Good News for Singapore Tourism Industry

Singapore got one of the best tourism gifts of 2024: a full 30-day visa-free agreement with China, in effect since early 2024. The results have been clear and strong.

According to Xinhua News Agency, Chinese visitor arrivals to Singapore reached 3.1 million in 2024, up from approximately 1 million in the first nine months of 2023. That’s a full recovery to near pre-pandemic levels, and the visa-free arrangement is a significant driver. For Singapore’s tourism businesses, hotels, restaurants, attractions, and tour operators, this is a moment to capture a highly engaged and well-spending audience.

What the Singapore-China Visa Agreement Means in Practice

Before the visa exemption, many Chinese travelers chose Thailand or Malaysia over Singapore partly because the visa process added friction. Now that Singapore is visa-free, it’s in the same effortless category as Bangkok or Kuala Lumpur from a planning perspective. Combined with Singapore’s reputation for safety, cleanliness, and world-class food, this creates a genuinely strong pull.

Trip.com recorded a 90% surge in Singapore flight searches and a 50% jump in hotel bookings immediately after the visa announcement. Tongcheng Travel saw an 18% rise in online traffic for Singapore tourism, particularly from Guangdong, Shanghai, Jiangsu, and Shandong. Spring Festival and Golden Week are now peak periods for Chinese visitors, and resellers and bundlers are packaging Singapore with Malaysia or Indonesia for two-destination itineraries.

What Chinese Tourists Want When They Visit Singapore

Chinese tourists in Singapore combine cultural curiosity with strong spending habits. Gardens by the Bay, Marina Bay Sands, Sentosa Island, and Chinatown are all popular. But the new Chinese traveler in 2025 is also looking for food experiences, local neighborhood culture, and photo-worthy moments for their Douyin and Xiaohongshu content.

Key practical expectations: Alipay and WeChat Pay acceptance at retail and dining, Mandarin-speaking staff where possible, and Chinese social media-optimized signage and experiences. A restaurant that makes it easy for Chinese guests to pay digitally and gets featured in a Douyin video by one of their guests is doing Singapore tourism marketing for free.

Marketing to Chinese Tourists in Singapore: What Works

• Highlight cultural experiences and food: Chinese travelers in Singapore love the multi-cultural food scene. Hawker centers, Peranakan cuisine, and local coffee culture all resonate well in Mandarin-language content.
• Create Douyin and Xiaohongshu content: Show real experiences at your venue or attraction. User-generated content and influencer collaborations consistently outperform traditional advertising with this audience.
• Work with Chinese digital platforms: Being listed on Ctrip for tours and hotels, and active on Mafengwo for reviews, puts you in front of Chinese travelers at the planning stage.
• Offer Mandarin language support: Even a QR code linking to Mandarin information at your venue goes a long way. Chinese tourists notice and appreciate it.
• Accept Chinese mobile payments: Alipay and WeChat Pay integration is expected by Chinese visitors. It’s a simple addition with a meaningful impact on conversion.

Why Your Chinese Digital Presence Matters

Singapore is already the most Chinese-friendly destination in Southeast Asia in terms of language and culture. But that doesn’t mean Chinese travelers will automatically find your business. You need to be visible on their platforms:

• Chinese website with ICP license: For businesses in Singapore targeting mainland China, a Chinese-language site hosted on Alibaba Cloud or Tencent Cloud loads reliably inside China and is the right base for your digital presence.
• Douyin: Travel content about Singapore performs very well on Douyin. Short videos of your venue, food, or experience get seen by an audience that is actively looking for Singapore inspiration.
• Xiaohongshu (RED): Singapore is one of the most-reviewed international destinations on RED. Chinese travelers plan their Singapore itineraries on this platform. If your business isn’t mentioned there, you’re missing warm leads.
• Baidu: SEO and PPC for searches like “things to do in Singapore for Chinese tourists” captures travelers in the planning and booking phase.
• WeChat: Direct communication with Chinese guests before and after their visit. The best tool for building repeat business and referrals within Chinese travel networks.

Our team at Chinese Tourist Agency helps Singapore-based businesses and regional destinations build this presence. See our WeChat marketing and Xiaohongshu marketing services.

For destination-level data, Mafengwo publishes detailed insights on Chinese traveler interest in Singapore, including top-searched attractions, accommodation types, and spending patterns, which are useful for local businesses planning their outreach.

Frequently Asked Questions

How has the visa-free agreement affected Chinese tourist numbers in Singapore?

The impact has been significant. Chinese arrivals to Singapore reached approximately 3.1 million in 2024, nearly matching pre-pandemic peak levels. The visa-free arrangement removed a key planning barrier and made Singapore a much easier choice for Chinese travelers who might otherwise have gone to Thailand or Malaysia. Booking data from Trip.com and Tongcheng showed strong surges in searches and reservations within days of the announcement, and the momentum has continued through 2025.

What types of Singapore experiences are most popular with Chinese tourists?

Food and culture are the top draws. Chinese tourists in Singapore love the hawker center experience (it’s photogenic and delicious), the Gardens by the Bay and Marina Bay Sands light shows, and Chinatown’s heritage. Increasingly, local neighborhood exploration (Tiong Bahru, Kampong Glam) is gaining traction on Xiaohongshu. Shopping at Orchard Road remains strong for higher-spending travelers, though experiences are gradually overtaking retail as the primary motivation.

What Chinese payment methods should Singapore businesses accept?

Alipay and WeChat Pay are the two essentials. Both now support international credit and debit card linkage, meaning Chinese tourists traveling without mainland bank cards can still use these apps. Setting up merchant accounts for both is straightforward in Singapore through licensed payment processors. For hotels and restaurants, having these payment options visibly displayed in Mandarin at the point of sale is a simple signal that your business is ready for Chinese guests.

Is it worth investing in Douyin and Xiaohongshu marketing specifically for Singapore tourism?

Yes, strongly. Singapore is one of the most active destinations on both Douyin and Xiaohongshu, which means there’s already an engaged audience looking for Singapore content. For businesses, this is a warm market. Creating good content, collaborating with Chinese travel creators, or simply encouraging your Chinese guests to share their experiences on these platforms generates visibility in front of millions of potential visitors at a cost that traditional advertising can’t match. The compounding effect of positive social content about your business on RED builds long-term bookings.

Capture Singapore’s Chinese Tourism Momentum

The visa-free agreement has opened the door. The question now is whether your business is ready to welcome the guests walking through it. Chinese tourists are choosing Singapore in growing numbers and they’re spending well. Build your Chinese digital presence now and make sure they find you. Visit our services page to get started.

Marcus Zhan is a digital strategist at GMA with over 10 years of experience helping international brands grow in China. He specializes in Douyin, Xiaohongshu, and Chinese SEO.