30-Nov-2010 12:36 PM
Singapore expecting 12 million visitors in 2010; increase of 24%
Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong stated Singapore expects visitor arrivals to reach a record of around 12 million in 2010, an increase of around 24% year-on-year, helped by the success of the Singapore's two multi-billion-dollar casinos (Channel News Asia, 29-Nov-2010). Singapore legalised casinos in 2005 as part of a plan to double visitor arrivals to 17 million by 2015. Genting Singapore's Resorts World at Sentosa opened in Feb-2010 while Las Vegas Sands' Marina Bay Sands commenced operations in Apr-2010. Singapore's visitor arrivals in the nine months to Sep-2010 totalled around 8.6 million.