's Tourism Technology Transformation, or Tcube, will focus on scaling up solutions, such as using data analytics to unlock new growth opportunities, improving productivity and enabling a seamless visitor journey. STB will support the industry in piloting technologies to deliver value in the tourism ecosystem.
TV AND MUSIC
To attract visitors, STB is partnering with top international production companies to feature Singapore’s sights and local character across several projects.
Ms Ow announced a three-year partnership with South Korean production house Mr Romance.
Its first project, a financial feud drama titled "Buy King", was filmed in Singapore and stars actors Ju Ji Hoon and Lee Jun Ho.
STB also collaborated with Indonesian production house MD Entertainment over a romance film set in Singapore. The film "Ahlan Singapore” will be released on Netflix later this year.
Upcoming projects include a Japanese feature film “Magical Secret Tour”, a book-to-screen adaptation of Indonesian bestseller “Life is Beautiful” and Malaysian family drama “The Causeway”.
The board is also tapping into global music fandom by signing a three-year agreement with Universal Music Singapore, aimed at promoting travel to Singapore through their network of international artistes and fan experiences.
