Here's yet another reason to be proud of Singapore. Even in a raging pandemic, our passport still remains the strongest in the world, just behind Japan.
This is according to the second quarter of The Henley Passport Index, which ranks the strength of passports around the world. In its latest iteration, it compares how countries will fare in the post-pandemic world.
The strongest passport goes to Japan, with Japanese nationals having access to 193 countries. Singapore follows closely behind, with access to just one less country. South Korea and Germany come up third with 191 countries; followed by Italy, Finland, Spain and Luxembourg with 190.
And it seems like travel is on the cards, too. One out of five Singaporeans (20 percent) said that they would consider travelling in the next three months, according to another survey by fintech company Finder's Travel Index. This is up from just 16.39 per cent in the February survey. Singaporeans still have one of the lowest appetites for international travel in the world, though.
This is good news especially now, as Singapore is finalising arrangements with Hong Kong on the much-delayed Air Travel Bubble (ATB), which was slated to take off last year. Singapore is also in talks with countries like Australia, Taiwan and Malaysia on possible travel arrangements.
About time, too. While much of international travel is still on hold, the rollout of mass vaccination programmes around the globe is giving us a renewed sense of hope.
If you're still staying put in Singapore to see how the situation pans out, there are plenty of things to do in Singapore – whether you're taking on the best hiking trails in Singapore, getting cultured at various art exhibitions around town or eating your way through the city.
Read more:
All you need to know about Singapore's existing travel arrangements
The best hotel stays in Singapore that transports you overseas
Mirazur, the world's best restaurant, will run a pop-up in Singapore