Raphael Stevens

CNBC Travel

There are “encouraging signs of recovery” in Singapore’s tourism sector, according to the Singapore Tourism Board.
Visitor arrivals reached 330,000 and tourism receipts reached an estimated $1.9 billion Singapore dollars ($1.4 billion) in 2021, according to data published today by the nation’s tourism board.

These numbers, however, are down from 2020, when Singapore received 2.7 million visitors, who spent nearly $4.8 billion Singapore dollars that year.
Singapore’s tourism sector recorded overall year-on-year declines in visitor numbers and tourism expenditures from 2020 to 2021, due to the “strong tourism performance in the first two months of 2020,” according to the media release.
Singapore closed its borders in March 2020 in a bid to stem the spread of Covid-19.
Acknowledging that last year’s tourism numbers represent “only a fraction of Singapore’s tourism performance prior to the pandemic,” the Singapore Tourism Board said it’s seeing positive trends such as growth in the last three quarters of 2021.
During this time, international visitor arrivals increased 221%, compared to the same timeframe in 2020.

A slow recovery

In 2021, China (88,000), India (54,000) and Indonesia (33,000) were the top source markets for international visitors to Singapore.
From January to September last year, visitors from China spent SG$432 million, those from Indonesia spent SG$127 million and Indian visitors spent SG$58 million. The numbers exclude sightseeing, entertainment and gaming, STB said.

We must anticipate setbacks and challenges even as the tourism industry recovers slowly.

CEO, Singapore Tourism Board

It’s a start for Singapore’s tourism industry, which in 2019 made nearly SG$28 billion ($21 billion) in tourism receipts.
“We must anticipate setbacks and challenges even as the tourism industry recovers slowly. But I am confident that the tourism industry has learnt from its experiences, and is poised to recapture demand when it returns,” Keith Tan, CEO at the Singapore Tourism Board, said in a statement.  
Singapore said recently it will continue to limit the number of people who can enter the country through its quarantine-free, vaccinated travel lane arrangement. The sales of flight tickets will be capped at 50% of allocated quotas.
However, some restrictions are easing. Those who enter the country from Jan. 24 via vaccinated travel lane (VTL) flights can do unsupervised, self-administered rapid Covid tests for seven days after arrival if they intend to leave their place of residence. Submission of results is not required.

Hotels and cruises

During the pandemic, the tourism sector adapted to focus on domestic tourism, through initiatives such as the SingapoRediscovers campaign and the SingapoRediscovers Vouchers scheme. Both were launched in 2020 and were aimed at encouraging Singaporeans and residents to spend on hotels and attractions.
Several new hotels opened in 2021, including The Clan, Duxton Reserve and Oasia Resort Sentosa. The average occupancy rate for Singapore hotels last year was 56% — lower by 1% from 2020 which had the benefit of two months of tourists before borders were closed.

Singapore Airlines crew members and travelers at the transit hall of Changi Airport in Singapore on Jan. 14, 2021.
Roslan Rahman | AFP | Getty Images

The cruise industry also “rebounded strongly,” according to the tourism board, due to the popularity of so-called “cruises-to-nowhere” which started in late 2020.
“The introduction of various travel arrangements, such as Vaccinated Travel Lanes (VTLs), has encouraged the gradual return of international travelers. Domestic consumption has also been strong, as the tourism sector pivoted to develop new and innovative experiences for locals,” the tourism board said.  
To prepare for a full recovery, Singapore is also launching a “Tourism Careers Hub” in 2022 to train and update skills for tourism workers and businesses, as well as those interested in getting into the industry, according to STB.
— CNBC’s Abigail Ng contributed to this report.
Correction: Due to an editing error, Singapore’s tourism receipts for 2019 was misstated. The correct amount is $21 billion. More

CNBC Travel

Bangkok revels in its status as a culinary mecca.
From wizened street vendors who perform alchemy with sizzling woks to whiz-kid chefs who are shaping the fine dining scene, the city lays claim to one of the world’s most multifaceted food scenes.

That’s why eating is a thread that runs through even a short stay in the Thai capital.

Chinatown and Rattanakosin

Bangkok’s oldest enclaves encompass visitor highlights such as the Grand Palace and the riverside temple of Wat Pho. Other draws include neighborhoods such as Chinatown and Banglamphu, both which abound with eating options.
For an old-school start to the day, visitors can fuel up with sweetened coffee, soft-boiled eggs and pillowy toast spread thick with butter and sangkaya (coconut custard made from a tropical plant called pandan) at On Luk Yun.
After perusing the royal sights, travelers can stop for lunch at Roti Mataba for pan-fried flatbread stuffed with spicy fillings.

Roti Mataba serves buttery, fried roti flatbread, which comes stuffed, served with curry or slathered with sweetened condensed milk and sugar.
Palani Mohan | Getty Images

For a more upscale midday meal, there’s Nusara, where Michelin-starred chef Thitid “Ton” Tassanakajohn pays tribute to his late grandmother with his spin on traditional Thai recipes. He said it can be challenging to please both travelers and discerning local guests, who often want different things.

“Tourists want to taste what Thai food is all about — they want to try the traditional recipes,” he said. “On the other hand, local Thai guests like to eat something that tastes familiar, but … they want something new, so it’s forcing chefs to find new ways of working with Thai ingredients and flavors.”
Snacking is a huge part of Thai eating culture. For this, there’s Nai Mong, which serves hoi thod (oyster pancake), near the Wat Mangkon train station, or Lao Tang for tender, braised goose meat in the heart of Yaowarat Road, Chinatown’s main drag.
Lines form early in the evening outside Jay Fai where the Michelin-starred owner packs in visiting foodies with dishes such as pad kee mao (drunken noodles) and khai jiew poo (crab omelet).

Jay Fai is Thailand’s first street food venue to win a Michelin star. The chef and owner, Supinya Junsuta, who is in her 70s, covers her eyes with ski goggles to make her wok-fried dishes in Bangkok, Thailand.
Anusak Laowilas | NurPhoto | Getty Images

A more refined Michelin-garlanded alternative in the old city is 80/20, where Canadian chef Andrew Martin enhances the restaurant’s reputation for boundary-burning flair.
Highlights of his menu include the “Stormy Sea,” a dish of squid, mangosteen and chili, inspired by the chef’s fishing trips to southern Thailand, and “Isaan Market,” which focuses solely on seasonal mushrooms found in the mountainous areas of the country’s northeast region.

Silom and Sathorn

There’s nothing remotely buttoned up about the eating scene in the business districts of Silom and Sathorn.
Jok Prince, near the junction of Silom Road and Charoenkrung Road, is a stall famous for its smooth, smoky jok (Thai-style rice congee). From there, it’s a short walk to Tuang by Chef Yip, which serves some of the city’s best — and cheapest — dim sum.
Visitors can weave eastward between Sathorn Road and Silom Road, stopping at the century-old Hindu shrine Sri Mariamman Temple and some of the area’s best-known street vendors, along the way.
Two of these have their specialties right in their names. Som Tam Jay So, on Soi Phiphat 2 between Convent Road and Chong Nonsi Skytrain station, serves must-try “som tam,” or spicy papaya salad. Close to the Shangri-La Bangkok, Baan Phadthai, which means “House of Pad Thai,” is well known for what is perhaps the country’s most famous dish of all.

Som tam is a sweet Thai salad made with unripe papaya, long beans, lime, garlic, peanuts and sugar.
dontree_m | iStock | Getty Images

For a memorable fine dining dinner, there’s Saawaan, where Sujira “Aom” Pongmorn serves up beef salads, crab fat dips, grilled pork neck and spicy-sour soups in delicate tasting portions.
For a break from Thai food, travelers can head to Yen Akat Road — one of the area’s most happening thoroughfares — for beef tartare and truffle risotto at Cagette Canteen & Deli. For a different side of Europe, there’s the double-Michelin-starred Suhring, a German fine dining restaurant run by twin brothers that was voted No. 6 on “Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants” in 2021.

Siam and Sukhumvit

The hyper-commercial heart of Bangkok is more than just a shopper’s paradise. Breakfast here can be a healthy acai bowl or breakfast burrito from Luka at Siri House, a plush haven with beautiful, leafy grounds near the Chidlom Skytrain station.
For a more formal Thai lunch, there’s Paste — voted No. 38 on “Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants” list in 2020 — where traditional cuisine is served with creative twists.
Travelers can follow the office crowds to Sanguan Sri on Witthayu Road to sample fragrant curries such as gaeng kiew wan nuea (beef green curry) in this expatriate-friendly part of Bangkok.
A spirit of culinary internationalism is alive and well at venues like Appia, a Roman-style trattoria, as well as El Mercado, where a hand-chalked menu features mains such as New Zealand mussels and Australian tenderloin.

Mango sticky rice is a simple but famous Thai dessert made with glutinous rice, coconut milk, ripe mangos and mung beans.
The Washington Post | Getty Images

Those who want to celebrate a trip to Bangkok in style can do so in the lively surroundings at Mia. It’s exquisite tasting menu highlights confit cod with gambas mousseline and mussels and Hokkaido scallop with apple and dill sorbet.
If there’s still space, a final touch of Thai food can be had at Mae Varee, at the junction of Sukhumvit Road and Sukhumvit 55. It’s a fruit shop that is famous for serving the classic Thai dessert, mango sticky rice. It’s currently ranked No. 10 out of 428 dessert venues in Bangkok. More

Monday – Friday, 6:00 – 7:00 PM ET

CNBC’s Jim Cramer believes investors who bought during Monday’s early declines should be content with that choice even if the stock market later retests its lows.
The “Mad Money” host’s comments ultimately rest on what he called the concept of investment discipline.
“Sometimes, it feels like nothing works. … When you get that feeling … you have to buy stocks, not sell them, because it’s almost never as bad as it seems,” Cramer said.

Wall Street mounted a remarkable comeback during Monday’s session, and CNBC’s Jim Cramer believes investors who bought during the early declines should be content with that choice even if the stock market later retests its lows.
“These kinds of bottoms tend to be revisited, as the [S&P 500 has] now fallen 10% from its high, and those who bought at the lows today will scalp their gains” early in Tuesday’s session, the “Mad Money” host predicted.

“But the bottom line: If you bought into today’s weakness as I’ve been telling you to do, … if you bought into what sure looked like a crescendo of selling, then I think you’ll end up being happy with your decision,” Cramer added.
Cramer’s comments Monday ultimately rest on what he called the concept of investment discipline.
“Sometimes, it feels like nothing works. Valuation? No. Sentiment? No. Earnings? No. When you get that feeling … you have to buy stocks, not sell them, because it’s almost never as bad as it seems,” Cramer said.
On Monday, the Dow Jones Industrial Average was down about 1,100 points before turning around and finishing higher by 99 points. The Nasdaq Composite advanced 0.6% Monday after being down 4.9% earlier.
“At the bottom today, the sellers weren’t just afraid of the bear; they were afraid of a recession. The market goes down endlessly when there are recession worries, but it almost always overshoots,” Cramer contended.

A portion of the weakness on Wall Street is likely tied to the Federal Reserve’s two-day policy meeting that begins Tuesday and is set to conclude Wednesday, Cramer said. He contended some investors are worried that Fed Chair Jerome Powell will adopt a more hawkish stance on inflation, so they’re selling stocks to get ahead of it.
“At the time it seemed like a very rational approach, but since when is the stock market rational?” Cramer asked, rhetorically. Instead, he stressed that to navigate this kind of choppy market, investors need to know prices at which they think a stock is attractive and then pull the trigger on buying it when it reaches that level.
“That’s a form of discipline. It’s a discipline for me. It’s worked in practically every downturn except the Great Recession. It certainly worked well today,” Cramer said.
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Monday – Friday, 6:00 – 7:00 PM ET

Charts suggest that the selling in the world’s two largest cryptocurrencies may run its course soon, CNBC’s Jim Cramer said Monday.
“To me, that says it might be too late to sell and you need to consider buying. I know I am, especially if we get a final leg down,” Cramer said.
The “Mad Money” host rooted his comments in analysis from veteran technician Tom DeMark.

Charts suggest the selling in the world’s two largest cryptocurrencies may run its course soon, CNBC’s Jim Cramer said Monday, leaning on analysis from veteran technician Tom DeMark.
“When the charts, as interpreted by Tom DeMark, say that both bitcoin and ethereum could be looking at downside trend exhaustion bottoms this week, if not today, I think you need to take him seriously,” the “Mad Money” host said.

“To me, that says it might be too late to sell and you need to consider buying. I know I am, especially if we get a final leg down,” added Cramer, who personally owns some ether, which runs on the ethereum blockchain. He previously owned bitcoin, as well.
Bitcoin earlier Monday reached its lowest point since July when it fell to $32,982.11 per token, according to Coin Metrics. However, bitcoin reversed course during the trading day, ultimately moving higher to around $36,000. The cryptocurrency remains well off its all-time high of nearly $69,000 reached in the fall.
Ether also touched its lowest level since July on Monday, falling as low as $2,176.41 before paring some of those losses, according to Coin Metrics. It’s down about 50% from its all-time high.

Bitcoin

While there’s a risk that bitcoin’s steep decline in recent weeks could cause structural damage to the cryptocurrency, Cramer said DeMark is betting that will not happen — just like bitcoin’s roughly 56% drawdown from April to June 2021 didn’t prevent it from setting new highs in the fall.

Arrows pointing outwards

Technical analysis from Tom DeMark showing bitcoin’s angle of descent.
Mad Money with Jim Cramer

In fact, DeMark notes that bitcoin’s current angle of descent is identical to its 2021 plunge, Cramer said. “In other words, there’s a good chance that history continues to repeat itself.”

Looking specifically at bitcoin’s recent trading, Cramer said the cryptocurrency is at No. 11 of DeMark’s well-known 13-session countdown pattern, which the technician uses to identify when a rally or decline will be exhausted.

Arrows pointing outwards

Tom DeMark’s 13-session countdown pattern for bitcoin.
Mad Money with Jim Cramer

“We need two more negative closes before his buy trigger fires,” said Cramer, who added that DeMark also would like to see bitcoin test his downside price targets.
If Monday’s intraday turnaround ends up leading to only a brief rally, “DeMark wouldn’t be surprised to see bitcoin getting hit with a two- or three-day panic selling climax, which could briefly take it all the way down to 26,355,” Cramer said.

Ether

Arrows pointing outwards

Tom DeMark’s technical analysis for ether, including two downside price projections.

Ether “has already hit 13 on his buy countdown for the first time since the peak. That tells DeMark that we could be looking at a trend exhaustion bottom,” Cramer said, noting that “fortunately” ether also fell beneath DeMark’s downside price projection of $2,434.
Despite these positive technical indications, DeMark cautions that ether may still fall further. “If we get another panicked breakdown, he could see [ether] temporarily dipping to $1,859 in a selling climax, but that would be your moment to buy, not sell, into the teeth of the panic,” Cramer said.
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Monday – Friday, 6:00 – 7:00 PM ET

It’s that time again! “Mad Money” host Jim Cramer rings the lightning round bell, which means he’s giving his answers to callers’ stock questions at rapid speed.

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EQRx Inc.: “What certain companies have to do is, they have to buy biotech companies. This is the kind of company that needs to be bought. It shouldn’t be independent.”

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DigitalOcean Holdings: “It sells at 190 times earnings. I’m not recommending anything that’s north of 50 times earnings. That’s just my new rule discipline to get me through this tough time.”

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Cue Health: “We have too many tests, what can I say? Even the best that have tests are crumbling here, so that one has to crumble right along with it.”

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ADT Inc.: “Nah. There’s nothing there in ADT. That should never have come public. That was another one of those where they just got you.”
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Former Republican vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin tested positive for Covid, and is unvaccinated, a federal judge told a courtroom.
The positive coronavirus test by the one-time Alaska governor led to the postponement of the scheduled start of a trial for Palin’s civil defamation lawsuit against The New York Times.
Palin in March disclosed that she had been diagnosed then with the coronavirus, and recently said that she will get a Covid-19 vaccine “over my dead body.”
She sued the Times and its former editorial page editor for allegedly damaging her reputation with a 2017 editorial linking her PAC’s ad to the shooting of Rep. Gabby Giffords.

Former vice-presidential candidate Sarah Palin speaks while campaigning for U.S. Senate candidate Judge Roy Moore at the Historic Union Station Train Shed in Montgomery, Alabama, U.S., September 21, 2017.
Tammi Chappel | Reuters

Unvaccinated former Republican vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin tested positive for Covid, a federal judge told a courtroom before he postponed the scheduled start Monday of a defamation trial involving the one-time Alaska governor and The New York Times that was set to begin.
Palin’s civil suit against the Times now will be heard by a jury in Manhattan federal court on Feb. 3 as a result of her Covid-19 status.

The Times reported later Monday that Palin dined indoors on Saturday night at Elio’s, an Italian restaurant on Manhattan’s Upper East Side that, like all New York City restaurants, is required under city regulations to confirm guests are vaccinated for Covid.
The newspaper quoted Elio’s manager as saying “we just made a mistake,” and that the restaurant checks vaccination cards only for first-time guests, and not for longtime guests, one of whom Palin was eating with.
A City Hall spokesman said, “The Key to NYC rules were put in place to protect all New Yorkers – including the small businesses that power our city’s economy.”
“Ms. Palin needs to respect small business workers and follow the rules just like everyone else,” the spokesman said.
Palin disclosed in March that she had been diagnosed then with the coronavirus.

Last month, Palin said that she will get a Covid-19 vaccine “over my dead body.”
Judge Jed Rakoff announced in court Monday that he learned Sunday evening that the 57-year-old Palin was again positive for the virus.
“She is of course unvaccinated,” Rakoff said.
After a second test confirmed Palin was positive for Covid, Rakoff postponed the trial start date to February.

CNBC Politics

Read more of CNBC’s politics coverage:

Palin sued the Times and its former editorial page editor for allegedly damaging her reputation with a 2017 editorial that suggested an image produced by Palin’s political action committee incited the 2011 shooting of Rep. Gabby Giffords of Arizona.
Palin was not well known to the American public when GOP presidential nominee Sen. John McCain picked her to be his running mate in 2008.
The McCain-Palin ticket lost to President Barack Obama and his running mate, Joe Biden, who is now president.

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