The city state scored 4.89 points, up 3.4 percentage points from 2024 in the biennial ranking released on Friday by the World Economic Forum, an international advocacy non-governmental organization and think tank based in Switzerland.
Indonesia ranked at 23rd, followed by Malaysia at 26th, Thailand at 38th, Vietnam at 52nd, the Philippines at 57th, and Laos at 75th.
The index measures factors and policies that enable sustainable and resilient development of tourism like business environment, safety and health conditions, price competitiveness, air transport infrastructure, ground and port infrastructure, tourist services and infrastructure, natural resources, and cultural resources.
Singapore received high scores in business environment, safety and security, travel policy and enabling conditions, and infrastructure and services.
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Tourists pose for photos at the Merlion Park in Singapore, Jan. 28, 2020. Photo by Reuters |
Singapore, the second largest economy in Southeast Asia after Indonesia by nominal GDP, is known for its strict laws and low crime rates. It has earned tts reputation as one of the safest countries in Asia.
The city-state is ramping up investment in large-scale tourism infrastructure as it seeks to strengthen its position as a leading travel and business hub in Asia.
The government announced a S$740 million (US$584 million) tourism funding package, more than twice the S$300 million allocated under the Tourism Development Fund in 2024, in May to strengthen industry resilience until 2040.
Japan reclaimed the top spot in this year’s WEF tourism development ranking.
The U.S. ranked second, followed by Spain, Australia and France.