Singapore Q2 tourism receipts down 6.2% at S$7.21 billion amid global uncertainty
International visitor arrivals are 6.6% lower than a year ago
Singapore collected S$7.21 billion in tourism receipts during the second quarter of 2026, reflecting a 6.2 percent decline compared to the previous year. This drop in revenue corresponded to a 6.6 percent reduction in international visitor arrivals, totaling 3.76 million in Q2, amid ongoing global uncertainty. Meanwhile, visitor spending for the quarter experienced a steeper decline of 15.4 percent, plummeting from S$8.51 billion in the previous quarter.
Despite these challenging conditions, the city-state's tourism performance for the first half of 2026 remained broadly stable, with total tourism receipts reaching S$15.71 billion, marking a mere 0.3 percent decrease year-over-year. This stability was supported by a 1.7 percent decline in visitor arrivals, amounting to 8.19 million people in Q2.
The decline in tourism receipts across various components of Singapore's tourism industry was largely consistent, with the sightseeing, entertainment, and gaming segment (SEG) recording the steepest drop of 15.4 percent to S$1.58 billion. Food and beverage (F&B) spending saw a 9.8 percent decrease, while accommodation saw an 8.4 percent decrease, and shopping decreased by 1.5 percent.
However, a more encouraging note emerged from the H1 2026 performance, with three of the five key components (shopping, SEG, and other components) experiencing year-on-year increases. This upward trend was driven by new luxury flagship openings since late 2025, such as Van Cleef & Arpels' first duplex in South-east Asia at ION Orchard and the Loewe Foundation Craft Prize 2026.
Additionally, Singapore's local retail scene offered unique shopping experiences, including Dors at Design Orchard featuring local brands and the expanded New Bahru cluster. Despite these positive developments, China remained the primary contributor to tourism spending, with Chinese tourists contributing S$965.5 million, a 1.9 percent decrease from the same period last year.
Indonesia and Australia followed as significant contributors, while the United States saw higher tourist spending compared to India.
Written by urgent.news from The Business Times - Singapore's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
Also reported by 1 other outlet
- Singapore Q2 tourism receipts down 6.2% at S$7.21 billion amid global uncertainty businesstimes.com.sg
