Covid outbreak: Singapore reassures travellers from India

NEW DELHI: Following India's recent announcement of mandatory negative RT-PCR tests for travellers from six countries, including Singapore, the Singapore Tourism Board (STB) would like to highlight that there is no change to Singapore's current COVID-19 protocol.

Fully-vaccinated travellers from India will continue to be able to enter Singapore with no quarantine and testing requirements under the Vaccinated Travel Framework(VTF) that came into effect on April 1, 2022.

The reassurance from STB comes after the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India announced on December 29, 2022, that it would require negative RT-PCR test reports from all travellers entering India from China, Hong Kong, Japan, South Korea, Singapore and Thailand from January 1, 2023. Passengers returning to India will be required to show a negative RT-PCR test, taken within 72 hours of their departure and uploaded onto the Air Suvidha portal.

Travellers from India to Singapore can continue enjoying their travels to Singapore with peace of mind, in light of the following key factors:

. No change to the border and on-ground restrictions - Fully vaccinated travellers arriving in Singapore from India can enter Singapore without quarantine or test requirements. Additionally, non-fully vaccinated travellers can also enter Singapore without any quarantine, as long as they possess a negative pre-departure RT-PCR or professionally administered ART test report. Singapore has not changed the status of any border or on-ground restrictions for visitors from India.
. Business as usual - All tourist offerings, from attractions and shopping malls to dining and nightlife establishments, remain fully open.
. Accessible testing facilitates - Testing facilities are widely and easily accessible throughout Singapore, per the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India's requirements. The full list of Quick Testing Centres across the island, including booking details, can be found at Singapore Government's Gowhere Test Centres website

Public health and the safety of visitors have always been top priorities for Singapore, and the country is closely monitoring global developments with COVID-19.

Reassuring travellers and travel trade partners in India, GB Srithar, Regional Director, India, Middle East, South Asia and Africa said, "Our message during this time is clear: Singapore remains as open as before and continues to welcome all visitors from India. On the testing end, our testing facilities are widely and easily available across the country, with the highest level of efficient, fuss-free services. We, therefore, invite travellers from India young and old to continue enjoying Singapore's vibrant, reimagined destination experiences, through the festive season and into 2023."

Visitors can find the most up-to-date information on Singapore's COVID-19 measures at the Singapore Immigration and Checkpoints Authority's SafeTravel Portal. Singapore's tourism landscape has evolved over the years, making the destination one of the most popular and vibrant lifestyle destinations across the globe. The year-to-date number of inbound tourists to Singapore stood at 5.37 million visitor arrivals as of the end of November.

With iconic attractions across the island, an action-packed calendar of lifestyle events in 2023, and a dynamic dining and nightlife scene, Singapore continues to draw travellers from all over the world to revel in its many offerings.