SINGAPORE: Surprise, surprise. Travellers from India to Singapore are not only bringing but also spending big bucks in the city-state. Contrary to other nationalities, they are also staying longer, with the average visit of Indian tourists lasting more than six days.
This is good news for Singapore’s high-end retailers and, quite frankly, bucks the trend worldwide of spending less on luxury items, a top business association said last week.
For the first half of the year, tourists in Singapore from India spent an eye-watering S$812.17 million, a more than 4% increase from the same period last year, according to data from the Singapore Tourism Board (STB).
Orchard Road Business Association (ORBA) Chairman Mark Shaw said, “Indian travellers continue to be one of the island’s most commercially significant markets, and they are among the tourists helping to lift luxury spending in Singapore.”
ORBA is a significant figure in managing and promoting the premier shopping strip Orchard Road.
Mr Shaw noted that because Indians stay an average of 6.3 days, this translates to higher discretionary spending across retail, dining, entertainment, attractions, and accommodation.
India has an ever-growing base of affluent citizens. They are looking for, and seeking out, luxury experiences, jewellery, and high-end fashion, showing that they’ve got more and more disposable incomes as well as aspirational lifestyles, said the Mastercard Economics Institute’s 2024 Travel Trends.
Numbers, numbers, numbers
In the first 10 months of the year, visitors to Singapore from India rose to 1.03 million, again, according to data from STB, a 2.6% year-on-year rise. Overall, meanwhile, there were 14.25 million visitors during Jan-Oct 2025, showing an increase of 2.5%.
Meanwhile, Euromonitor International is saying that Singapore is among the few major countries where an increase in luxury sales is expected this year, expecting a growth of between 7% and 9%, and estimated at S$13.9 billion. Moreover, Singapore is expected to outperform Japan and China in this aspect.
This increase is caused by wealthy customers who are on the lookout for premium products, experiences, and the so-called “quiet luxury.”
More and more high-net-worth individuals are making their home in the city-state. A UBS wealth report says that as of Dec 4, there are now 55 billionaires in Singapore. India, meanwhile, has between 284 and 358.
At Orchard Road’s posh shopping district, such international luxury brands as Prada and Van Cleef & Arpels have taken advantage of the holiday season, which comes with increased visitor traffic, of course, with outdoor installations in the hopes of raising their visibility. /TISG
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