Among the all-touristy things in Singapore, Indian travelers love visiting Chinatown and Little India there. The Komala Vilas Vegetarian Restaurant and Rang Mahal restaurant are also equally popular.
These are some of the aspects that have contributed to the 14 percent growth in Indian travelers to Singapore. GB Srithar, Regional Director of the South Asia, Middle East and Africa regions in the Singapore Tourism Board talks to Moneycontrol on more.
Excerpts:
Q. Have Indians been taking more holidays to Singapore than before? Tell us a little about the numbers clocked in the last two years?
A. Indians have been holidaying in Singapore like never before. 2017 has been a record year for us with 1.27 million Indians travelling to Singapore. We saw a growth of 16 percent in inbound tourist count from India. While the numbers for 2018 are yet to come in, between January and November we have seen 1.32 million Indians travelling to Singapore which is 14 percent higher than same period last year. So I think we are on track to close 2018 with record numbers too.
In 2017, India took the third place in terms of the highest number of tourists. The top five countries in the list of tourists travelling to Singapore are China, Indonesia, India, Malaysia and Australia. In 2018 too, India has maintained its position.
Also from spending 4.5 days in Singapore, the average Indian traveller now spends 6 nights in the country.
Q. What are the reasons behind this growth?
A. Product evolution is one factor why Indians have shown interest in Singapore. Millennial travellers find the place a perfect partying and chilling spot. Besides, growth in cruise travel has also helped us grow our strength in terms of receiving more Indian guests. We had 1.27 lakh cruise passengers last year which is a growth of 25 percent against numbers recorded the previous year.
Increased air connectivity has also been a factor contributing to growing numbers. Currently, 18 Indian cities are directly connected with Singapore. The latest additions in 2018 – Singapore-Guwahati by Druk Air, and Singapore-Pune by Jet Airways – both daily flights. Singapore is also now connected directly to Vijaywada by IndiGo that flies the route thrice a week.
Q. What are places in Singapore that Indians prefer most?
A. Sentosa Island is a very popular location in Singapore amongst Indians where travellers spend at least 2-3 nights. Universal Studios is another popular spot.
The Maritime Experiential Museum, the night safari, Garden by the Bay and the zoo are some of the most preferred locations for Indian guests.
Q. Tell us about the upcoming art collaboration with India.
A. Artists from Singapore are flying down to Delhi to create artworks and set up art installations in Lodhi Colony. The event, which will happen over a weekend and will be called Singapore Weekender, will have other things too. There will be collaborations as well between Singaporean and Indian artists.
This initiative is a part of the tourism board’s brand campaign called 'Passion Made Possible', which was launched in 2017.
Q. What is your outlook for 2019?
A. India being an important source market for Singapore, we will continue trying to maintain India’s position as a major market. We tied up with a lot of Indian players last year like Ola, Paytm, Wedmegood and others to run promotions and content. In addition, we did a collaboration with Ilayaraja and also with Dharma Productions for their film Badrinath ki Dulhaniya, where they showed Singapore for 35 minutes in the film. We will look forward to more such collaborations and hope to continue the growth story.
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