Travellers will be greeted by glass skyscrapers and fancy restaurants lining pristine streets

 
This week Cheapflights is releasing the third edition of its quarterly industry report Travelnomics.

The report gives an insight into UK travel trends, with our latest issue focusing on ten of the destinations hardest hit by the economic downturn. Today we turn the spotlight on Singapore.

The Travelnomics of Singapore

“When the British first arrived in Singapore in 1819, the city-state’s founder, Sir Stamford Raffles, was quick to recognise its potential as a key trading hub for South East Asia. Under the auspices of the British East India Company, Singapore rapidly expanded to become one of the Empire’s most prosperous cities – though even its early colonisers could never have imagined the commercial prowess this tiny country would take on in the decades that followed.

Today, Singapore is virtually synonymous with finance, modernity and wealth. And yet in the wake of the global recession, that reputation left its banking sector in tatters and ushered in its worst recession in an otherwise remarkably affluent 44-year history. While all this spelled disaster for the city-state’s legions of bankers, it largely failed to dent living standards, and so the culturally diverse inhabitants of Singapore still enjoy a GDP per capita well above that of neighbouring countries. What’s more, remaining true to their heritage, Singaporeans have retained an eye for spotting good business opportunities in the midst of difficult times – relying more than ever on tourism to prop up the ailing economy.

Among some of the island’s most popular attractions are numerous wildlife sanctuaries, which is perhaps not surprising given that its name derives from the Malay for ‘Lion City’.”

Things to do in Singapore:

• Visit Jurong Bird Park, the largest in the Asia Pacific, home to the world’s tallest man-made waterfall
• For more tranquility visit the National Orchid Garden, where you can admire some of the most pampered flowers in the plant world.
• Be careful to avoid the city’s famous fines, which are handed out for everything from dropping chewing gum on the street to dancing in public.  No flash mobs here!

To discover more about Singapore, follow our activity on Twitter.

© Cheapflights Ltd

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