Smoke from fires in Indonesia’s southern Sumatra and Kalimantan has been carried towards Singapore by southeasterly winds, the National Environment Agency said.
Activities involving long periods outdoors or strenuous exercise thus have been especially affected.
Yeo Yen Ping, founder of On A Roll Tour, told CNA that bookings for kick scooter and walking tours were down 10 to 20% compared with the same period last year. But she said higher hotel and flight prices could also be contributing to the decline.
Her scooter tours cover 8 to 10 kilometers. When air quality reaches unhealthy levels, she recommends that customers switch to a walking tour or an indoor experience.
Yeo also has air-conditioned stops on her tours, including the National Gallery, Victoria Theatre and Concert Hall, museums, and the Singapore City Gallery, allowing customers to spend part of their time indoors.
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The Singapore Flyer and surrounding buildings are shrouded in haze. Photo by Reuters |
For yacht rental company Wanderlust Adventures, alternatives are more limited because customers spend much of their time on open water.
Its director, Quek Wee Teck, said business has fallen by 30% since September. Tourists account for more than half of the company’s customers, with visitors coming from China, India, Europe, Australia, and the United States.
Yacht rentals are for a minimum of four hours.
Quek said the company usually receives many Chinese customers during their National Day holidays beginning on Oct. 1, but saw a sharp decline this year.
However, Singapore River Cruise, which offers 40-minute rides, said it has seen no significant change in business, according to CNA.
Singapore first recorded unhealthy air quality linked to haze this year on Sept. 4, when the 24-hour Pollutant Standards Index reached 101 in the central region, the National Environment Agency said. It was the first such reading since October 2023.
The situation has persisted and worsened since. Singapore ranked among the world’s top two most polluted major cities early Tuesday with an AQI reading of 193.
Tour operators in neighboring Malaysia are also adapting to the haze.
Mint Leong, president of the Malaysian Inbound Tourism Association said that operators are shortening outdoor activities and replacing them with visits to shopping malls and museums, TTG Asia reported.