Singapore braces for 30% plunge in tourism after virus outbreak

Singapore could see a 25% to 30% decline in tourist arrivals and spending this year because of the coronavi rus outbreak, as the industry braces for a worse impact than the 2003 SARS pandemic, the city’s tourism chief said. The city-state is losing about 18,000 to 20,000 tourists a day, and the figures could plummet further if the situation persists for longer, said Keith Tan, CE of Singapore Tourism Board. “The main cry that I’m hearing is ‘help’ right now from the entire tourism industry,” Tan said. “There’s lots of anecdotal evidence of business drying up, but that’s not surprising given how much China contributes to our visitor arrivals.” China accounts for about 20% of Singapore’s tourism intake, the biggest source of visitors ahead of Indonesia and India. China’s ban on outbound tour groups and Singapore’s move to bar Chinese nationals from entering has led to an “evaporation” of a key source of revenue, Tan said.<br/>