Credit and debit card company MasterCard says shoppers spent 23 percent more in the first month of this year's Great Singapore Sale compared to last year.
The firm says the number of overall transactions rose 17 percent to
almost 3.7 million transactions with a total value of $633.8 million.
Tourist spending went up 21 percent on year, with visiting cardholders
buying 220.4 million dollars worth of goods and services.
Cardholders from the US, Malaysia, Australia, Indonesia and Japan
continued their momentum as the biggest spenders from the first weekend
of GSS.
Mastercard says Singapore-based cardholders spent almost 25 percent more
at $413.4 million, while the number of transactions increased by 15
percent.
Dining continued to be the biggest draw for Singapore-based cardholders
with local consumers spending more than $34.8 million at eating places
and restaurants in the first month of the Sale, up 19 percent from last
year.
This is more than double the amount compared to the next two categories,
Grocery Stores and Supermarkets which raked in $17.8 million and
Department Stores which earned $15.2 million.
MasterCard says it will be contributing half a cent to the Singapore
Children's Society for every transaction made on a MasterCard card
during GSS.
-- 938Live