For the coming year, Singapore plans to leverage on several key tourism opportunities in the Middle East including in the cruise sector, according to Jason Ong, area director, Middle East and Africa, Singapore Tourism Board.

International cruise companies are strengthening their presence in the region and have been identified as a new growth opportunity for Singapore’s tourism sector, with an expected 1.5 million cruise passenger throughput for Asia expected by 2010. Ong said that as such, more international cruise companies were strengthening their presence in the region, using Singapore as a homeport for their ships as they cruise within Asia.
He added that a new international cruise terminal at Marina South will be developed by 2010, to ensure that Singapore has the right facilities to attract the new generation of larger cruise ships and that Singapore can successfully capitalise on the global and Asian market growth by becoming a major cruise hub.
The Singapore Tourism Board (STB) announced its 2008 targets of nearly $11 billion in tourism receipts and 10.8 million visitor arrivals.
Since 2004, visitor arrivals have increased by 25 per cent to 10.3 million, while tourism receipts have grown by 45 per cent to $9.7 billion in 2007.  To achieve its targets, Singapore has set its sights on an ambitious integrated tourism plan, which includes a number of high profile events to attract Middle Eastern travellers.
“The Singapore Tourism Board is building on the momentum of its great success in 2007 to drive even more impressive tourism results for 2008. Given Singapore’s strong line-up of events and activities this year, we are very confident that we will be able to raise the bar and reach these aggressive new goals,” said Ong.