Tourism on the historic island of Singapore is on the up according to new figures from the Singapore tourism board, with foreign visitor arrivals to the city-state up 15.9 per cent from the same period last year.

The independent republic has a long multicultural history and the top five visitor markets for the month of February were China, Indonesia, United Kingdom, Japan and Malaysia, making up 49 per cent of all arrivals for the month.

Singapore, which is regarded as a gateway into south-east Asia and an important travel hub between Europe and Australia, also saw an increase in visitors from South Korea, China, India and the Philippines in February, according to the tourism board.

Although the island has a population of just 4.2 million residents, the long-term target is to attract another 17 million visitors by 2015, hopefully generating $30 billion for the local economy.

Singapore is a modern high-tech state with a lush tropical climate, offering everything from boutique hotels and top golf courses to ancient cultural experiences and rare wildlife, as well as one of Asia's largest outdoor spas at Spa Botanica.

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