India continued to be an important source market for Singapore’s tourism sector in the first half of 2026, with visitor arrivals crossing 600,000 between January and June, reflecting consistent and steady growth. The market also delivered a strong performance on tourism receipts, recording S$374 million in Q1 2026, up 8% year-on-year and the highest growth among all source markets. This underscores Singapore’s enduring appeal among Indian travellers and their growing appetite for quality leisure, lifestyle and business experiences.
Building on this momentum, the Singapore Tourism Board (STB) is deepening its long-term growth strategy in India through strategic partnerships, new destination experiences and targeted marketing initiatives. Together, these efforts are designed to drive quality visitation, encourage repeat travel and strengthen Singapore’s position as the destination of choice for both leisure and MICE travellers from India.
“India’s consistent performance is particularly meaningful given the global headwinds the travel industry has had to navigate in recent times. It is a testament to the strong relationships we have built with Indian travellers, our airline partners and the travel trade over the years. As we look ahead, our focus remains on working closely with our partners to keep Singapore fresh, accessible and compelling — while continuing to drive quality travel and deepen the market’s long-term potential” said Markus Tan, Regional Director (India, Middle East, South Asia & Africa), Singapore Tourism Board.
STRENGTHENING STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIPS ACROSS THE TRAVEL ECOSYSTEM
As India continues to be a key growth market, the Singapore Tourism Board (STB) is expanding collaborations across travel, aviation and business events to strengthen Singapore’s appeal and drive high-quality tourism from India.
STB has partnered with MakeMyTrip, India’s leading online travel platform, on a pan-India destination campaign running from July to November 2026, promoting Singapore hotel stays and holiday packages of four nights or more. The campaign reaches travellers through MakeMyTrip BLACK, as well as HSBC Premier members through a separate collaboration with MakeMyTrip and HSBC India. Beyond consumer marketing, the partnership activates travel agents nationwide through MakeMyTrip’s B2B platform, myPartner, while a MICE roadshow in New Delhi and a leisure trade roadshow in Mumbai will further strengthen Singapore’s presence across both the business and leisure travel segments.
GROWING MOMENTUM IN MICE AND CRUISE TOURISM
Singapore continues to strengthen its position as one of Asia’s premier MICE destinations. Building on the successful hosting of over 6,000 Sun Pharma delegates last year — one of the largest Indian corporate incentive movements on record — STB is seeing sustained momentum across the corporate travel segment. Recent group movements include Google India, ICICI Lombard and Arvind Limited, with a strong pipeline of further movements expected through the remainder of the year from the BSFI, Pharmaceutical, IT & Tech, FMCG, Automotive and Manufacturing industries.
Complementing this is the Singapore Hotels Incentives for Business Events (SHINE) programme, which provides meeting planners with preferential accommodation rates, exclusive delegate experiences and value-added benefits across a wide portfolio of hotel partners, making Singapore an even more compelling destination for business events.
Singapore is further cementing its position as a leading regional cruise hub. Since its maiden voyage in March 2026, the year-round deployment of Disney Adventure is broadening Singapore’s appeal beyond traditional family holidays, opening up new opportunities across milestone celebrations, multigenerational travel and corporate incentive groups.
A DESTINATION THAT CONTINUES TO EVOLVE
Singapore continues to expand its tourism landscape with compelling new experiences that give travellers fresh reasons to return. Recent additions include Rainforest Wild Adventure and Exploria at Mandai Wildlife Reserve, the transformed Singapore Oceanarium at Resorts World Sentosa, and the IMBA Theatre at Gardens by the Bay — reflecting the destination’s ongoing investment in diverse, high-quality offerings for both first-time and repeat visitors.
On the cruise front, Singapore is set for an exciting period of growth. Navigator of the Seas will be homeported in Singapore for a full year from October 2026 to October 2027, followed by the return of Voyager of the Seas from January to April 2028 with fresh regional itineraries — further reinforcing Singapore’s standing as a leading cruise hub in Asia.
Complementing these offerings is a year-round calendar of world-class events spanning sports, entertainment, culture and lifestyle. From the Formula 1 Singapore Airlines Singapore Grand Prix to major concerts by Post Malone, The Weeknd and BTS, Singapore continues to offer experiences that extend well beyond sightseeing and give travellers compelling reasons to visit throughout the year.
ENGAGING THE NEXT GENERATION OF TRAVELLERS
Alongside its focus on families, STB is deepening its engagement with Millennials and Gen Z, who increasingly seek culturally relevant, entertainment-led travel experiences. STB’s global “We Don’t Wait For Fun” campaign, rolled out across nine markets including India, positions Singapore as a vibrant destination for live entertainment, nightlife, music, food, culture and lifestyle, while equipping travel trade partners with assets to drive consumer engagement.
This strategy is brought to life through a series of bold cultural collaborations. Earlier this year, STB partnered with Indian indie band Twin Strings on “Rhythms of Singapore”, a four-part music series showcasing the city through the band’s passions — from art and photography to nightlife. STB also collaborated with acclaimed rapper DIVINE on his music video “Saucy”, spotlighting Singapore’s diverse neighbourhoods through a contemporary cultural lens. Further expanding Singapore’s reach among younger, affluent audiences, STB worked with Vogue India and Esquire India on digital-first content featuring personalities such as AP Dhillon, Sawai Padmanabh Singh and Gauravi Kumari.
Building on the success of its first edition, Friends of Singapore 2.0 will evolve into an always-on digital initiative, partnering with influencers to regularly spotlight Singapore’s new and evolving experiences for Indian consumers — keeping the destination top-of-mind year-round.
Together, these efforts reflect STB’s commitment to India as a priority market — built not just on numbers, but on genuine cultural connection and a deep understanding of evolving traveller needs. STB looks forward to working closely with its trade and industry partners to translate this momentum into sustained, meaningful growth.
