Indonesians, 21 percent of foreigners to Singapore

The number of Indonesian guests to Singapore annually is at the average of 21 percent, of all guests visiting that city state. “Indonesia is the biggest market for Singapore tourism, contributing 21 percent of total foreign guests to the country,” said deputy regional director ASEAN (Islands) of Singapore Tourism Board (STB), Lee Kai Yin, on the sidelines of the road-show themed “Uniquely Singapore on The Move”, in Surabaya recently.
He detailed further that the number of Indonesians to Singapore in 2004 had reached 1.76 million or 21.2 percent of 8.3 million guests visiting Singapore.
“In the meantime, in 2003, the number hit the figure of 1.42 million or 21.9 percent of the total guests to Singapore,” he said, without mentioning the number of foreign holidaymakers to Singapore for the year.
Based on the records in 2004, the biggest five countries donating foreign guests to Singapore were namely Indonesia (1.76 million), China (880,000), Japan (598,000), Australia (561,000), and Malaysia (537,000).
The average length of stay for an Indonesian guest is three-day and their favorite object is the tourist area Orchard Road.
Lee, who was accompanied by STB’s tourism manager, Hasan Kasim, said that the number of guests from Indonesia would grow in 2005 as the figure until June from January had reached 847,000.
In order to increase the visit of Indonesians to Singapore then STB is holding road-shows to nine Indonesian cities, namely Pontianak, Surabaya, Balikpapan, Semarang, Yogyakarta, Bandung, Palembang, and Makassar.
The road-shows are bringing a new theme “Uniquely Singapore on The Move” after formerly the branding “New Asia” were used. “We use a new brand as Singapore tourism now has changed and become more unique,” said Lee Kai Yin.
STB was founded in 1964 aimed at promoting Singapore as a tourist and business destination. STB opened a representative in Jakarta in February 2004 and then in Medan (North Sumatra) in March 2004. *pry/ant

ATTRACTIVE FOR INDONESIANS-Indonesia is the biggest donator of foreign guests to Singapore. Singapore offers many things that Indonesians want, making it attractive among them.

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