Jewel Changi Airport makes strong recovery as footfall rises, retail sales hit new high

The shine has returned to Jewel Changi Airport, after two difficult years of forced closures and languid sales as the Covid-19 pandemic paralysed the aviation sector and kept local shoppers at bay. With the easing of pandemic restrictions and the resumption of international travel, the $1.7b retail complex has made a strong recovery, with footfall more than doubling in 2022 compared with 2021, said James Fong, CE of Jewel Changi Airport Development. Nearly 345,000 people visited the mall on Christmas Day in 2022 – the highest number recorded since Covid-19 struck in 2020. Before the pandemic, Jewel received about 300,000 visitors daily. Fong said that retail sales at Jewel in December 2022 were 8% higher than in December 2019, the strongest-performing month for that year. Between July and December 2022, ticket sales for attractions such as the Canopy Park were also up to about 80% of 2019 levels, he added. Coach, Foot Locker, Nike and Pokemon Centre Singapore were among the top-performing retail shops at Jewel in 2022, while Beauty In The Pot, Burger & Lobster, Jumbo Seafood and Shake Shack were some of the eateries at the top of the sales charts. Fong also cited an increase in occupancy at the 130-room Yotelair at Jewel. The hotel’s occupancy rate from April to December 2022 was more than 95%, higher than in the same period in 2019. Fong said Jewel continues to see a significant proportion of local visitors, and he expects foreign visitor numbers to grow in tandem with the increased passenger traffic at Changi Airport. “We are encouraged by the rebound and foresee a positive outlook, especially with key markets like China also starting to ease travel restrictions,” he added.<br/>