Singapore tourist arrivals rise to record in July

SINGAPORE, Aug 31 (Reuters) Singapore attracted a record number of tourists in July, with visitors rising 4 per cent from a year ago to 951,000, the government said today.

The city-state has identified tourism as a key services industry and expects 2007 to be a record year in terms of tourist arrivals as it tries to reduce the island's dependence on manufacturing and exports.

''This is the highest number of visitors we have ever received in any single month,'' Lim Hng Kiang, minister for trade and industry, said in a speech at an event.

More than half the visitors in July to the Southeast Asian city came from the Asia-Pacific countries of Indonesia, China, Australia, India, and Malaysia.

Singapore, with a population of 4.5 million people, hopes to welcome 17 million people a year by 2015 from nearly 10 million in 2006.

The city-state, which at around 700 sq kilometres is less than half the size of Greater London, is building two casinos, a 165 metre-high Ferris wheel, and will host Formula One races as of next year to turn itself from a manufacturing centre into a holiday destination.

It is also expanding its airport and building new shopping malls.

REUTERS GL SSC1050