Tripadvisor 2020 year in review: Singapore edition

Tripadvisor takes a trip back in time to look at some of the most loved staycations, eats and activities this past year. The onset of the pandemic has had a profound impact on travel and tourism. Despite COVID-19 concerns, 64 percent of Singaporean travellers are still dreaming about travel and looking for what’s safe and available in their own backyards.

In line with the easing of lockdown measures and reopening of many local businesses in Singapore, recent Tripadvisor site data shows that domestic bookings have increased to well above 2019 pre-pandemic levels. Our search data has shown that despite not being able to travel, our travellers are still researching, saving, exploring and dreaming about their next trip, outing or activity for when it’s safe again.

This year, we pulled the top trending searches in the Hotels, Restaurants and Attractions categories, looking for the most loved by locals. These businesses were chosen by an algorithm that takes into account bubble ratings and the number of reviews a business received from domestic reviewers in 2020.

It comes as no surprise that in Singapore, family staycations are on the rise, especially over the end-of-year school holidays and over the upcoming festive season. Here are the top 10 kid-friendly family hotels that were most loved by locals this year:

• Mandarin Oriental, Singapore
• Mandarin Orchard Singapore
• Shangri-La Hotel, Singapore
• Marina Bay Sands
• Orchard Rendezvous Hotel by Far East Hospitality
• Capella Singapore
• Hotel Boss
• Andaz Singapore
• Fairmont Singapore
• The Ritz-Carlton, Millenia Singapore

Singaporeans live to eat, but due to COVID-19 restrictions and social distancing rules, dining out at restaurants proved to be quite a challenge this year. Instead, we saw restaurants adapting to these changes by offering customers takeaway and delivery options. Check out the top 10 restaurants offering online food delivery that were most loved by locals this year:

• MONTI
• G7 Sin Ma Live Seafood Restaurant
• Empress
• Meat N' Chill
• ShuKuu Izakaya & Sake Bar
• Prive Keppel Bay
• PS.Cafe Harding
• Wine & Chef
• Paulaner Bräuhaus Singapore
• Les Bouchons Robertson Quay

Choice in activities and experiences also saw a big shift this year. Tripadvisor’s site data saw more travellers searching for attractions and experiences that were outdoors or well-ventilated, and allowed for safe social distancing. In a recent Tripadvisor traveller survey, it was found that 44% of Singaporean travellers are more likely to pick outdoor and nature type destinations as compared to pre-pandemic. These are the top 10 outdoor attractions that were most loved by locals this year:

• Gardens by the Bay
• Singapore Zoo
• Singapore Botanic Gardens
• East Coast Park
• Chinatown
• 1-Altitude Gallery & Bar
• Night Safari
• Marina Bay
• National Orchid Garden
• The Southern Ridges

“2020 has indeed been a tough year for Singaporeans, especially those who have had to cancel trips and shelve travel plans in light of the pandemic. It’s definitely great to see that despite the limitations of travel, Singaporeans are still actively supporting local businesses and out discovering what’s in and around the city,” said Jane Lim, VP for Global Markets at Tripadvisor. “While a lot remains unknown in the year ahead, we remain hopeful and positive that travel will recover and we will all come back to travel safely.”

Website: www.theholidayandtravelmagazine.blogspot.com.au