Singapore witnessed a 26 per cent year-on-year increase in visitors from the Middle East during the first quarter of this year, according to the state's tourism board.

Globally Singapore saw 2.7 million visitors in Q1, a 20 per cent increase compared with the same period last year. Of these, 36,511 travellers arrived from the Middle East, with the highest number of visitors coming from Iran, UAE and Saudi Arabia, revealed figures from the Singapore Tourism Board (STB).

“On the back of such a strong start to the year, the Singapore Tourism Board anticipates a double digit growth in overall visitor numbers for 2010,” said Jason Ong, area director for the Middle East and Africa, STB.

2010 signals the emergence of a  'Transformed Singapore', with an ever-growing number of global events and the opening of two multi-billion dollar Integrated Resorts, offering families world-class experiences, from the thrills of South East Asia’s first Universal Studios theme park at Resorts World Sentosa to the luxurious shopping, and celebrity-chef dining experiences available at Marina Bay Sands, he stated.

Singapore has also undergone a brand evolution from ‘Uniquely Singapore’ to ‘YourSingapore’, which encapsulates the island nation’s position as a premier destination.

“Singapore offers a diverse range of travel experiences, from cosmopolitan city life, high-end indulgences, enchanting beach holidays, world-class dining experiences, luxury shopping, cultural diversity or wildlife encounters – there’s something for everyone in Singapore,” Ong added.

The first-ever Youth Olympics Games is taking place from August 14 to 26, a month ahead of Singapore’s Formula One night race, the only night race on the F1 race calendar, which runs from September 24 to 26.

STB is forecasting 11.5-12.5 million global visitor arrivals in 2010. Last year Singapore received 9.68 million visitors, of which 117,000 were from the Middle East, a 2.7 per cent growth over 2008, he said.-TradeArabia News Service