Singapore picking up Chinese tourists
Beijing resident He Xiaowen, 26, has just come back from her honeymoon in Singapore after canceling a trip to Thailand.
"My family are worried about the disturbances in Thailand," she said. "Considering the length of vacation and budget, Singapore is the best option for us."
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According to the Singaporean tourism authority, the Lion City attracted 2.27 million Chinese visitors in 2013, a 12 percent year-on-year increase.
Those visitors spent 2.4 billion dollars, 18 percent more than in 2012.
Agencies nationwide are reporting declining visits to Malaysia, Vietnam and Indonesia and sharp increases in visitors to Singapore, South Korea and Japan.
The Singaporean tourism authority said with the easier visa policy and more frequent and direct flights, it is believed more Chinese tourists will visit the island country.
Derek Tay Hock Guan said Singapore intends to get visitors to stay longer than the one day they stayed in the traditional Thailand-Singapore-Malaysia itineraries.
"We are mainly focusing on the young visitors in their 20s and 30s, with shorter vacation time who can go only to short-haul destinations like Singapore," he said.
