Singapore Tourism Board (STB) has unveiled Made in Singapore, its latest global campaign.

It puts a fresh spin on the Passion Made Possible destination brand, and spotlights quintessentially Singapore experiences, while showcasing how ordinary moments can be turned into extraordinary experiences in Singapore.

Changi Airport Group (CAG), Singapore Airlines (SIA), and the Singapore Tourism Board (STB) have re-launched the Free Singapore Tour after a two-year hiatus.

Three existing tours – the City Sights Tour, Heritage Tour and Jewel Tour – have been refreshed to include new points of interest. A new Changi Precinct Tour will introduce travellers to the interesting sights and sounds of the eastern region surrounding Singapore Changi Airport.

Singapore’s international visitor arrivals reached 6.3 million in 2022 exceeding STB’s forecast of between 4 and 6 million visitors.

Tourism receipts are estimated to reach S$13.8 to S$14.3 billion (-50 per cent to 52 per cent of 2019 TR). Barring unexpected circumstances, tourism activity is now expected to recover to pre-pandemic levels by 2024.

Singapore looks set to reopen its borders to allow in vaccinated tourists from destinations that include Hong Kong, Macao, Germany and Brunei.

Residents travelling from the listed countries will be able to enter Singapore from 8 September without needing to enter quarantine. They will be able to bypass the isolation requirement if they test negative to four Covid-19 tests.

The testing requirements for the new travel lanes mean each person will require a pre-departure test within 48 hours of their scheduled flight, an on-arrival test at Changi Airport, and post-arrival tests on days three and seven at a designated clinic in Singapore.

The New Zealand Aviation Coalition (NZAC) is welcoming Singapore’s decision to open its border to Kiwis from September 1.

Singapore announced on August 21 that it will not require anyone who has been in New Zealand for 14 days before their flight to go into self-isolation on arrival.

Instead, travellers will undergo a Covid-19 test at the airport, and only be allowed to go about their activities in Singapore after receiving a negative test result.

Justin Tighe-Umbers, executive director of the Board of Airline Representatives New Zealand (BARNZ), says the move by Singapore is indicative of what is starting to happen around the world.

‘The world is working out how to live with COVID-19,’ he says. ‘New Zealand will lose international connectivity with airlines pulling out unless it keeps abreast of what its competitors are doing and considers the implications. Once airlines pull out it will be extremely hard to compete to get them back and that will have major impacts for the price of tickets for travellers and for exporters relying on air freight.’

Meantime, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) has welcomed Singapore’s announcement on the easing of border measures for entry into the country. It is urging other states in the region to look at ways to resume international travel safely, including through the implementation of travel bubbles.

‘COVID-19 has dealt a massive blow to the airline industry and the road to recovery is going to be long and slow,’ says Conrad Clifford, IATA’s Regional Vice President for Asia-Pacific. ‘Our latest forecast indicates that travel demand will not return to 2019 levels until 2024, a year later than previously expected. Key to the recovery is the opening of borders and the lifting of travel restrictions and measures such as quarantine.’ He says Singapore’s announcement is positive and a step in the right direction. ‘We hope to work closely with the government so that Singapore’s aviation industry can restart safely while mitigating the possibility of COVID-19 transmission. And we urge other states in the region to look at ways to resume international travel safely.’

Bawah Island lies in the heart of the Indonesian Anambas, just three hours from Singapore by ferry, and it’s opening its doors for the first time to guests this year.

A marine conservation area, a maximum of 70 guests are allowed at any one time, with 35 eco-designed suites and overwater bungalows providing guests with a private oasis.  

The Tree Top restaurant at Bawah will serve bespoke Asian-fusion cuisine with locally-grown ingredients alongside a curated drinks menu to showcase authentic flavours.