Gulf visitors on an increase to Singapore Conventions
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Gulf visitors to Singapore have continued to increase, as the country witnessed global visitor numbers touch more than 13.2 million, exceeding its forecast range of 12 – 13 million.
“Singapore continues to attract visitors to its growing number of conventions and events, and an increasing number of them are from the Gulf,” said Mohamed Hafez Marican, area director of the Middle East and Africa, Singapore Tourism Board.
The number of business travellers has also continued to rise, comprising 24% of the total visitors to Singapore. Nearly AED16 billion in expenditure from this sector contributed around 25% of total tourism receipts.
Another key contributor to Singapore’s success was strong performance in the MICE industry, which saw a 46% year-on-year growth in the number of key conventions, conferences and tradeshows in 2011, which conveyed increased attendance and participation.