Universal Studios Singapore remains one of the most popular attractions among Vietnamese travellers visiting Singapore. — VNS Photos Vũ Hoa

 Vũ Hoa

SINGAPORE — For tourism destinations, attracting first-time visitors is only half the challenge.

Keeping them coming back requires a steady pipeline of new experiences – and making those experiences easy to discover and book.

Singapore is pursuing both goals at the same time.

While the city-state continues to invest in new attractions and refresh existing ones, the way visitors plan their journeys is also evolving. Increasingly, online travel agencies (OTAs) are playing a larger role in connecting travellers with destinations, helping transform travel inspiration into personalised itineraries and seamless bookings.

The approach is proving effective in the Vietnamese market, which has become one of Singapore's most important tourism source markets.

According to the Singapore Tourism Board (STB), Singapore welcomed 4.43 million international visitors in the first quarter of 2026, up 2.8 per cent year-on-year. Vietnamese arrivals reached about 344,000 in 2025, while Traveloka's booking data ranked Việt Nam among Singapore's top three international source markets during the first quarter of this year.

For Resorts World Sentosa (RWS), one of Singapore's largest integrated resorts, repeat visitors are a key measure of success.

"We are constantly upgrading and refreshing our experiences so Vietnamese travellers have more reasons to come back to Singapore," Clement Tan, assistant vice president for Regional Sales and Marketing at Resorts World Sentosa told Việt Nam News.

"Whether someone is visiting Singapore for the first time or has been here before, there should always be something new for them to discover."

That philosophy is driving the resort's long-term RWS 2.0 expansion. The project includes a new waterfront development, a 700-room hotel and an expansion of Universal Studios Singapore featuring the park's first Super Nintendo-themed area.

Visitors enjoy attractions at Universal Studios Singapore, one of the flagship experiences at Resorts World Sentosa.

Together with regular seasonal programming, the investments are designed to ensure the destination evolves throughout the year. Universal Studios Singapore hosts annual Lunar New Year, Halloween and Christmas celebrations, while new events inspired by popular entertainment franchises are introduced regularly.

This year's Summer of Treasures campaign has added themed entertainment, culinary experiences, football legend appearances and family-friendly activities across the integrated resort.

The strategy builds on a destination that already attracts between 18 and 20 million visitors annually across its attractions, hotels, restaurants, shopping areas and public spaces.

Its largest visitor markets include China, Indonesia, Malaysia, Australia, India and Việt Nam.

Traveloka's data suggests Vietnamese travellers are responding to the integrated resort concept. Universal Studios Singapore and the Singapore Oceanarium are currently the two most searched attractions in Singapore among Vietnamese users, while searches for Resorts World Sentosa attractions doubled year-on-year in February.

The figures reflect a broader shift in travel preferences across Southeast Asia.

Rather than taking longer, fixed itineraries, many travellers now favour shorter holidays that combine multiple experiences – accommodation, entertainment, dining and shopping – within a single trip. Integrated resorts such as RWS are well positioned to meet that demand.

The way those trips are planned is changing just as quickly.

Instead of relying on traditional package tours, more Vietnamese travellers are organising their own holidays through digital platforms.

Flights, accommodation, attraction tickets and transport can all be booked online, giving travellers greater flexibility to build itineraries around their own interests.

A Traveloka survey of 12,000 Vietnamese users found that 35 per cent now use OTA platforms to book travel services, reflecting the growing role of digital channels in outbound travel.

New attractions, including a POP MART store inspired by the brand's popular blind-box collectibles, are giving visitors another reason to return to Singapore. — Photo courtesy of Resorts World Sentosa

For destinations such as Singapore, where tourism services are already highly digitalised, OTAs have become more than booking platforms.

"Travellers today don't necessarily decide on a destination first," Tan said.

"Many begin with stories or videos they see on social media, then look for a platform where they can easily turn that inspiration into a trip."

That shift in consumer behaviour is reshaping how tourism businesses work with digital partners.

According to Resorts World Sentosa, around 70 per cent of its bookings are now made through indirect channels such as OTAs and distribution partners, while only about 30 per cent come through the resort's own website.

Recognising that trend, Traveloka and Resorts World Sentosa signed a memorandum of understanding in May to strengthen their collaboration across Southeast Asia.

The partnership aims to make the resort's accommodation, attractions, dining and entertainment products easier to discover and book through Traveloka.

Travellers can access bundled travel packages that combine flights, hotels and attractions, alongside exclusive promotions and recommendations tailored to individual preferences.

"Singapore's advantage has always been the depth of experiences that fit into a single trip, and Resorts World Sentosa concentrates that in one place," said Thipaporn Daungmak, country manager for Singapore and Thailand at Traveloka.

"The appeal isn't only the attractions. Travellers also value not having to build the itinerary themselves.

"Through this partnership, we can mirror that integrated leisure experience on the booking side, allowing them to arrange flights, accommodation, dining, entertainment and attractions more conveniently within one app."

Jenny Wang, acting denior vice president for Resort Sales and Marketing at Resorts World Sentosa, said the collaboration would also strengthen the resort's reach in Việt Nam and across Southeast Asia by combining Traveloka's regional scale, user base and consumer insights with RWS's expanding portfolio of experiences.

Industry observers say the partnership reflects a wider evolution in tourism.

Where OTAs were once viewed mainly as online booking channels, they are increasingly becoming part of the destination ecosystem – helping travellers discover experiences, compare options, personalise itineraries and convert travel inspiration into confirmed bookings.

For destinations investing heavily in new attractions, that role is becoming increasingly valuable. New experiences may encourage visitors to return, but digital platforms help ensure those experiences reach travellers at the moment they are deciding where to go next.

For Singapore, the combination of continual reinvention and digital convenience is reinforcing its appeal among Vietnamese travellers. For visitors, it means each trip can offer something different – and planning the next one is simpler than ever. — VNS