In light of an ongoing political spat between Japan and China, over 490,000 flight tickets from China to Japan have been cancelled. If you’re travelling to the Land of the Rising Sun in the next couple of months, you might just experience thinner crowds at the usual tourist spots as a result.
On the flip side? Chinese tourists are now setting their sights on other lands, and we’re not at all surprised that Singapore is a top pick, as stated in a DBS market insights report dated November 24, 2025. As it is, Chinese tourists already account for Singapore’s largest pool of visitors, making up 20 percent of our arrivals. While tensions between the two East Asian countries are still running high, Singapore can expect an even larger wave of travellers from China flocking over – which is great news for our economy.
At the same time, this influx of Chinese visitors also means that various attractions, malls, and popular hangouts in town will experience greater human traffic. The report predicts more tourist dollars being spent at mid-tier and high-end hotels; shopping centres like Ion Orchard, Plaza Singapura, Bugis+ and Raffles City; as well as Resorts World Sentosa and its attractions like Universal Studios Singapore and the new Singapore Oceanarium.
But there are always ways to escape the crowds, even on this tiny island. Some ideas: Enjoy a quiet meal at our favourite hidden cafés, keep it chill with a ‘back-to-nature’ staycation at Lazarus Island, pore over a good book at the underrated Book Bar, or get a breath of fresh air with Singapore’s many hiking trails.
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