Singapore's tourism sector is booming. According to a state agency, the Singapore Tourism Board (STB), the number of visitor arrivals rose by 20.2% in 2010, to a record 11.6m. Tourism revenue is estimated at S$18.8bn (US$14.7bn) in the year, representing a rise of 49.2%. These results mean that the government's target of attracting 11.5m-12.5m visitors in 2010 was achieved, and that its goal of tourism revenue of S$17.5bn-18.5bn was exceeded. The sector's strong growth last year was partly a reflection of the low base of comparison in 2009, when visitor numbers fell by 4.3% owing to the global recession. However, the tourism sector has also been boosted since early 2010 by the opening of two casino-based resorts, at Sentosa and Marina Bay.

Resorts World Sentosa, operated by the local subsidiary of a Malaysian gaming group, Genting, opened its doors in February 2010. Among other attractions, it boasts four hotels, a theme park and Universal Studios Singapore, as well as the Resorts World Casino. The second resort, Marina Bay Sands, opened last April. Operated by a subsidiary of Las Vegas Sands of the US, its attractions include a three-tower hotel, two theatres and a casino. The government hopes that the two resorts will help to raise tourism revenue to S$30bn a year by 2015.

According to the STB's figures, in 2010 spending on sightseeing and entertainment recorded its fastest pace of growth ever, surging by 1,834% to around S$3.9bn. Accommodation revenue rose by 25% to around S$3.6bn, food and beverages revenue by 23%, to S$1.9bn, medical revenue by 19%, to around S$900m, shopping revenue by 17%, to S$3.9bn, and other tourism revenue (including air fares, port taxes and expenditure on local transport) by 16%, to S$4.5bn. Indonesia was Singapore's main source of tourists in 2010, with Indonesians accounting for 2.3m visits to the city state, representing a rise of 32%. The number of Chinese visitors was meanwhile up by 25%, to 1.2m, while Malaysian visitor numbers increased by 36%, to 1m, and Australian arrivals grew by 6%, to 880,000.