India 4th largest inbound market for Singapore Tourism

Hyderabad, Jan 9 (UNI) India has become an important source of tourism arrivals with the country being the fourth largest inbound market for Singapore, contributing seven per cent of the total visitors in 2006.

Talking to newspersons here today, Singapore Tourism Board Regional Director (South Asia, Middle East and Africa) Siew Kheng Kang said Singapore's achievement of ten million visitors in 2007 surpasses 2006's record arrivals of 9.7 million, continuing an upward trend from 2004, when Singapore crossed the eight million mark.

Ms Kang said, ''Ten millionth visitor to Singapore was an Indian.

Over the years, India has become an important source of tourism arrivals for us, in the top five, in fact. Our top eight source cities in India contribute some 51 per cent of all arrivals from India, and among them, Hyderabad has registered double-digit growth in the last five years.'' With a line-up of new offerings starting in 2008, Singapore Tourism Board aims to position the island country as an ever-evolving destination. In the coming years, Singapore would be adding a lot of attractions like the Singapore Flyer, Giant Observation Wheel- first of its kind in Asia, formula one race and two integrated resorts.

Area Director (Southern India, Sri Lanka and Maldives) Kiran Bhandari said apart from the family audience, there was a growing segment of young working professionals, seeking short getaways from their hectic schedules to rejuvenate.

Mr Bhandari said Singapore witnessed adequate growth in the visitor arrivals from India last year and for the 2008, Singapore Tourism Board expects the trend to continue and more films from Andhra Pradesh being shot in Singapore to bring the island city closer to the State.

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