SINGAPORE - About 400,000 less visitors came to Singapore last year than in 2008, although there was a record number of them in December.

That month registered a record 971,000 visitors - the highest number of tourists ever received.

But for full-year 2009, the Singapore Tourism Board (STB) yesterday said visitor numbers fell to 9.7 million - a 4.3 per cent year-on-year decline - due to the global recession.

Most visitors came from regional countries such as Indonesia and China, with Malaysia registering a huge jump in numbers because of the availability of low-cost carriers.

There was however, a 16-per-cent growth in arrivals in the cruise sector.

There was also a 19 per cent drop of overall expenditure by tourists compared to 2008, but last year, more was spent on shopping than on accommodation.

With the opening of the casinos as well as upcoming events like the Youth Olympic Games, chief executive of STB Aw Kah Peng said: "The growth momentum for the tourism industry is expected to continue and the outlook remains optimistic for 2010".