According to Reuters, tourism in the Asia-Pacific region is recovering slowly compared to other regions. The lack of large numbers of Russian tourists is also a barrier.
Laura Houldsworth, CEO of Booking.com, told Reuters that many Russian customers who booked the company’s online tours had canceled flights to tourist destinations in the Asia-Pacific region. This has a significant impact on the recovery of the regional tourism industry. According to Ms. Houldsworth, Russian tourists are a big market for beach resorts in Asia.
Russian tourists often look to beaches in Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia, India and the Maldives. However, from mid-February, the cancellation of flights from Russia spiked. Beach resorts in many Asian countries recorded a significant decrease in the number of Russian tourists, a Booking.com representative said.
Besides the barrier is the lack of potential tourist market, the slow recovery of the Asia – Pacific tourism industry is also due to the lack of readiness to open, the quarantine regulations are still strict.
According to Laura Houldsworth, Southeast Asian countries are reopening cautiously. “The recovery of tourism in this area is not going to explode anytime soon,” Ms Houldsworth told Reuters.
On the more positive side, many Asian countries have been planning to open their doors to international visitors who have received the Covid-19 vaccine.
“Some countries will soon return to the tourism race this year,” said a representative of an online travel company.
Ms. Houldsworth cited positive Australia, Cambodia and the Philippines as countries that have dropped quarantine requirements for fully vaccinated travelers.
Vietnam is also speeding up its plan to welcome international visitors in March. Bali Island (Indonesia) has eased travel restrictions, revoked quarantine regulations, and granted visas to visitors from 23 countries. including Australia, Japan, Singapore, USA. Meanwhile, Thailand resumed its quarantine-free entry program in February.
However, some tour operators and hotels in Thailand still complain that international tourists still have many difficulties in the immigration process. These businesses are calling on the government to further relax epidemic prevention measures.
The representative of the booking platform also said that destinations with less cumbersome entry regulations will attract tourists and bring significant tourism benefits.
Besides positive signs of recovery, some countries in the region still apply entry restrictions such as Korea, Japan, and China.
@ Reuters
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Source: Vietnam Insider