SINGAPORE – Growing tourist numbers, which once sparked concerns over overcrowding and safety in the two main universities in Singapore, appear to have eased and stabilised, a year after tighter visitor management measures were introduced.

In response to queries from The Straits Times, both the National University of Singapore (NUS) and Nanyang Technological University (NTU) said that measures introduced to regulate footfall have been effective, while NUS students said their daily campus experience has improved.

On Jan 23, NUS told ST: “Measures introduced over the past two years to manage the seasonal visitor traffic to our Kent Ridge campus have been effective.

“The measures are well-received by staff and students, and visitor feedback has been positive.”

The current stability is a marked improvement from the chaotic situation in 2024, which saw students jostling with visitors in crowded shuttle buses and packed canteens as seasonal waves of tourists descended upon the campuses, especially during peak travel seasons.

The influx of visitors sparked complaints over disruptions to academic activities, and concerns over safety risks caused by tourists flouting traffic rules or entering restricted zones.

The complaints prompted NUS to act: In December 2024, the university mandated that

all visitors planning to tour the campus from Jan 13 to Feb 21, 2025, must register and book a tour group slot

Nearly 400 tour slots were booked between Jan 13 and Feb 7, 2025, alone, with the university training 74 of its students to lead these groups. On the first day of the programme, student ambassadors conducted tours for 271 tourists at University Town (UTown).