SINGAPORE -- Singapore tourist arrivals dropped in the first half of the year as travelers cut back on trips amid a global recession.
The city-state had 4.5 million tourists in the first six months of 2009, representing a 11.5 percent decline from the same period last year, the Singapore Tourism Board said Thursday. Revenue from tourism fell 13.5 percent to 6.4 billion Singapore dollars ($4.4 billion) in the January-June period, the board said.
The slump in tourism helped shrink the economy for a year until gross domestic product grew an annualized, seasonally adjusted 20 percent in the second quarter.
The board reiterated its target for tourist income between SG$12 billion and SG$12.5 billion this year compared to SG$14.8 billion last year. It aims to attract 9 million and 9.5 million tourists in 2009 versus 10.1 million in 2008.
In June, arrivals dropped 8.9 percent to 750,000 from 823,000 a year earlier. Arrivals in June rose 3.3 percent from May.
The board said hotel revenue fell 35 percent to SG$115 million ($80 million) in June from SG$177 million a year earlier.
The average hotel room rate fell to SG$179 in June, down 28 percent from a year earlier.
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