SINGAPORE welcomed 766,000 visitors in September, up 7.1 per cent from a year ago and was a record for the month

SINGAPORE welcomed 766,000 visitors in September, up 7.1 per cent from a year ago and was a record for the month, official data released yesterday shows.

Figures from the Singapore Tourism Board (STB) show that Indonesia, China, Australia, India and Japan were the top five visitor-generating markets last month.

Together, the five countries accounted for more than half - or 51 per cent - of all visitor arrivals to Singapore.

Among the top 15 markets, visitor arrivals from Vietnam, China and Australia registered the highest growths for the month, STB said.Visitor arrivals from Vietnam rose 24.3 per cent in September 2007 over the corresponding month last year, while arrivals from China and Australia grew 19.8 per cent and 19.7 per cent respectively.

On the back of improved visitor numbers, gazetted hotels in Singapore generated some $152.2 million in room revenue last month - up 7.4 per cent over September 2006. This set a new record for September, STB added.

The average room rate also rose to an estimated $201, representing a 4.6 per cent rise over September 2006 and setting another record for the month.

STB also said that the average occupancy rate for hotels was estimated to have reached 85 per cent for the month, a 3.4 percentage point increase on September 2006.

Singapore saw 913,000 visitors in August. And in July, the country welcomed 952,000 visitors, a record number for any month.

Source : Business Times - 24 Oct 2007