THE number of visitors to Singapore fell by 4.3 per cent last year to 9.7 million, driving the revenue from the sector down 19 per cent to S$12.4 billion, the Singapore Tourism Board (STB) said on Tuesday.

The number was still slightly higher than the STB's target of 9 to 9.5 million visitors, which, analysts said, was conservative.

The tourism industry fell short of 700,000 tourists in 2008 - the first time it missed its targets since annual goals were set in 2003.

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