http://www.straitstimes.com/Breaking+News/Singapore/Story/STIStory_395702.html
Visitor arrivals down 13%
By Lim Wei Chean, Correspondent
Last month, Singapore received 730,000 foreign visitors, down 13 per cent from the same period last year. -- PHOTO: BT
MAY saw the return of double digit decline in tourism arrivals just when tourism industry thought the worst was over when the rate of decline stopped falling so sharply in April.
Last month, Singapore received 730,000 foreign visitors, down 13 per cent from the same period last year.
Visitor days have also fallen 10.6 per cent year on year to reach 3.1 million days.
The Singapore Tourism Board, in a statement released on Friday, attributed part of the fall in arrivals to the spread of the global outbreak of Influenza A (H1N1) affecting markets like China and Japan.
Hotels continued to take a beating with average room occupancy hitting 69 per cent, one of the lowest levels since Sars years.
Hotel revenue was estimated to drop a steep 37.7 per cent to reach $112 million.
Average room rates too fell 25.4 per cent year on year to hit $184, a level not seen since July 2007.
With community spreading now a concern in Singapore, industry players expect the industry to be hit further in the months ahead.
Visitor arrivals down 13%
By Lim Wei Chean, Correspondent
Last month, Singapore received 730,000 foreign visitors, down 13 per cent from the same period last year. -- PHOTO: BT
MAY saw the return of double digit decline in tourism arrivals just when tourism industry thought the worst was over when the rate of decline stopped falling so sharply in April.
Last month, Singapore received 730,000 foreign visitors, down 13 per cent from the same period last year.
Visitor days have also fallen 10.6 per cent year on year to reach 3.1 million days.
The Singapore Tourism Board, in a statement released on Friday, attributed part of the fall in arrivals to the spread of the global outbreak of Influenza A (H1N1) affecting markets like China and Japan.
Hotels continued to take a beating with average room occupancy hitting 69 per cent, one of the lowest levels since Sars years.
Hotel revenue was estimated to drop a steep 37.7 per cent to reach $112 million.
Average room rates too fell 25.4 per cent year on year to hit $184, a level not seen since July 2007.
With community spreading now a concern in Singapore, industry players expect the industry to be hit further in the months ahead.
