Travellers are returning to the Lion City, but face all-time high hotel prices.
Singapore’s hotel room rates have surged to the highest in almost six years as tourism makes a recovery in the city-state after the government eased coronavirus measures.
The average rate in June was S$238, the highest level since September 2016, according to data from the Singapore Tourism Board.
It’s an unexpected side effect of the rebound of travel, after Singapore in April became one of the first major regional economies to announce it would end all testing for incoming vaccinated travellers as the government furthered efforts for living with Covid-19.
A revival of conferences and major events have also attracted visitors, and STB data showed a nearly 12-fold increase in arrivals in the first half of 2022 compared with the same period a year ago.
Singapore expects to receive 4 million to 6 million visitors in 2022, although tourism flows will face some headwinds for the rest of the year because of the volatile global political and economic environment, as well as the evolving health situation, STB said last week.
As previously reported, part of Singapore’s route back to pre-Covid prosperity and tourist appeal will include the return of the Formula 1 GP to the twisty Marina Bay Sands street circuit from September 30 to October 2.
Qantas has now resumed its flagship Kangaroo Route A380 from Sydney to London via Singapore – reopening its Singapore first class lounge in the process – along with direct Singapore flights from Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Perth.
Singapore Airlines’ rebuilt schedule now shows four daily flights from Sydney and Melbourne to Singapore, with the airline also having opened four new lounges at its Changi T3 hub, spanning from the KrisFlyer Gold lounge for frequent flyers to new business class and first class lounges.
ironically, while Singapore’s hotel rates have skyrocketed, airfares from Australia to Singapore are steadily falling, although it’s still expected to take some time until they hit 2019 levels.
If you’re headed to Singapore, make time to see this extraordinary city ‘like a local’ and also check out some of the Michelin-rated value-for-money eateries, which range from restaurants to hawker centre stalls.
Additional reporting by Bloomberg
QF
11 Jul 2014
Total posts 798
If you can even book your favourite hotel that is
Thai Airways International – Royal Orchid Plus
15 Jan 2013
Total posts 427
what is the cheapest hotel these days since the Copthorne Orchid shut down quite a long time ago?I was in Singapore 12 years ago and that or the New Park in little India was the lead in hotels on all packages.
Cathay Pacific – The Marco Polo Club
20 Jun 2013
Total posts 51
The good old Copthorne Orchid, I know it well from a months stay there years back, wasn’t my hotel of choice being assigned to me by in support of a consultancy project I was on. Had a dodgy “health Club” offering from memory too. But was well kept and managed at the time apart from the usual bun fight in the morning over the breakfast buffet. http://copthorne-orchid.asia-singapore-hotels.com/en/ try this link for a trip down memory lane.
Qantas – Qantas Frequent Flyer – Chairmans Lounge
01 Sep 2011
Total posts 411
Yes I got a shock to see the prices. I was booking 3 nights at the Hilton for late september and for a regular room it was starting at $S650+ (Conrad was $S900+) and to use points was like 200K. That’s insane. I thought something was wrong.
24 Jun 2020
Total posts 35
I agree, the Swissotel Stamford (Crest Suite) was AUD500 back in 2019 but now over $1,000 but they did do a renovation but didn’t expect prices to double.
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