S'pore tourist arrivals rise

S'pore tourist arrivals rise

SINGAPORE (Dow Jones): Singapore's tourist arrivals in May rose 6.5 percent to 595,101 from a year earlier, reflecting the continuing economic recovery in Asia.

However, the number of visitor arrivals in May fell 6.5% from April, dragged down by a decline in the number of holiday-makers from Indonesia, the Singapore Tourism Board said Friday.

The number of visitors from Indonesia - the top visitor- generating country - fell 25.2% to 91,826 from an all-time high of 122,621 in May 1999.

Last year, Indonesia shifted its school holidays from June to May to allow for general election. As a result, the number of visitors to Singapore last May was unusually high. This year, the holidays were moved back to June.

On the other hand, the number of visitors from South Korea jumped 61.5% to 30,619. The growth was largely attributable to an increase in the number of holiday-makers as opposed to business travelers.