Singapore sees over 1.2 million Indian visitors in 2025: What drove growth

Indian arrivals edged up from 2024, while spending rose to S$1.17 billion amid campaigns, UPI rollout, airline tie-ups and new attractions

Over 1.2 million Indians visited Singapore in 2025, according to the latest data released by the Singapore Tourism Board (STB) on Tuesday, reinforcing India’s position as one of Singapore’s key source markets.

 

Indian arrivals rose by around 1 per cent from 2024, even as Singapore recorded steady overall growth in international travel. International visitor arrivals reached 16.9 million in 2025, a 2.3 per cent increase compared to the previous year.

 

“2025 marked a milestone year for Singapore-India tourism as we celebrated 60 years of diplomatic ties. We’re heartened that over a million Indian visitors chose Singapore, driving robust tourism spending and showing continued confidence in our destination,” said Markus Tan, regional director, India, Middle East, South Asia and Africa, Singapore Tourism Board.

   

Tourism receipts also moved higher. Global tourism receipts touched S$23.9 billion in the first three quarters of 2025, up 6.5 per cent year-on-year and the highest recorded for that period. Spending by Indian visitors totalled S$1.17 billion during the same period, marking a 5 per cent increase from 2024.

 

India’s growing contribution to tourism receipts comes in a year that marked 60 years of diplomatic relations between India and Singapore.

 

India market sees wider engagement beyond leisure travel

 

The Singapore Tourism Board rolled out several India-focused initiatives in 2025 to support travel growth. In January, it launched the year-long ‘Just Between Us Friends’ campaign, working with travel agencies, airlines, payment firms and shopping malls to offer deals for Indian travellers.

 

The campaign also extended to meetings, incentives, conventions and exhibitions (MICE), with exclusive privileges for Indian incentive groups travelling between August 2025 and March 2026. These partnerships included Sentosa, IndiGo, Singapore Airlines and island hotels.

 

STB also expanded its marketing outreach through partnerships with Nickelodeon, the 60 Insiders advocacy panel and Gamechangers Studio. In June, the ‘Is This Even Singapore’ social media campaign under the Friends of Singapore programme featured content creators sharing travel experiences from the city-state. The campaign reached more than 145 million people, according to STB.

 

Another family-focused campaign, ‘FamJam in Singapore’, ran with Nickelodeon and included content integration and an interactive game. The campaign won a gold award at the GEMA Asia Awards 2025.

 

Payment and connectivity partnerships expand

 

To improve on-ground travel convenience, STB partnered with NPCI International to enable UPI payments across more than 130,000 merchants in Singapore, including duty-free outlets at Changi Airport.

 

In July 2025, STB signed its first memorandum of understanding with an Indian airline, IndiGo, to support leisure and business travel from India.

 

New attractions in 2025

 

Several new attractions opened in 2025, adding to Singapore’s visitor offerings.

 

• Rainforest Wild opened as Singapore’s fifth wildlife park and Asia’s first adventure-based zoological park

• Curiosity Cove launched at Mandai Wildlife Reserve as Singapore’s largest indoor playscape, with more than 30 experiential features

• Jurassic World: The Experience debuted at Gardens by the Bay’s Cloud Forest

• Singapore Oceanarium opened at Resorts World Sentosa

 

Existing attractions also saw upgrades. Chinatown Heritage Centre reopened with immersive exhibits and character-led tours. SuperPark expanded with new climbing walls, trampoline arenas and a games arena. Singapore Flyer refreshed its Time Capsule experience, featuring 10 interactive zones tracing Singapore’s 700-year history.

 

“Looking ahead, the outlook for Indian outbound travel remains exceptionally strong, and STB is positioned to ride this growth momentum,” Tan said. “We’re launching targeted campaigns for millennials, Gen Z and family segments, while expanding into cities beyond the metros and continuing our engagement with Indian corporate and travel partners.”