Singapore among top Chinese New Year destinations: report

Tourists spend a lot on shopping, local food and attractions.

Singapore was ranked as the 6th most popular destination worldwide for Chinese tourists and 5th for Asian tourists, according to a report by Alipay. 

Based on data from Alipay+, the report found that the city-state was among the top markets by Chinese and Asian tourists for Chinese New Year, alongside Thailand and Malaysia. 

Spending in the city-state in the first seven days of Chinese New Year was reportedly comparable to pre-Covid levels such as in 2019. Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand combined saw a 7.5% increase in Chinese tourists over 2019, and a 580% increase from 2023 levels.

The increased travel and higher spending was partially attributed to the 30-day visa-free travel implemented between China and Singapore. Other than shopping, tourists in the Lion City spent more on attractions, local food and everyday conveniences like taxis and convenience stores.

"Globally, we have seen an increase in Chinese tourists in markets that have introduced visa-free policy and we believe that this is a positive development to welcoming more Chinese tourists to Singapore in 2024,” Cherry Huang, general manager of Alipay+ offline merchant services at Ant International, said.