Its regional neighbours ac-counted for 45 per cent of the 12.4 billion Singapore dollars (Bt284 billion) in tourist spending last year, said tax-refund-services company Global Refund Singapore.

Visitors who worked their wallets the hardest were the Indonesians - long known for their penchant for household and designer goods sold here. They like dressing up and spend more than a quarter of their budget on fashion.

Indonesia delivered the largest number of visitors to Singapore, and spending by the Indonesians accounted for 25 per cent of total tourist receipts last year.

It is big money, considering

the next biggest consumers - the Thais and Malaysians - added only 4 per cent each.

The city-state's Malaysian and Thai guests prefer watches and jewellery, shelling out around half of their expenditure on those items.

Global Refund managing director Rodney Teo said the robust 5.5-per-cent growth in 2005 in Asean economies and the rise of budget airlines delivered more tourists - and more easy-spending ones as well - to Singapore.

In general, travellers from the 10 Asean countries are spending more, he said.

The Singapore Tourism Board (STB) wants to draw S$30 billion in tourism receipts by 2015.

They are on track. Singapore can expect consistent growth in that category, said Teo.

The STB last week revealed a glowing report card for last year.

It was a bumper year for hotels, which saw 85-per-cent occupancy at a S$164 average daily room charge.

Their revenue was S$1.5 billion.

Singapore welcomed 9.7 million visitors.

Those tourism indicators were all record highs.

The Straits Times

Asia News Network

SINGAPORE