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Singapore's Tourists Now Prefer Shopping to Gambling

singapore skyline

Figures released by The SingaporeTourism Boardreveal that the city-state's casinos are losing out to their Malls. Shopping, it seems is becoming more popular than gambling.

Shoppinghas now becomethe biggest source of income in theSingapore's tourism industry for the first time since 2012.It has grown a huge 44% in the six months to the end ofJune. The probable cause is the rise in the number offirst-time Chinese visitors.


Chinese Visitors to Singapore

Last year over 2 million Chinese visited Singapore.This figure has almost doubled in the six years since the cityopened the first of its two casinos. Visitors from China, India and Indonesia were the top spenders in the second quarter of 2016, accounting for40% of all tourist receipts. 25% of this was shopping, up from 18% last year.

Chinese visitorsalso spent a hugeS$1.15 billion ($807 million) shopping in the city-statein 2105. In the same periodJapanese visitors spentS$112 million and Indians S$175 million. Desopite their shopping expenditure, the Chinesespent the least on food and accommodation.

Singapore's Tourists Abandon Casinos for Shopping Malls - Bloomberg