SINGAPORE - Shoppers thronged Orchard Road in the lead-up to the festive weekend, with snaking queues at malls and eateries, much to the relief of the beleaguered retail services industry that has been battered by the pandemic.

Despite the threat of the new Omicron variant, malls like Ion Orchard and Ngee Ann City were packed with crowds shopping for Christmas gifts and making use of the opportunity to dine out in groups of up to five.