Overcrowding in top attractions affects culture, overall experience: McKinsey

Density and environmental impact present minimal risks.

As the city-state welcomes a surge of tourists, overcrowding in popular attractions could affect the spot's culture and heritage as well as the overall experience of visitors, according to a report by McKinsey & Company.

McKinsey experts said the city is capable of hosting a high volume of tourists thanks to its modern infrastructure, efficient transit systems, cutting-edge innovation and leading practices. 

The firm ranks Lion City 56th out of 65 global cities in terms of  density of tourist visits relative to the city's geographical area or inbound visits per square kilometre. The foot traffic, however, tends to be concentrated in famous destinations due to its limited land mass.

In its State of Tourism and Hospitality 2024 report, McKinsey warned that overcrowding could affect tfhe integrity of cultural sites and potentially result in adverse experiences for tourists and locals.

To address this, it said developments are underway to open more destinations and ease the pressure off of existing attractions.

“Recent development projects have expanded the depth and breadth of tourist offerings, creating new attractions that could help increase the city’s carrying capacity and keep it primed for future growth,” it said.

Overall, McKinsey ranked risks to culture and visitor experience as the city-state's two biggest risks from concentrated tourism. 

Overcrowding in popular areas also risks overloading Singapore’s top-notch infrastructure but to a lesser extent, according to the report.

Tourist density, dependence of the domestic economy on tourism and environmental impact, meanwhile, present minimal threats for the city-state.

McKinsey's global report examined the post-pandemic trends shaping tourism and hospitality worldwide.

It includes an analysis of destination readiness across 65 cities, including Singapore, evaluated based on a set of metrics that assess the potential impact of concentrated tourism.

The World Economic Forum ranked Singapore as the top performer in travel and tourism development in Southeast Asia.