Singapore has set out a long-term roadmap to reshape its visitor economy, placing greater emphasis on value, sustainability and business events rather than chasing headline visitor volumes. Unveiled at the ASEAN Tourism Forum and TRAVEX 2026 in Cebu, the Tourism Strategy 2040 outlines how the city-state plans to drive higher-yield growth, enhance visitor experiences and strengthen the resilience of its tourism sector over the next 15 years. Speaking at the briefing, Singapore Tourism Board (STB) said the strategy reflects shifting traveller expectations and a more uncertain global economic backdrop, while building on the destination’s solid post-pandemic recovery.Higher spend, not just higher numbers Singapore’s 2025 performance shows a clear move towards quality over quantity. International arrivals reached around 15.5 million between January and November, up three per cent year-on-year, with full-year figures expected to land between 17 million and 18.5 million. More significantly, visitor spending is growing faster than arrivals. Tourism receipts hit S$15.7bn in the first half of 2025 alone, representing a five per cent increase, underlining stronger per-capita spend. Average length of stay has also returned to around 3.5 days, broadly in line with pre-pandemic levels. Hotel performance has remained robust, with average occupancy above 82 per cent despite an increase of around 800 new rooms, taking total national supply to approximately 74,000. Mainland China, Indonesia and Malaysia continue to lead as source markets by volume, while China, Indonesia and Australia rank among the top contributors by spend. Targeting S$50bn in receipts by 2040. At the heart of the Tourism Strategy 2040 is a long-term ambition to grow tourism receipts to between S$47bn and S$50bn by the end of the next decade. Growth is expected to be driven primarily by higher visitor spend rather than a dramatic rise in total arrivals. The strategy aims to position Singapore as a world-class destination offering distinctive, premium experiences, while remaining a liveable and attractive city for residents. MICE takes centre stage. Business events are a core pillar of the new roadmap. Singapore is targeting a threefold increase in MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions) tourism receipts by 2040. MICE travellers typically spend almost twice as much as leisure visitors, making the segment a key driver of high-yield growth. Plans include securing long-term global event partnerships, anchoring major international exhibitions and developing a new large-scale MICE hub in the city centre. Singapore already holds a long-standing position as a leading Asia-Pacific meetings destination, and the new strategy is designed to reinforce that status. Stopovers and targeted leisure segments STB is also focusing on specific leisure audiences, including families, active seniors, young professionals and Gen Z and millennial travellers. Transit traffic is another major opportunity. The future Terminal 5 at Changi Airport, due to open in the mid-2030s, is expected to add capacity for around 50 million additional passengers annually, significantly increasing the potential for short-stay stopovers. New attractions and hotel investment. A steady pipeline of new attractions and tourism precinct upgrades is designed to maintain destination appeal. Developments include Minion Land at Universal Studios Singapore, new Mandai wildlife attractions such as Rainforest Wild Asia and Curiosity Cove, and the Singapore Oceanarium at Resorts World Sentosa. Further ahead, a Porsche Experience Center near Changi and a new wellness-focused district at Marina South are also in development. On the accommodation front, upcoming projects include Raffles Sentosa Singapore, Mandai Rainforest Resort by Banyan Tree and new international lifestyle hotel brands. Major expansions are also planned at Marina Bay Sands and Resorts World Sentosa by 2030, adding luxury rooms, entertainment and enhanced MICE facilities.Events, cruises and industry capability Singapore will continue to leverage major events, concerts, festivals and sporting fixtures as part of its destination strategy. A cruise terminal expansion completed in late 2025 is supporting increased homeporting, including the launch of Disney Adventure cruises from Singapore.The third pillar of the strategy focuses on building a future-ready tourism workforce and trade. Initiatives include productivity programmes for travel agencies, digital and data analytics training, and innovation support through the Singapore Tourism Accelerator. STB said the overall aim is to ensure long-term resilience, with growth balanced by sustainability, cultural vitality and stronger economic returns for the wider tourism ecosystem.
