Covid-19: Tour group limit to be raised from 20 to 50, 8-hour restriction on tours scrapped, says STB

SINGAPORE — The Singapore Tourism Board (STB) will be easing restrictions for tour operators from Wednesday (April 14) onwards, paving the way for larger tour groups to have longer itineraries.

The tourism board said in an advisory on Monday that the easing of restrictions will increase the number of participants for walking, kayaking and cycling tours to 50, up from the current limit of 20.

An eight-hour time limit for tours will also be removed.

However, the advisory stated that all tour participants must still be split into sub-groups of no more than eight people, and participants must keep at least 1m apart from one another. Sub-groups are still not allowed to intermingle with other such groups.

STB said that it was relaxing the restrictions in line with the easing of community safety measures announced by the Government's Covid-19 task force on March 24.

The task force had announced that from April 24, more people will be allowed at wedding receptions, marriage solemnisations, live performances and certain business and sports events provided that the participants are tested for Covid-19 beforehand.

The authorities had also stated that from April 5, up to 75 per cent of employees who are presently able to work from home will be able to work from their offices at any one time, up from the current 50 per cent cap.

Beyond the easing of the restrictions, STB also said on Monday that it is streamlining the application process for tour operators or tourist guides to resume tours.

From Wednesday, both groups will no longer need to seek approval for each tour itinerary and may apply to the board to resume tour operations under a single application.

As for tour operators and guides who had previously received approval to resume tours from the Ministry of Trade and Industry, STB said that they will not need to seek approval again.