SINGAPORE'S visitor arrivals tumbled 13 per cent in March as the global economic slowdown cut consumer spending and holiday plans.

Some 790,000 tourists came last month, compared with 911,000 a year earlier, said the Singapore Tourism Board on Thursday.

The decline, however, is not as steep as February when 689,000 visitors came, down 15.2 per cent dip from a year ago, and also the lowest in four years.

Visitor days in March fell 11 per cent to 3 million over a year ago, said STB.

The global economy's worst crisis since the Great Depression has curbed travel demand, including to Singapore.

'Visitor arrivals in 12 out of the top 15 markets decreased compared to the same month last year, a reflection of the impact of the current global economic slowdown on consumer sentiments and discretionary spending,' said STB in a statement on Thursday.

Malaysia, Germany and Vietnam were the only markets among the top 15 that saw a rise in visitor arrivals last month.

Average hotel room rates dropped 18.5 per cent to S$196, the lowest since May 2007, while occupancy in hotels fell 13.1 percentage points to 74 per cent in March.

Hotel room revenue was estimated at $125 million, down by 33.3 per cent from March last year.