Journey of a Tourist via Grab

Summary

Grab analyzed platform ride data from millions of tourist passengers representing over 150 countries visiting Singapore. Over 60% of these tourist riders originated from Southeast Asia, while non-regional visitors mainly came from China, the United States, and India. Seasonal demand revealed a trimodal distribution for tropical travelers aligning with holiday periods, contrasting with a September-to-January peak for visitors escaping winter in four-season climates. Airport trips showed that nearly 90% of tourist passengers headed directly to hotels, concentrated heavily in central areas like Orchard, Bugis, Downtown Core, and Kallang. Additional key destinations included major shopping districts, iconic dining locations like Newton Food Centre and Chijmes, and medical centers, which saw tourist ride volume grow over 500% between 2015 and 2017.

Takeaways

1. 1

   More than 60% of tourist passengers on Grab originated from Southeast Asia, primarily Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines, Vietnam, and Thailand.

2. 2

   Almost 90% of first rides leaving Changi Airport headed directly to hotels, with 80% clustered in central areas such as Orchard, Bugis, Singapore River, and Downtown Core.

3. 3

   Hospital and medical center drop-offs for tourist passengers on Grab grew by more than 500% between 2015 and 2017, driven largely by Southeast Asian visitors.