Singapore saw about 2.9 million tourists from China in the first 11 months of last year, overtaking Indonesia as the top source of visitors. Many Chinese visitors to Singapore are now travelling in smaller groups who prefer free and easy options. SINGAPORE: Chinese visitors – courted by many for their tourist dollars – are returning to Singapore, but gone are the large tour groups in chartered buses. Instead, many of the visitors are now travelling in smaller groups who prefer free and easy options, industry players said. They are also requesting cultural experiences and opting for the road less travelled. "As they are not first-timers in Singapore anymore … They are looking for new experiences. No more Universal Studios, but perhaps a tour to the heartlands, seeing the life of a local Singaporean,” said CEO of Oriental Travel & Tours Stanley Foo. He added that other newer options on offer by his agency are tours to lesser-known destinations like Pulau Ubin and Kusu Island. Spurred by others sharing their experiences on social media platforms like Xiaohongshu, also known as Rednote or Little Red Book, Chinese visitors are increasingly opting for shorter and more personalised tours, said Mr Wyman Poon, honorary secretary at the Society of Tourist Guides Singapore. With about 2.9 million tourists in the first 11 months of last year, China overtook Indonesia as Singapore's top source of visitors. The figure was 3.35 million over the same period in 2019, before COVID-19 struck. While their numbers are not up to pre-pandemic times, they stayed for longer here on average last year – 3.8 days, up from 3.04 days in 2019. SHIFT AWAY FROM SHOPPING As they seek to discover more unique aspects of Singapore, Chinese tourists, who have been known for splurging on luxury items while on holiday, have gradually shifted away from such habits. “For the Chinese in general, in the past, it was all about consumerism. It was about buying branded goods. But now, they are at the stage of their development that they want experience,” said Mr Poon. As a result of the pandemic and its economic impact, Chinese travellers are now more careful about how they spend their money, said Mr Benjamin Cassim, senior lecturer at the Temasek Polytechnic’s School of Business. “Previously, the majority of their activities were based on shopping. But now they've said: ‘Okay, shopping is important, but not the mainstay of why we travel’. The drivers and the motivations are a bit different now, so they're more looking for experiences,” he added. China's economy has been sluggish due to factors like a property crisis, weak consumer demand, and high debt levels. Some shops, like luxury pre-loved items label Nee Vintage, have experienced this change in Chinese tourists’ behaviour. Chinese visitors accounted for about 70 per cent of sales before 2022, but they now contribute to only around 30 per cent, said its product and sales manager. TRAVELLING WITH FAMILY The shift in Chinese tourist demographics and spending patterns has had an impact on the hospitality industry in Singapore, said Mr William Haandrikman, managing director of hotels Fairmont Singapore and Swissôtel The Stamford. “Since the pandemic, we’ve seen a noticeable increase in family and multigenerational travel from China,” he said, adding that 15 per of the hotels’ guests are families from China. “This surge in family travel is partly driven by Singapore’s reputation as a safe and secure destination, which has become a key deciding factor for travellers in a post-pandemic world,” he added. This has led to a growing demand for connecting and family rooms, he said. To better serve the Chinese market, Accor, which manages the hotels, has introduced a programme in collaboration with Chinese tech firm Alibaba to ensure that its hotels are fully equipped to cater to these travellers. This includes offering Chinese-language services, Chinese dishes on menus, Chinese-speaking staff, and payment systems such as Alipay. Source: CNA/ja(dn)

Chinese tourists in Singapore increasingly looking for experiences, free and easy travel

Singapore witnessed approximately 2.9 million Chinese tourists in the first eleven months of 2024, surpassing Indonesia as the leading source of visitors. These tourists are now seeking unique experiences and shorter, personalized tours, shifting away from traditional shopping habits. The shift is influenced by the post-pandemic economic environment and changing consumer behavior in China, where the focus is increasingly on cultural experiences and family travel.