THE IMPACT OF COVID-19 ON THE SOUTHEAST ASIAN TOURISM INDUSTRY
THE IMPACT OF COVID-19 ON THE SOUTHEAST
ASIAN WEEKLY SUMMARY TOURISM 11 OCT 2020 Hannah Pearson INDUSTRY [email protected]
INTRODUCTION
As a market highly dependent on both Chinese outbound tourism and the Chinese economy, Southeast Asia is a region which was heavily affected by COVID-19 even in the early months of 2020.
With the declaration of a pandemic, as well as the closing of borders and imposition of lockdowns, Southeast Asia’s tourism economy will continue to be impacted for the foreseeable future.
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THE IMPACT OF COVID-19 ON THE SOUTHEAST ASIAN TOURISM INDUSTRY
IMPACT SUMMARY Week ending Sunday 11th October 2020
INBOUND TRAVEL OUTBOUND TRAVEL COUNTRY LOCKDOWN RESTRICTIONS RESTRICTIONS CASES DEATHS
Cambodia Partial Visa restrictions Discouraged 283 0 Indonesia Partial Visa restrictions Restricted 333,449 11,844 Laos None Visa restrictions Discouraged 23 0 Malaysia Partial Visa restrictions Restricted 15,657 157 Myanmar Partial Visa restrictions Discouraged 26,064 598 Philippines Partial Not permitted Not permitted 339,341 6,321 Singapore Partial Visa restrictions Restricted 57,876 27 Thailand None Visa restrictions Flight restriction 3,636 59 Vietnam None Visa restrictions Restricted 1,107 35
Data accurate as of 20:02 (UTC+8) on 11 Oct 2020 Partial lockdown = closure of schools or some non-essential services (e.g. entertainment), recommendation to work from home Lockdown = closure of all non-essential businesses, restricted movement COVID-19 case & death statuses from John Hopkins Coronavirus Resource Center
CAMBODIA PM remains confident about Cambodia’s economy. On Page 4 • Prince Manor, Cambodia’s first major theme park, • Tourism businesses on southern islands has been officially launched impacted by ferry cancellations
Jakarta eases into transitional period of PSBB from 12 INDONESIA Oct for 2 weeks. On Page 13 • Garuda Indonesia secures a $68 million USD loan • Indonesia in final stages of travel corridor talks from Eximbank with Singapore
Lao Airlines supports the Lao Thiao Lao campaign with LAOS “true cooperation” to help its success. On Page 33 • Lao National Museum opens in its new location • Nakai-Nam Theun National Park looked at as a model for ecotourism
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Aviation industry in turmoil as Malaysia Airlines CEO MALAYSIA says airline may not survive, AirAsia X restructures. On Page 37 • New daily cases remain high – but the PM will • Redang and Perhentian Islands see visitor not lockdown the whole nation increases of 114.8% and 319.4% YoY for Aug
Myanmar’s cases cross the 20,000 mark, 10,000 of MYANMAR which reported in just 9 days. On Page 65 • Small businesses and factories in Yangon will be • Yangon’s stay-at-home order extended from 8-21 allowed to resume operations Oct
Cebu Pacific looking to raise $500 million USD; PHILIPPINES Philippine Airlines announces 2,700 layoffs. On Page 73 • Philippines closer to setting up Fast Lane with • Ilocos Norte to open up for tourists from Luzon China for urgent business from next week, even for those from GCQ areas
Progressive work on Reciprocal Green Lanes and Air SINGAPORE Travel Bubbles – but outbound leisure travel in Dec remains unlikely. On Page 96 • Cruises to nowhere permitted to sail from 1 Nov • Changi Airport to set up testing lab as gov. believes testing key to unlocking air travel
THAILAND First STV group to arrive on 20 Oct – but whole group must be COVID-free to continue scheme, gov. warns.
On Page 116 • Chiang Mai has lost 100 billion THB in tourism • Phuket expects at least 15,000 domestic tourists/ revenue day during its vegetarian festival in Oct
Domestic air traffic almost reaches pre 2nd wave levels,
VIETNAM VNA 200 flights/ day, Vietjet 250/ day. On Page 148 • Ministry of Transport planning to open 9 more • 68% of Vietnamese plan to resume domestic international flights into Hanoi and HCMC travels by Q4 2020, according to a new survey
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CAMBODIA Tourism industry stands to lose $5 billion USD.
TRAVEL All visa exemptions, visas on arrival and e-visas are suspended. Travellers must RESTRICTIONS have valid medical certificates issued 72hrs prior to travel, proof of medical insurance worth up to $50k USD, be tested for COVID-19 upon arrival and undertake a 14-day quarantine with a re-test on the 14th day. They must deposit $2,000 USD on arrival (IATA).
LOCKDOWN More schools reopened nationwide on 7 Sep, while all karaoke parlours, spas and STATUS massage parlours are closed. Large religious gatherings are banned.
Flight searches and booking volume for Future flight search for travel to travel to Cambodia Cambodia
Source: Sojern COVID-19 dashboard
Source: Sojern COVID-19 dashboard
TRAVEL BUBBLES & INTERNATIONAL BORDERS
11 Sep: The Cambodian government has urged ASEAN to work towards “travel corridors” >>
11 Sep: Vietnam expects to resume commercial flights to Laos and Cambodia from 22 Sep. Passengers will need to have a negative certificate prior to departure, and will be tested on arrival twice. Foreign passengers will need to pay for all quarantine and testing, as well as install the app Bluezone >>
3 Sep: The Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam (CAAV) has submitted plans for international flights to be reinstated to Cambodia. All pax would be quarantined
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on arrival (at their own cost). Transit passengers would not be allowed into the country. Pax would also need to provide a negative test prior to departure, and be tested on arrival >>
3 Sep: China will resume flights from Beijing to Cambodia from 3 Sep, with travellers subject to a 14-day quarantine on arrival and 2 COVID-19 tests >>
3 Sep: The charges for the COVID-19 tests for foreigners on arrival to Cambodia will be reduced to $100 USD each, with the remainder of their $2,000 USD deposit being paid back 3 days after the 2nd test has a negative result >>
26 Aug: The Cambodia-Thailand joint working group are discussing solutions to boost tourism. The Ministry of Tourism is still studying travel bubbles and is awaiting approval from other ministries >>
22 Aug: Japan and Cambodia have agreed to open borders for each other’s expatriates, so long as they observe a 14-day quarantine from early Sep >>
19 Aug: More passengers will be allowed to transit at Changi Airport, including Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand, on Singapore Airlines Group’s flights, in addition to last week’s approval for Cambodia and Vietnam. Routes include from Bangkok, Jakarta, Medan, Surabaya, Ipoh, Kuching, Kuala Lumpur and Penang >>
13 Aug: Cambodia will now extend a flight ban to the Philippines after more returning Cambodians from the country tested positive >>
13 Aug: Cambodian students are facing issues when trying to return to Japan for study – although Cambodians are permitted to re-enter Japan, the only flights which will allow them to get there are via South Korea, which is considered high- risk by the Japanese and therefore they would not be allowed to enter >>
5 Aug: Cambodia has lowered the cash deposit to $2,000 USD for foreign travellers on arrival. Travellers must buy a local health insurance package which will cost $90 USD and be valid for 20 days >>
INBOUND
NEW 9 Oct: The Hyatt Regency Phnom Penh will open in Q1 2021 >>
NEW 8 Oct: Prince Manor, Cambodia’s first major theme park 20km away from Phnom Penh, has been officially launched >>
NEW 8 Oct: The PM has expressed confidence about the economy, after the World Bank predicted just a -2% drop compared to other projections of -7 to -9% >>
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NEW 7 Oct: Century Entertainment International will relocate its gaming floor from Sihanoukville’s Sunshine Bay Hotel to Dara Sakor in Koh Kong province >>
NEW 6 Oct: Tourism businesses on the southern islands of Cambodia are being impacted by the number of cancelled boat rides to Sihanoukville due to the bad weather >>
NEW 5 Oct: A rail link between Phnom Penh to Bavet, on the border with Vietnam, is being considered. Vietnam would then build a rail link from Bavet to HCMC >>
NEW 5 Oct: Prince Mall in Sihanoukville has opened, the first mixed-use shopping mall in the province >>
NEW 4 Oct: A training course to 155 travel agents about the history and risks of the Angkor Archaeological Park has been carried out >>
2 Oct: 4 community-based eco-tourism joint development packages have been set up to boost the number pf domestic visitors, at Roleak Kang Cheurng, Phat Sanday, Teuk Chop Khnarpor and Boeng Sne. The government will work to improve services and infrastructure for these 4 areas, as well as identity more >>
2 Oct: Angkor Archaeological Park has had just 396,241 foreign visitors from Jan- Sep, a drop of 76.17% >>
1 Oct: A 6th round of stimulus measures has been announced, focusing on the garment, textile, tourism and aviation sectors. Tourism workers will receive $40 USD/ month for 3 months, whilst registered hotels, guesthouses, restaurants and travel agencies will be exempt from tax for the next 3 months. The PATA Cambodia chapter, whilst grateful for the aid, feels that a special fund should be set up for tourism businesses >>
1 Oct: The aviation sector will continue to have its minimum tax exempted from Oct to Dec 2020 for airlines, and the payment of civil aviation fees will be delated for 2 more months until the end of Dec 2020 >>
30 Sep: The World Bank has forecast a drop in economic outlook of 2% in GDP, the sharpest decline in the country’s recent history, but forecasts growth of 4.3% in 2021 >>
30 Sep: The Ministry of Finance wants to ease loan requirements for SMEs, and give more financial support >>
29 Sep: The Minister of Tourism has said that the country is always ready to welcome Japanese investors and tourists. A 3-phase program is planned to promote Cambodia’s tourism:
1. Resilient and Restart stage – crisis manage between H1 2020 – H1 2021 2. Recovery stage – H2 2021 – 2022
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3. Relaunch – 2023 – 2025 >>
29 Sep: The Ministry of Tourism has said that 3,000 tourism businesses have closed, affecting 45,405 workers >>
27 Sep: The PM has said that authorities need to define tourism as a strategic pillar for rural development >>
26 Sep: The Sea Festival, scheduled to take place in Preah Sihanouk at year-end, has been postponed to a date not yet confirmed >>
23 Sep: A Green Belt project related to tourism, social and economic sectors is being planned by a Japanese company >>
23 Sep: The Asian Development Bank has approved a $29 million USD loan for the country to strengthen Cambodia’s fiscal planning >>
21 Sep: The PM told US companies and investors that the country is still a good bet for investment, but that it had suffered huge challenges for the tourism sector, amongst others >>
19 Sep: 1.1 million domestic and foreign tourists travelled in Cambodia over the 3- day Pchum Ben festival from 16-18 Sep >>
16 Sep: My International Movers has selected Cambodia as the world’s most hospitable countries for welcoming foreign tourists >>
16 Sep: Cambodia’s tourism port construction completion in Kampot province will be delayed until late 2021, with just 30% of the project currently completed. It is forecast to be operational by 2022 >>
15 Sep: Cambodia Angkor Air resumed regular flights on 15 Sep between Siem Reap – Phnom Penh/ Phnom Penh – Sihanoukville, and international flights between Phnom Penh to Guangzhou >>
14 Sep: The Ministry of Tourism has launched the 2nd phase of its Skills Development Programme, which will run from 2020-2024 in Kratie, Stung Treng, Preah Vihear, Ratanakiri and Mondulkiri provinces. It will benefit 11,640 young people >>
11 Sep: Data from STR has shown that in the w/c 22 Aug, hotel occupancy levels rose to the highest level since the start of Mar >>
11 Sep: Cambodia’s international arrival numbers were just 1.2 million between Jan-Jul, down 68.7% YoY. July had 20,689 foreign visitors, -96% YoY >>
11 Sep: A new survey has found that hospitality and service workers have had a 56.4% drop in their wages from Jan to Apr 2020 >>
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10 Sep: The Ministry of Tourism has urged international tourists to not cancel their trips to Cambodia, but instead to follow 8 instructions, including having adequate travel insurance, keeping high hygiene standards and to not discriminate based on race >>
10 Sep: Some foreigners have complained of being quarantined in twin-sharing rooms with another person due to a shortage of rooms >>
9 Sep: Siem Reap’s Tourism Development Masterplan for 2020-2035 will be submitted for approval in Oct, and is expected to situate it as a main destination not only for Cambodia, but SE Asia as well >>
8 Sep: Siem Reap is planning to hold events every weekend to attract locals to visit. They will also organise tour packages to nearby places such as Phnom Kulen, too, to benefit the local communities. During the long weekend from 17-21 Aug, an estimated 214,047 pax visited Siem Reap province >>
8 Sep: The Cambodian government has said that they are working to focus on ecotourism development, with new laws to support it >>
8 Sep: Schools grade 9-12 reopened, whilst 4 provinces allowed all class levels to reopen if there was a low risk of infection >>
7 Sep: A $150 million USD budget for road infrastructure development in Siem Reap has been approved, to “promote the national image” >>
4 Sep: Prek Kampi may be added to a list to send to UNESCO as a Natural World Heritage Site, as it is home to rare dolphins >>
4 Sep: The Tuol Seng Genocide Museum was awarded the Jikji Memory of the World Prize from UNESCO >>
3 Sep: The Tourism Ministry revealed that Cambodia has lost $5 billion USD in tourism revenues, but they expect the country to regain between $500k and $1 million between now and the end of the year. The recent long Khmer New Year holidays generated $100 million USD in revenue. They have also devised a “walking in the middle” method for tourism if COVID-19 continues for a long time, accepting international tourists whilst ensuring control to minimize risks >>
3 Sep: The Tourism Ministry has announced that 30% of tourism businesses have now reopened, and 100,000 workers returned to work. The Cambodia Hotel Association, however, estimates that about 5,000 jobs were recovered, whilst the Cambodia Tourism Workers Union Federation said that they do not estimate that 30% of businesses have reopened, reckoning it to be lower >>
3 Sep: 110,000 tourism workers have been affected by COVID-19, with 3,135 tourism businesses closed between Mar and Jul. The Tourism Ministry have said
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that only 3-5 flights land in Cambodia daily, mainly from China and South Korea >>
3 Sep: Unions are calling for the workers minimum wage to be raised to $11.59 USD, an increase of around 6.1% >>
2 Sep: The World Bank has released a report focusing on ecotourism opportunities in Cambodia, particularly in the face of challenges from COVID-19. It will support the Cambodian government to strengthen ecotourism planning, enabling the private sector and strengthening regulatory frameworks >>
2 Sep: Casino developments will not be permitted near the Angkor Wat area, the government has reconfirmed, after Hong Kong NagaCorp said that it was looking for more integrated resort developments in the Siem Reap and Sihanoukville areas >>
2 Sep: The UNDP has said that COVID-19 has been a catalyst for Cambodia to develop large-scale social protection schemes, with the country able to reduce the poverty rate to below 3%. The cash transfer programme implemented could achieve significant poverty reduction and could pave the way for further developments >>
31 Aug: A fire severely affected Battambang’s Central Market, a heritage site, damaging many stalls >>
30 Aug: Cambodia has gone 16 consecutive days without any locally transmitted cases >>
28 Aug: Visitors to Phnom Penh’s museums have dropped by 95% vs pre-pandemic, affected by both a drop in international tourists, but also by school groups >>
27 Aug: The Royal Academy of Cambodia (RAC) and the Ministry of Tourism have signed an MoU to boost the vocational training and HR research of the tourism sector in the country. The Ministry of Tourism believes that upskilling workers is essential at this time >>
27 Aug: APSARA has announced that the sunset view at Pre Roup Temple at Angkor will be banned temporarily >>
27 Aug: Cambodia has had a letter of appreciation from the WTO for responsibly resuming domestic tourism >>
27 Aug: Some public schools will reopen grades 9 – 12 across the country from 7 Sep, so long as they are in low-risk provinces. All levels are expected to reopen by Dec >>
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25 Aug: Employees of the Cambodian Cultural Village tourism park in Siem Reap have resumed strike action, demanding that their salary and benefits be paid after a cut from Apr >>
24 Aug: The Cambodia Association of Travel Agents (CATA) has said that the substitute Khmer New Year holidays boosted the tourism sector, and that the good cooperation between the state and private businesses allowed tourists to feel safe. However, they said that they strongly rely on international visitors due to the higher spend. The Cambodia Hotel Association (CHA) have said that hotels and resorts in Ratanakiri were almost fully booked, whilst occupancy in Kratie was below 50% over the holidays >>
22 Aug: 1.4 million tourists visited attractions around Cambodia during the 5-day replacement Khmer New Year holidays. Most were family groups on inter- provincial trips, and was made up of 1,445,238 locals and 14,148 foreigners >>
21 Aug: Cambodian tourists are said to feel safe whilst travelling for the Khmer New Year replacement holidays >>
21 Aug: The Ministry of Tourism asked tourism related businesses to provide customer information via a Telegram bot for contact tracing purposes >>
18 Aug: Hundreds of tourists visited the Chreav waterfalls in Kampong Speu province >>
18 Aug: 557 tourism resorts opened for the 5-day long weekend >>
13 Aug: Mondulkiri’s tourism development master plan is underway, and will have a focus on sustainable tourism, prioritising the cultural identities of indigenous groups >>
13 Aug: The 3-day annual Phnom Penh Water Festival, due to take place from 30 Oct – 1 Nov, has been cancelled >>
13 Aug: Ahead of the holidays, key tourist destinations in the country will implement precautionary measures, such as tables at restaurants being spaced away from one another, and enhanced cleaning at hotels >>
13 Aug: The first international aviation training centre has now opened in Cambodia, at the American University of Phnom Penh >>
13 Aug: Cambodia was ranked the 7th safest destination in the world to visit during the pandemic by Germany-based startup Tourlane >>
13 Aug: The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has warned that the pandemic could cause an additional 1.3 million Cambodians into poverty, around 8% of the population >>
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13 Aug: The President of the Cambodia Association of Travel Agents (CATA) have said that the upcoming long holidays has already seen more bookings, especially for Siem Reap. They say that tourism businesses do worry that the COVID-19 situation will worsen, but so long as everyone does their part, then the impact would not grow >>
12 Aug: A sheep rearing farm is being transformed into a tourism product in Kampong Chhnang province, in the first of its kind in the country >>
12 Aug: A Khmer Tourism for the Future incubator is being launched by the government, designed to grow resilience and innovation in the tourism industry. It is aimed at entrepreneurs with a sustainable prototype of business that could apply to the domestic tourism sector >>
31 Jul: Tax breaks for aviation companies and tourism related businesses have been extended for another 2 months to Sep, and unemployed workers in the tourism industry will receive $40 USD/month for another 2 months >>
26 May: A 4th round of economic stimulus has been rolled out, with key measures including:
• Registered hotels, guesthouses, restaurants and tour agencies in Phnom Penh, Siem Reap, Preah Sihanouk, Kep, Kampot, Bavet and Poipet to be exempted from all taxes in June & July • Tourism businesses also permitted to not pay into the National Social Security Fund during business suspension • Tourism businesses exempted from renewal fees for tourism licenses in 2021 • Airline companies to benefit from exemption of minimum tax payment until July • A “Credit Guarantee Fund” of $200 million USD to ease working capital issues • Social assistance programme with cash transfers to poor families • Withholding tax rates to be reduced • Additional $300 million USD to boost key sectors (no details yet) >>
31 Mar: The Cambodian government has issued fiscal measures to support the tourism industry, including:
• Minimum 3-month 10% tax exemption for aviation sector (until May), plus debt repayment plan can be paid in installments following suspension of operations • Tourism operators such as hotels, restaurants and aviation agencies in Phnom Penh, Siem Reap, Sihanoukville, Kep and Kampot are exempted from monthly tax
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• For employees: 20% of salary to be sponsored by the government, but must attend a 1 – 2 weeks short skills course organised by the Ministry of Tourism >>’
View older updates from February onwards on our dashboard at: https://www.pearanderson.com/coronavirus/cambodia/
OUTBOUND
21 Sep: Cambodia Angkor Air will launch a new route from Phnom Penh to Zhengzhou to China. The flight frequency will be once per week. They are also seeking to open a new route from Phnom Penh to HCMC or Can Tho. Air traffic has dropped by 75% from Jan-Aug, Cambodia Airports have said >>
11 Sep: ANA have delayed reopening their flights from Cambodia to Japan to end Oct at least >>
10 Sep: 5 aviation firms which operate flights from the Philippines, Indonesia and Malaysia to China will be allowed to transit in Cambodia for refuelling. Passengers will not be permitted to disembark >>
4 Sep: More airlines have restored flights to Cambodia, including SilkAir from Singapore to Phnom Penh, Cambodia Airways from Phnom Penh to Fuzhou and JC Airlines between Kunming and Phnom Penh >>
24 Aug: Japan will start flights to Cambodia once more for business travellers from Sep >>
24 Aug: Flights between Cambodia and Laos will resume in Sep for business travellers and long-stay residents >>
20 Aug: Cambodia has been approved for transit flights through Singapore when flying on Singapore Airlines Group’s 3 carriers. This would only allow for outbound travel from Cambodia, and pax are not allowed to transit Singapore for travel into Cambodia >>
View older updates from February onwards on our dashboard at: https://www.pearanderson.com/coronavirus/cambodia/
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INDONESIA Losses of $11.3 billion USD so far
TRAVEL Passengers are not allowed to transit or enter Indonesia (IATA). Domestic flights RESTRICTIONS permitted with certification. Travel corridors with South Korea, China and U.A.E. for essential business and diplomatic travel open.
LOCKDOWN Jakarta is under transitional large-scale social distancing (PSBB) from 12-25 Oct. STATUS Schools shut. Non-essential businesses and dine-in businesses will be allowed to operate at 50% capacity, parks and museums will open under strict protocols.
Consumer sentiment Indonesia tourism arrivals
% change YoY
5.90%
28.90%
-
64.10% -
Source: YouGOV
87%
-
87.40% 86.90% 89.12% 89.22%
- - - - Source: Statistics Indonesia
Flight searches and booking volume for travel to Indonesia
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Source: Sojern COVID-19 dashboard
Future flight search for travel to Indonesia % change in scheduled departures YoY
Source: Sojern COVID-19 dashboard Source: The Airline Flight Demand Tracker, Lufthansa Innovation Hub
TRAVEL BUBBLES & INTERNATIONAL BORDERS
NEW 7 Oct: Indonesia has announced that it is in final stages of negotiation with Singapore to open a reciprocal green lane. They hope to finalise it in Oct >>
2 Oct: Indonesia is looking at revising its rules banning foreigners from entering the country, as it is in discussions with Singapore to reopen for essential business purposes. There may be an electronic visa for travel from 15 Oct, and special booths for Singaporeans who fly into Jakarta’s Soekarno-Hatta Airport and arrive into Batam island >>
2 Oct: The Safe Corridor Initiative (SCI) between Bali’s I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport and South Korea’s Incheon International Airport is hoping to be able to bring in Korean tourists to the island, with a ground assessment set to take place next week, and a start date slated for later in Oct – although this will still need approval from the Indonesian government, as it involves immigration >>
18 Sep: Bali’s I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport and South Korea’s Incheon International Airport are collaborating to implement a safe corridor initiative (SCI). Incheon is the world’s first airport to be accredited by the Airport Council International’s Airport Health Accreditation, and it is implementing the SCI to ensure reliability across flight networks and boost passenger confidence >>
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17 Sep: Foreign members of mixed nationality families may now enter Indonesia after a change to their visa policy >>
10 Sep: Indonesia continued to call for an ASEAN travel bubble at the ASEAN Ministerial Meeting on 9 Sep, saying that it was not the right time to talk about tourism, but essential business travellers >>
3 Sep: Malaysia will extend a ban on citizens from countries with more than 150,000 cases of COVID-19 from 7 Sep, including Indonesia >>
26 Aug: Indonesia has started talks with Singapore for a Travel Corridor Arrangement (TCA) for essential business >>
24 Aug: Bali’s governor has announced that Bali will not reopen to international tourists on 11 Sep and may reopen only in 2021, saying that “The Indonesian government still enforces a policy that prohibits its citizens from travelling abroad, at least until the end of 2020. In line with that, the Indonesian government has not been able to open the door of entry for foreign tourists to Indonesia until the end of 2020, because Indonesia is still in the red zone category.” >>
21 Aug: Indonesia has signed a travel corridor deal with China for essential business arrangements, effective immediately >>
19 Aug: More passengers will be allowed to transit at Changi Airport, including Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand, on Singapore Airlines Group’s flights, in addition to last week’s approval for Cambodia and Vietnam. Routes include from Bangkok, Jakarta, Medan, Surabaya, Ipoh, Kuching, Kuala Lumpur and Penang >>
16 Aug: The Tourism and Creative Economy Ministry said that the plan to allow foreigners to work from Bali would “impossible at the moment as the borders are still closed”. However, the Maritime Minister has said that “We won’t be welcoming foreign tourists until the end of this year” >>
15 Aug: The national economic and COVID-19 recovery committee said on 15 Aug that reopening to foreign tourists is still “under evaluation”, but that it would be “positive” >>
13 Aug: Indonesia and South Korea have established a travel corridor for essential business and diplomatic travel between the 2 countries, which will open on 17 Aug >>
13 Aug: The Minister for Maritime Affairs has stated that opening Indonesian borders for tourism may be delayed until the year-end, as they want to focus on encouraging the 8 million Indonesians who usually travel overseas to travel domestically, so that the $9 billion USD could benefit the local economy >>
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13 Aug: Regulations to support the creation of Bali as a digital nomad hub are being formulated >>
12 Aug: The Minister for Maritime Affairs has confirmed that Indonesia is looking at Australia, New Zealand, China, South Korea and Japan for travel bubbles >>
31 Jul: Indonesia has established a travel corridor with the UAE for essential business, official and diplomatic trips, effective immediately. Travellers would be exempted for a 2-week quarantine, but they would need to undergo a COVID-19 test prior to travel. The Indonesian Foreign Minister said more agreements, such as with South Korea and China, are also being negotiated >>
INBOUND
NEW 11 Oct: 120 hotels across 9 provinces will accommodate asymptomatic patients, with a capacity of 13,334 beds >>
NEW 11 Oct: Jakarta will again start its transitional period of eased lockdown measures from 12 Oct for 2 weeks. Non-essential businesses and dine-in businesses will be allowed to operate at 50% capacity, parks and museums will open under strict protocols >>
NEW 11 Oct: East Java and South Sulawesi have been downgraded to orange zones , signalling it is now only medium risk >>
NEW 11 Oct: China will support Jakarta to be the centre for SE Asian vaccine production >>
NEW 10 Oct: Garuda Indonesia has secured a $68 million USD loan from Eximbank >>
NEW 9 Oct: Traveloka and Atourin have teamed up to offer virtual tours to 15 destinations in Indonesia through Traveloka’s Online Xperience >>
NEW 9 Oct: Indonesia is the 10th most searched country worldwide in 2020, according to a stats released by Agoda >>
NEW 9 Oct: A recent Jobstreet Indonesia survey showed that 85% of hospitality and catering services and 85% of tourism workers have been affected by the pandemic >>
NEW 9 Oct: The governor of Jakarta will inform Jokowi of protesters’ demands >>
NEW 8 Oct: Protests intensified in Indonesia over the job creation omnibus bill, with up to 8,000 protestors on 8 Oct taking part >>
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NEW 8 Oct: Indonesia will build coral reef gardens in 5 locations around Bali to try to restore marine ecosystems, with a budget of $7.5 million USD >>
NEW 8 Oct: Garuda Indonesia has said that they are one of only a few airlines who did not stop flying, still providing domestic and international connections. Instead of stopping routes altogether, frequencies have been reduced >>
NEW 6 Oct: Photos of a crowded water park in Medan with 2,800 visitors who were enjoying a 50% off promotion, have led to the manager being charged for violating health laws and the park being shut down >>
NEW 6 Oct: Hundreds of people protested at a tourist spot in Larangan Badung Village on Madura Island in East Java, demanding it be shut down as it was a location for “sinful activities”. The site was set alight >>
NEW 5 Oct: The Banyan Tree Group is planning 5 new properties in Indonesia, including its new brand Banyan Tree Escape, which focuses on nature and will be in Ubud, Bali >>
NEW 5 Oct: The We Love Bali campaign has now kicked off – each group will be made up of 40 participants in 2 buses, and travellers will need to have a negative test result to be able to join. They will explore the island on 12 different 3D2N routes, and the Bali Tourism Office is confident that this will promote that Bali is “ready to implement health protocols" >>
4 Oct: Indonesia’s cases have crossed 300,000 >>
3 Oct: Indonesia is planning to vaccinate 160 million people by the end of 2021, targeting half the population. People aged 19 to 59 would be prioritised, as well as front line workers >>
3 Oct: A standard swab test price ceiling has been set at $60.6 USD, to avoid price disparities >>
3 Oct: A guidebook for dive operators on operating their business safely with appropriate health protocols has been launched by the Tourism and Creative Economy Ministry >>
NEW 2 Oct: Over 3,000 Bali workers were furloughed in Aug and Sep, and the Manpower agency there expects these numbers to continue rising >>
2 Oct: Garuda Indonesia has painted a mask on 5 of its planes, as part of the government’s “Let’s wear masks” campaign. They also launched a livery design competition called “Fly your design through the sky” in Sep – the winning design will be painted on other aircraft >>
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2 Oct: Indonesia has become the first signatory of the UNWTO Tourism Ethics Framework. The framework has been created to ensure that tourism is fair, inclusive, more transparent and benefits everyone >>
2 Oct: A deeper economic contraction in Q3 is expected by BPS, as the spending rate of higher-income citizens has been limited >>
2 Oct: The Batam Marriott Hotel Harbour Bay on Batam Island has just opened >>
2 Oct: Citilink’s pax was down 62.5% in Aug YoY >>
2 Oct: The Prambanan Jazz festival will be held virtually at the end of Oct, aafter being postponed from Jul >>
2 Oct: Indonesia will still participate in the World Expo in Dubai next year, and will aim to attract 2.5 million visitors to their pavilion, which will promote trade, tourism and investment >>
2 Oct: Legislation supporting Jokowi’s new stimulus package, an omnibus bill, is being criticised by labour unions who say that it will reduce job security and wages – they are calling for a 3-day national strike from 6-8 Oct. Environmentalists are also concerned as it would stop the need for environmental reviews before projects, and could lead to the destruction of primary rainforests >>
1 Oct: Foreign arrivals into Indonesia grew by 4.45% in Aug 2020 vs Jul 2020, to 164,970. The number is still down -89.22% YoY. The number Jan-Aug is down 68.17% YoY to 3.4 million >>
1 Oct: The government will use antigen-based rapid tests, as per WHO recommendations >>
30 Sep: The founders of Lion Air are planning to start a new airline, although it is not known whether it would form a part of the group or be a new airline >>
30 Sep: The state budget for 2021 has been approved, and aims for a growth of 5% GDP >>
30 Sep: The World Bank says that Indonesia’s economy could contract by 1.6% if the pandemic is not controlled >>
29 Sep: The Indonesian Travel Agent Association (ASTINDO) is calling for the government to reopen Indonesia’s borders with low-risk countries >>
29 Sep: The Indonesian Hotel and Restaurant Association (PHRI) has asked the Jakarta governor to allow dine-in services at restaurants in shopping malls and hotels once more >>
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29 Sep: Yogyakarta has extended its COVID-19 emergency response period until 31 Oct >>
29 Sep: Jakarta’s Soekarno-Hatta Airport would accommodate “flights to nowhere”, if airlines wanted to run these. However, no Indonesian airlines are currently planning these >>
29 Sep: A Jurassic Park-inspired development in the Komodo National Park is causing controversy, with conservationists saying that it could endanger the local habitats, and locals concerned that they were not consulted >>
28 Sep: An agreement has been signed by state-owned companies to consolidate their hotel subsidiaries into one holding company, with the ultimate aim to create the largest hotel chain in he country. The move is also hoped to increase efficiencies and are planning to create a flagship hotel brand with international quality >>
28 Sep: Lion Air is forecasting an L-shaped recovery trajectory, and believe that if no further action is taken by stakeholders, it could “further deteriorate”. Angkasa Pura II, the airport operator, also saw a contraction in Indonesian passenger growth in the first 2 weeks of Sep of 2.6% vs Aug. A survey by Angkasa Pura I has shown that 84% of passengers are taking a “wait and see” attitude to flying >>
28 Sep: There are now 10 provinces which are being prioritised as they are seeing increasing daily case numbers: Jakarta, West Java, Central Java, East Java, Aceh, Bali, North Sumatra, South Kalimantan, South Sulawesi and Papua >>
27 Sep: 95% of Bali’s 8,059 cases are caused from local transmission, whilst just 1.04% had a history of domestic travel, the local task force has confirmed >>
26 Sep: North Sumatra has assigned 1,100 hotel rooms for asymptomatic patents to self-isolate >>
25 Sep: Indonesia has hit a 3-day record of highest new cases in a row, with 25 Sep seeing 4,823 cases >>
25 Sep: The Tauzia group are planning to expand their properties in West Jakarta, as well as Bogor and Bali >>
25 Sep: Hotel Nikko Bali has now partnered with the Indonesia Medical Tourism Board and BIMC Siloam Hospital to welcome medical tourists >>
25 Sep: The Jakarta governor has extended the city’s large-scale social restrictions (PSBB) until 11 Oct, an additional 2 weeks >>
25 Sep: The Lion Group are trying to negotiate with lessors of its fleet for a power- by-the-hour agreement (PBH) for a duration of 24 months, which typically see a
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minimum spend amount plus a charge per flight hour. However, analysts see that there are no advantages to the lessors for accepting this type of contract >>
24 Sep: Lion Air is calling for a review of the 70% limit on pax capacity, urging it to be increased to 100% >>
24 Sep: Indonesian workers rallied on 24 Sep against Jokowi’s new Job Creation bill, as it looks too pro-business and will cut severance benefits >>
24 Sep: Tiket.com is supporting the Bali tourism scene by supplying 9 popular destinations with public handwashing facilities and 900 Antis sanitising kits as part of its corporate social responsibility program >>
23 Sep: Many Balinese have turned back to seaweed farming as a way to survive after losing their jobs >>
23 Sep: Indonesia had another new record daily case increase on Wed 23 Sep, of 4,465 cases. Jakarta has the majority of the cases >>
23 Sep: The Indonesian Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy together with Bali Tourism Agency have announced the launch of a new program, “We love Bali”, which will take place in Oct for 2 months, with 4,400 people invited to experience the island. Participants must be active on social media, and have a preference for outdoor activities. They will be evaluating the CHSE protocol (health & safety), as well as asked to promote Bali on social media >>
23 Sep: Lion Air has said that COVID-19 has impacted 1,900 of its pilots, 3,000 flight attendants and 25,000 employees. They also fear that a prolonged pandemic will lead to layoffs for contract workers >>
23 Sep: The Denpasar Tourism Office has certified another 12 hotels, allowing them to operate >>
23 Sep: The Indonesian government has cut its forecast for 2020, now expecting a contraction of 0.6-1.7%, with the economy likely to diminish in Q3 and Q4. Consumer confidence is also declining, with the retail sector under pressure >>
22 Sep: The government is warning that the Indonesian health system could collapse if the public do not comply with health protocols >>
22 Sep: Yogyakarta’s tourism companies are calling for greater clarity on regulations for tourists, and that rather than capital aid, they need visitors. Occupancy levels at hotels were at 27.8% in Jul, and the province has started to see 6,000 daily visits on weekdays, 30,000 on weekends, which is still far from pre- pandemic levels >>
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22 Sep: Indonesian influencers are coming under fire for visiting from high-risk zones, potentially spreading the virus >>
21 Sep: Crowds at political rallies will be restricted during the regional elections, and will be limited to 50 pax >>
21 Sep: Angkasa Pura II, the national airport operator, saw a 2.6% decline in pax movements for the first 2 weeks of Sep vs the same period in Aug. They see the PSBB policy impacting flights. Angkasa Pura I has also seen lower-than-expected air traffic in early Sep. The Transportation Minister has said that the aviation industry needs to work on messages about the safety of flying >>
19 Sep: Indonesia had its largest daily rise in cases at 4,168 on 19 Sep >>
19 Sep: Stricter screenings will be imposed on travellers arriving to Bali over the next couple of weeks, as the number of cases on the island increase >>
19 Sep: Citilink has opened new routes connecting Makassar to other areas of South Sulawesi (Palopo, Selayar) and Southeast Sulawesi (Baubau, Pomala) >>
18 Sep: Indonesia’s Tourism & Creative Economy Ministry, the Ministry of Health and the Indonesia Hotel and Restaurant Association (PHRI) are working to identify 3* hotels which could be used for mild or asymptomatic sufferers of COVID-19, as well as medical workers. $6.7 million USD will be allocated for this, and it will be implemented in Jakarta and Bali first, followed by North Sumatra, West Java and South Kalimantan >>
18 Sep: RedDoorz has seen more than 100 Indonesian hotels joining its network monthly, now growing their footprint to 1,400 properties nationwide. They anticipate that their recovery will be swift, as 90% of its demand came from the domestic market >>
17 Sep: Jakarta is planning to double its testing capacity from its current 50,000 per day levels >>
17 Sep: The Indonesia Tourism Development Corporation will see a cash injection of 470 billion IDR in 2021, as part of a government push to provide capital for state owned enterprises (SOEs) >>
16 Sep: M&C Saatchi Indonesia have been appointed the creative marketing agency for the Ministry of Tourism & Creative Economy. The account is valued at more than 3 billion IDR and will launch next year across China, Japan, South Korea, Germany, the UK and the USA >>
16 Sep: North Sumatra will close Nias Island to visitors, following an increase in cases there. They will also close some areas of Medan, Binjai and Deli Serdang >>
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16 Sep: Economic experts have agreed that the fresh lockdown in Jakarta will hurt the economy, but that it is necessary and won’t have as severe effect as it did on Q2’s economy >>
15 Sep: Bali had just 47 foreign arrivals in Jul, a drop of more than 99% YoY >>
15 Sep: Some limitations have been put on crowded attractions and beaches in Bali, with some places temporarily closed >>
15 Sep: New air travel requirements have been imposed at Jakarta’s Halim and Soekarno-Hatta airports during PSBB, including: a swab test result within 14 days of travel, filling in a health alert card either manually or via the e-HAC app, thorough body temperature checks at check-in >>
14 Sep: West Java is planning to impose some movement restrictions in areas near the borders with Jakarta >>
14 Sep: 13 million tourism workers are unemployed in Indonesia. 32.5 million indirect tourism workers may also face job losses >>
14 Sep: Jakarta’s PSBB was reimplemented, but in a more relaxed manner than before. 11 essential sectors will be allowed to remain open at 50% capacity, whilst private companies and government offices will be allowed to have 25% of staff working from the office. Travellers into and out of Jakarta will not need to provide permits as before, and public transportation will be limited to 50% capacity >>
14 Sep: Bank Indonesia has chosen halal tourism as a potential sector to drive the halal industry development in Indonesia >>
13 Sep: Mt Bromo will now increase the number of visitors to 1,265 per day from 739, meaning that it is at 40% capacity >>
13 Sep: 27 attractions in Jakarta will be closed again from 14 Sep with the implementation of large-scale social restrictions >>
12 Sep: Jakarta’s reinstated large-scale social restrictions (PSBB) will last from 14- 28 Sep >>
11 Sep: The project to move Indonesia’s capital city has been postponed due to the prioritisation of the pandemic >>
11 Sep: Yogyakarta Culture Festival will be held both offline and online this year, from 21-26 Sep >>
11 Sep: The government has confirmed that there will be 23 public holidays/ collective leave in 2021 >>
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11 Sep: Garuda Indonesia expects that domestic flights will drive its business in 2020, and is exploring new opportunities. In Jul, it had a 58.1% increase month- on-month, with 110,400 domestic pax, but overall Jul was -61% YoY >>
10 Sep: Retail sales in Indonesia dropped by 12.3% in Jul YoY, smaller than Jun’s --- 17.1% YoY. Consumer confidence improved slightly, but is till pessimistic at 86.9 >>
10 Sep: The Transportation Ministry has said that rapid tests are still required for travel in Indonesia, despite the Health Ministry stating the opposite >>
10 Sep: The rise in Bali cases has been linked to local transmission within neighbourhoods, families and traditional ceremonies >>
10 Sep: The State Intelligence Agency (BIN) is being used to safeguard tourism in Bali, enforcing health protocols are being followed >>
10 Sep: Jakarta’s healthcare system is at risk of collapse after bed occupancy rates are increasing >>
10 Sep: Indonesia is aiming to receive 290 million COVID-19 vaccines by 2021, 30 million of which could be delivered in 2020 >>
9 Sep: Jakarta’s Governor has put on the “emergency brakes”, and will return Jakarta to the original large-scale social restrictions (PSBB) which were implemented at the start of the outbreak from 14 Sep, with no end date confirmed >>
9 Sep: Bali’s cases have increased over 100%, with over a hundred daily new cases being reported, and the highest count of daily deaths, 12 >>
9 Sep: A ceiling price has been set for swab tests in Indonesia of $33.70 USD, due to private clinics setting high margins >>
9 Sep: Indonesian government members worry that the country may be seen negatively by other countries in terms of applying health protocols, and this could have a negative effect on the economy >>
9 Sep: The Indonesian Hotel and Restaurant Association (PHRI) have said that they saw hotel occupancies boosted for a brief period of time in August from long weekends, but that the growing cases have now caused people to cancel trips >>
9 Sep: The Ministry of Tourism will organise the Indonesia Corporate Travel and MICE (ICTM) 2020 event. It will be held in Jakarta, Bali, Yogyakarta and Malang and 30 corporate buyers will meet with 30 MICE providers. Participants will need to undergo swab tests before attending >>
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8 Sep: Despite the growing number of cases in Bali, the head of Bali’s health agency has said that domestic tourism is not to blame >>
8 Sep: The Indonesian Hotel and Restaurant Association (PHRI) has warned that the public may becom more reluctant to take a vacation due to the increasing number of cases, but that another closure would create a “detrimental effect” on the industry >>
8 Sep: The numberof red (high-risk) zones in Indonesia has increased from 65 to 70 over the last week >>
8 Sep: Rapid tests before travelling will not longer be required by the Health Ministry, with thermal screening favoured, after the WHO Indonesia’s recent statement warning against the low accuracy levels of the tests >>
8 Sep: Lion Air has reopened 3 domestic routes from Bandung to Palembang, Pekanbaru and Banjarmasin >>
8 Sep: Medical experts have linked the rise of Bali cases to inaccurate rapid tests required for arrival to the island >>
7 Sep: East Nusa Tenggara has reopened the Wae Rebo cultural village to domestic tourists, after being shut for 6 months >>
7 Sep: Bali has had 3,000 tourists daily on average since reopening on 31 Jul, according to the Bali Tourism Agency >>
6 Sep: The Mandalika Circuit has been confirmed to host the MotoGP in 2021 >>
5 Sep: Lion Air will open a new route from Balikpapan to Berau from 9 Sep >>
4 Sep: Indonesia will open its first Hotel Indigo by IHG, expected to open in 2022 >>
4 Sep: Garuda Indonesia has called for the government to take a more focused approach to domestic tourism marketing, and relook at its plan for the 10 new Balis, instead focusing on just a few high priority areas over the next 1-2 years >>
4 Sep: The WHO Indonesia has warned against using COVID-19 rapid antibody tests as a requirement for travel, as they have a low accuracy level (sometimes less than 50%) and false negatives could instil a sense of security. Instead, face mask covering and physical distancing is more effective for air travellers. Garuda Indonesia have shared that whilst 74% of pax were confident to fly, only 12% had actually purchased tickets >>
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4 Sep: The government may continue the wage subsidy program (600,000 IDR/month for those earning less than 5 million IDR) into 2021 if it stimulates the economy and consumer spending >>
4 Sep: Indonesia had 3 consecutive days of more than 3,000 new cases detected, with a record high on 3 Sep of 3,269 >>
3 Sep: Angkasa Pura II airport operator noted a 38% growth across Indonesia’s airports in Aug, with 2.1 million pax carried vs Jul’s 1.52 million. Flight traffic has also increased 17% to 25,041 flights. The most significant increase was at Jakarta’s Soekarno-Hatta airport, with an increase of 17% in flight frequencies and 36% in pax traffic >>
2 Sep: Curfews have been imposed in Bogor and Depok, with supermarkets and malls to close at 6pm and outdoor activities forbidden from 8pm >>
2 Sep: Wings Air is opening a new route between Makassar City and Tana Toraja regency >>
2 Sep: Bali Dwipa Tourism Industry will hold a “We Love Bali” gathering, with 150 travel agents to visit the island on a fam trip from 4-6 Sep >>
1 Sep: Jokowi has said that Bali has had the worst economic hit in Indonesia, with a contraction of 10.98%, due to its dependence on tourism. Jakarta saw a slowdown of 8.22%, and Yogyakarta 6.74% >>
1 Sep: Indonesia is expected to only have 5 million international visitors in 2020, a drop of 12 million (-60%). If normality is not resumed by Dec 20, the Tourism Ministry expects that it could drop by 80% >>
1 Sep: Indonesia’s arrivals for Jul dropped 89.12% YoY to 159,760 pax, an improvement of 0.95% from Jun >>
1 Sep: Jakarta’s governor has signed a decree that allows the transition PSBB lockdown period to be automatically renewed every 14-days if there is an increase in new COVID-19 cases. If it is a substantial increase, then stricter conditions would be reimposed >>
31 Aug: Bali recorded its highest spike in daily cases on 31 Aug, one month after domestic tourism was reopened, at 129. There has been no official link made between reopening destinations to tourists and the spike >>
31 Aug: The Jakarta governor claimed that the COVID-19 situation in Jakarta is under control, despite cases rising >>
31 Aug: Reports that a Batik Air plane flew at 100% capacity, breaking the 70% rule is being seriously by the Transportation Ministry >>
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30 Aug: The Bali Hotel General Managers Association has said that they are not sure how the Bali tourism industry can survive another 4-5 months of closure, with the reopening to domestic tourists having little significant impact on increasing hotel occupancy levels >>
29 Aug: The Indonesian Hotels and Restaurants Association (PHRI) and the Indonesia National Air Carriers Association (INACA) agree that affordable, safe tour packages will boost tourism recovery, and have signed an agreement between the 2 organisations >>
29 Aug: Mount Bromo has reopened to tourists, with limitations on the number of visitors per day allowed, at just 739, 20% of its normal capacity. Travellers will need to register in advance online >>
28 Aug: Bali’s governor has reported that the airport is receiving 35 flights per day and received over 5,000 pax daily over the public holiday long weekends >>
28 Aug: The new Yogyakarta International Airport is hoped to attract more domestic and international tourists, being able to serve 20 million pax per year >>
28 Aug: There are still low tourism numbers to Lombok, despite the recreational areas of Rinjani, Senggigi, Mandalika and the Gili Islands being reopened since 27 Jun. The NTB Tourism Agency said that this was down to travel requirements, as well as general fear >>
27 Aug: The Riau Islands are preparing strict health and safety protocols, in case the border discussions with Singapore lead to reopening to Singaporean travellers. Last year, 47% of the islands visitors were from Singapore >>
27 Aug: Indonesia had a record one-day high of 2,719 new cases >>
27 Aug: Live music performances will be allowed once more in Jakarta under strict conditions >>
26 Aug: Jakarta has extended its transition period (PSBB) to 10 Sep, the 5th extension since mid-Jun, due to the high transmission rates which continue >>
26 Aug: OYO Indonesia had a 70% increase in hotel occupancy from May, and are almost at the same level as pre-pandemic >>
26 Aug: Citilink will reopen 7 flights daily to Bali >>
26 Aug: The wage subsidy assistance for workers will be launched on 27 Aug >>
25 Aug: Malioboro had 18,375 visitors over the long weekend from 20-23 Aug, with visitors arriving from Bandung, Jakarta, Surabaya, Pekalongan >>
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25 Aug: The Jakarta Tourism Agency had punished 76 businesses for failing to follow protocols >>
25 Aug: AirAsia will open four new domestic routes to Denpasar-Bali, including from Labuan Bajo, Lombok, Yogyakarta and Solo from 1 Sep >>
25 Aug: Infrastructure development has continued in Labuan Bajo, including new roads and an extension to the airport runway at Komodo Airport. They are also developing the marina area, to be able to accommodate 125 yachts or cruise ships by 2020 year-end >>
25 Aug: Komodo National Park and Labuan Bajo have opened for domestic tourists, with a maximum of 25 per day and advanced registration required. Komodo Island will have a future cap of 50,000 annually. Agents have started to receive overseas bookings for 2021 >>
25 Aug: The Ubud Writers and Readers Festival and the Ubud Food Festival will now be held virtually from 29 Oct to 8 Nov >>
24 Aug: The kecak dance at Uluwatu Temple in Bali is implementing more safety protocols, and even a digital payment service, to minimise contact for spectators >>
24 Aug: A petition calling for Indonesia to reopen Bali for international tourists has been launched by the travel trade, aiming to get 5,000 signatures. By 23 Aug, it had 2,300 signatures. The Indonesia Inbound Tour Operators Association is also due to have a hearing with the Parliament in Jakarta soon >>
23 Aug: The National Development Planning Minister believes that there will be no more mass tourism, but it will be quality-based. The Tourism Minister will focus on 5 priority destinations, including Lake Tobam Borobudur, Mandalika, Labuan Bajo and Likupang >>
23 Aug: Citilink has reopened selected domestic routes, including Jakarta – Yogyakarta, Jakarta – Surakarta, Jakarta – Labuan Bajo, Medan – Nias and Jakarta – Denpasar >>
22 Aug: Semarang Old Town has been declared a national cultural heritage site, as part of a plan to eventually submit the area to the UNESCO World Heritage list >>
21 Aug: Raja Ampat opened its doors to domestic tourists on 22 Aug, with new protocols for diving operators in place >>
21 Aug: As of 19 Aug, more than 151,000 Jakarta tourism workers have faced pay cuts, furloughs and layoffs, according to Jakarta Tourism and Creative Economy Agency >>
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21 Aug: Batam City Tourism Office is planning to attract more foreign tourists, including European ones, but the challenge exists that many of the island’s resorts cater for Asian tastes, rather than European ones >>
21 Aug: Ahead of the long weekend (the government declared Fri 21 Aug to be an additional public holiday, creating a 4-day weekend), the government has reminded tourist attractions to implement strict health protocols, limiting capacity to 50% to ensure physical distancing. The weekend before, also a long weekend, had seen overwhelming crowds >>
21 Aug: Central Java has revealed a new integrated tourist destination, called Jateng Valley, a 400 hectare tourist area which will be built in Semarang. The construction was launched on 15 Aug, at a cost of more than $134 million USD >>
20 Aug: Jakarta’s Governor is still assessing whether to implement stricter social distancing measures, an “emergency brake policy”, and urged residents to wear masks >>
20 Aug: Garuda Indonesia has had 50% load factor during the long holiday weekend from 19 – 23 Aug, with more than 50% of those pax departing for Bali >>
20 Aug: Pekanbaru has banned its city residents from travelling to other cities during the long weekend in an attempt to limit the spread of COVID-19 >>
19 Aug: Indonesia is looking at developing medical tourism in the country, saying this would boost the country’s medical independence and take advantage of the lucrative sector >>
19 Aug: The Mandalika Circuit for MotoGP motorcycle racing is slated to be complete by Jun 2021, with its finish only slightly delayed by COVID-19 >>
19 Aug: A survey by Traveloka has shown that the public’s confidence in travelling and enjoying outdoor activities has increased by 16% to 45%. A Kantar survey in Jul also showed that 72% of travellers had an improvement of awareness of health and safety precautions at travel destinations, and cleanliness was their main concern. Traveloka has also seen an uplift in the number of partner businesses who have signed up for their Traveloka Clean campaigns, across hotels, attractions and flights >>
19 Aug: Mt Rinjani is reopening for hikers on 22 Aug. Pre-registration is required, with visitors limited to 30% of the usual capacity and a maximum of 2D1N trips. Hikers from outside West Nusa Tenggara will also need to bring a health certificate stating that they are safe from COVID-19 >>
19 Aug: The Indonesian government will take a “storynomics” approach to tourism, using narration, creative and cultural content to encourage people to stay longer
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and spend more in destinations. It will use online influencers, provide training for locals to become interpreters and guides, and also build up infrastructure to tell the location’s stories >>
18 Aug: Angksara Pura II, the airport operator, predict that the Indonesian aviation industry will recover by mid-2023, a more optimistic outlook than IATA. The long weekend of Aug 14 saw 524 flight to and from Jakarta Soekarno-Hatta airport, a high since Mar, with 45,700 pax on that one day >>
17 Aug: Garuda Indonesia reduced airfares up to 45% from selected air routes from Jakarta for August travel only >>
17 Aug: The Indonesian government plans to hold a mega fam trip for UAE KOLs, according to the Indonesian Ambassador for the UAE >>
14 Aug: Jakarta has extended the transitional phase of PSBB for another 2 weeks, as well as impose stricter controls on crowded activities, such as Car Free Day and celebrations for Indonesia’s Independence Day. This comes amidst an increase in the city’s positive case rate, rising from 7.4 to 8.7, above the WHO recommended limit of 5 or below >>
14 Aug: Garuda Indonesia have urged the government to rethink their plan of creating ’10 new Balis’ and focus instead on recovery, with all efforts on one or two spots to attract domestic and international tourists. However, they fully support Jokowi’s plan to establish a state-owned enterprise holding for tourism and aviation >>
14 Aug: Hotel searches for domestic trips to Bali have increased by 400% since May, according to Sojern. Even international hotel searches have almost returned to pre-COVID levels >>
14 Aug: Jokowi in his state of the nation speech urged Indonesians to see COVID- 19 as an opportunity for a reboot, urging fast social assistance for laid off workers, as well as the importance of loans and capital assistance for SMEs >>
13 Aug: Garuda Indonesia has experienced kite related accidents on flights near Soekarno-Hatta International Airport, causing disruption and damage to the planes >>
13 Aug: Citibank Indonesia predicts that Indonesia’s economy will return to growth of between 5.5-6%, with economic activities normalising >>
13 Aug: The Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment has urged other regional destinations to reopen for tourism, following Bali’s example. He also noted that Bali’s cases have been declining since the opening on 31 Jul >>
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13 Aug: 3.8 trillion IDR has been allocated to support the tourism sector and creative economy through a number of initiatives, including subsidy and income tax allowance. Indonesia’s foreign tourists is expected to drop to 5 million vs. 2019’s 16 million, and 120 million domestic tourists vs 2019’s 303 million >>
13 Aug: There in major in-fighting between the Indonesian Association of Travel Agents (ASITA) HQ and Bali Chapter, with the latter accusing the former of mismanagement, and filing a motion of “no confidence” against the central team >>
12 Aug: Indonesia has hit out at other countries’ COVID-19 response, saying that Singapore and the USA have problems, and that each country’s way to handle the pandemic is unique >>
12 Aug: The 5* Bintan Lagoon Resort, a favourite with Singaporeans, has closed down, citing COVID-19. 14,000 tourism employees in Bintan have been told to stop work, with hotels scaling back services >>
12 Aug: Ujung Kulon National Park in Banten province will reopen on 17 Aug. Visitors must have a negative PCR test, a health certificate and a written statement that they will act responsibly throughout the trip. They will also need to pay an insurance fee, wear face masks and maintain social distancing >>
12 Aug: Yogyakarta is launching bike tours around the town, following the increase in popularity of cycling in the country >>
12 Aug: Discussions have started about building an autonomous rail rapid transit to connect Ngurah Rai International Airport and Sanur in Bali >>
30 Jul: The government is to provide cash transfers of $165 USD to 10-12 million MSMEs and working capital loans of 2 million IDR >>
23 Jul: The Tourism Minister has proposed that tourism businesses be fully exempt from corporate income tax, as well as increase the limit for working capital loans. The Indonesian Hotel and Restaurant Association estimates that Indonesia’s tourism revenue has lost 85 trillion IDR as of mid-July. The Coordinating Maritime Affairs and Investment Ministry has also instructed its related agencies to spend their 4.1 trillion IDR business trip budget in 8 designated tourist areas: Banyuwangi, Bali, Borobudur Temple, Lake Toba, Riau Islands, Labuan Bajo, Likupang and Mandalika >>
4 Jun: Indonesia unveiled a stimulus package of $47.6 billion USD, with an aim to strengthen the healthcare system, support businesses from bankruptcy and boost consumer consumption >>
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13 May: The government will provide a $1.68 billion USD stimulus package for tourism that will include airfare and hotel discounts in Q3 to boost consumption by the middle class >>
29 Apr: 5 schemes have been introduced to support MSMEs, including tax incentives, loan restructuring, emergency working capital assistance, amongst others, helping 23 million companies >>
View older updates from February onwards on our dashboard at: https://www.pearanderson.com/coronavirus/indonesia/
OUTBOUND
NEW 9 Oct: Indonesian travel agents are seeing a growing interest from consumers to book domestic and international travel >>
NEW 7 Oct: The Korean Cultural Center Indonesia is holding the Korean Culture Month K-Festival 2020 in Oct, which includes a Hallyu Festival, Muslim-Friendly Korea Festival, K-Food Fair and JIPREMIUM Fair. It will also hold a Muslim friendly online travel festival from 16-18 Oct, with virtual journeys to Muslim friendly destinations and cooking shows on halal Korean food >>
7 Oct: Garuda Indonesia has started a weekly cargo route between Makassar and Singapore >>
24 Sep: Garuda Indonesia has launched a new cargo flight route between Manado and Narita in Japan >>
23 Sep: The Indonesian government is preparing guidelines for pilgrims to perform Umrah in Saudi Arabia. These would determine the cost, as well as if people who have comorbidities would be allowed to visit. If Indonesia will be included in Saudi Arabia’s list of permitted countries to perform umrah has not yet been confirmed >>
22 Sep: Garuda Indonesia has said that they have decided against bankruptcy proceedings. The president director expects its pax numbers to climb to 50% of pre-COVID levels by the end of the year >>
14 Sep: Garuda Indonesia will not buy new aircraft in 2020. Its average aircraft productivity rate fell to 4:19hrs, down from 8:14hrs earlier in the year, and its Jan- Jul pax numbers have seen a drop of 54.4% YoY. They are also renegotiating its leasing schemes. Analysts predict that the airline will maintain its 40% seat load factor until the year-end, due to the rise in cases and the implementation of PSBB. They expect them to lose $1.1 billion USD in 2020, $161.5 million USD in 2021 >>
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7 Sep: The Singapore Tourism Board (STB) is launching a new program, Cook with Me, which will focus on Singaporean dishes, as well as Jalan-Jalan Bersama Marissa, following Marissa Nasution, an Indonesian actress who lives in Singapore, around the city, to attract more Indonesians >>
2 Sep: Garuda Indonesia has restarted flights to Chengdu, China, and Citilink to Kunming, China >>
26 Aug: Indonesia is preparing 3 scenarios for hajj in 2021:
1. If the pandemic is over by 2021, all 221,000 pilgrims scheduled for 2020 will travel in 2021, those in 2021 will be delayed to 2022 2. If the pandemic has slowed, the quota will be decreased, and not all 2020 pilgrims will travel. There may also be additional costs for this due to reduced capacities 3. If the pandemic is not under control, hajj will be cancelled in 2021 and pilgrims will be deferred to 2022 >>
21 Aug: Scoot is extending its passenger network to 15 cities, including 3 cities in Indonesia – Palembang, Pekanbaru and Yogyakarta, bringing its Sep totals to 38 flights weekly >>
19 Aug: Panorama Destination, a leading Indonesian tour operator, has said that their departments are currently experiencing “operational cessation/ restrictions” to support government policies, whilst cost cutting measures have reduced the salaries of 1,266 staff – but none have been made redundant >>
View older updates from February onwards on our dashboard at: https://www.pearanderson.com/coronavirus/indonesia/
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LAOS Could lose up to $500 million USD in tourism revenue.
TRAVEL International scheduled flights are suspended until 31 October. (IATA). RESTRICTIONS LOCKDOWN Businesses are allowed to reopen from 18 May, and transport and interprovince STATUS movement is allowed again. Schools reopened. Indoor and outdoor sporting activities are allowed to take place. From 2 Jun, night markets, restaurants and cinemas to be reopened. Entertainment venues such as karaoke, will remain closed, but casinos may open. Social gatherings permitted.
TRAVEL BUBBLES & INTERNATIONAL BORDERS
2 Oct: The government has agreed in principle to allow tour groups to visit Laos from countries where there are no community cases. It has also agreed in principle to resume charter flights with countries that have no outbreak. They are also continuing discussions with China and Vietnam for fast-track immigration policies. Quarantine will also be relaxed for those arriving from countries with no community outbreak, who will only need to be tested and wait 48 hours for the results – they will then be able to quarantine at home or in a place arranged by their employer. A basic fee for tests will also be implemented. Tourist visas will continue to be suspended >>
29 Sep: Hundreds of foreigners are still stuck in Laos >>
11 Sep: Vietnam expects to resume commercial flights to Laos and Cambodia from 22 Sep. Passengers will need to have a negative certificate prior to departure, and will be tested on arrival twice. Foreign passengers will need to pay for all quarantine and testing, as well as install the app Bluezone >>
3 Sep: The Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam (CAAV) has submitted plans for international flights to be reinstated to Laos. All pax would be quarantined on arrival (at their own cost). Transit passengers would not be allowed into the country. Pax would also need to provide a negative test prior to departure, and be tested on arrival >>
23 Aug: Laos and Japan have agreed to open their borders to one another for expatriate and long-term residents as early as Sep. Travellers must stay at home or at a designated place after arriving for 14 days. Laotian students with Japanese government scholarships will also be allowed entry as soon as possible. Japan also
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pledged $18 million USD to refurbish schools in Laos. They will also speed up talks to allow essential business travel >>
14 Aug: The US has added Laos to its list of “very low risk” destinations for COVID- 19, lifting its Do Not Travel advisory for the country >>
INBOUND
NEW 8 Oct: The Lao National Museum opened in its new location on 6 Oct >>
NEW 7 Oct: Lao Airlines is supporting the Lao Thiao Lao campaign, as it believes that for it to succeed, it needs “true cooperation”. The airline is launching special packages to attract domestic tourists, and has come up with a recovery plan for 2021-2025, seeing losses until 2024. It will adjust its trade and marketing plan, recruit foreign marketing experts, improve its staff ratio, enhance its debt structure, maintain its safety certification and upgrade its aircraft maintenance quality >>
NEW 5 Oct: Nakai-Nam Theun National Park is being looked at as a model for ecotourism in Laos >>
2 Oct: The cabinet has agreed to holding the annual festival to celebrate the end of Buddhist Lent. The government also announced that the closure of entertainment and karaoke venues will continue until 31 Oct >>
1 Oct: Security has been increased for the Boat Racing Festival this weekend >>
25 Sep: The Boat Racing Festival in Vientiane will take place this year, but at a smaller scale to usual, from 1-3 Oct >>
25 Sep: Lao Airlines has now introduced new freight prices, to give people more choice >>
24 Sep: Luang Prabang’s hotels have lowered rates to attract domestic tourists >>
24 Sep: Laos has seen its rating by Fitch drop from B- to CCC, indicating that it faces a substantial credit risk, and that default is a possibility. Sovereign nations do not typically have CCC ratings >>
21 Sep: The Eastin Hotel Vientiane Laos is set to open in Q4 2021 >>
18 Sep: The first train station along the Laos – China railway has been completed, the Nateuy Station >>
17 Sep: The Vientiane – Vang Vieng expressway is expected to open in Dec >>
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17 Sep: Huayxai airport expansion is 60% complete and scheduled for completion mid-2021 >>
11 Sep: STR has revealed that whilst Laos hotels have not returned to high occupancy levels, the trend is at least positive >>
13 Sep: The Lao Thiao Lao (Laos travel Lao) was launched on 11 Sep, with public and private ministries co-financing a tourism marketing campaign. It will be predominantly online, focused on inspiring younger travellers’ sense of adventure >>
10 Sep: Chomphet and Pak-ou districts in Luang Prabang have now completed infrastructure improvements to help tourism promotion >>
8 Sep: The Deputy Minister of Information, Culture and Tourism has said that the growth of domestic tourism has not been strong, but he is optimistic that if factories resume work, increasing employment, that people will travel more. He also said that the private sector needs to develop new tourism products >>
7 Sep: The Vat Meuang Kang temple in Champassak province will be renovated to attract more tourists. It is thought to be the oldest active temple in Laos >>
4 Sep: Laos has tested over 40,000 people since Jan, the Ministry of Health has revealed >>
2 Sep: The Lao National Chamber of Commerce and Industry has said that the slump in tourism was affecting both businesses but also potential income for local people. If the outbreak continues, it could lose more than $500 million USD in tourism revenue, equivalent to 2.7% GDP. H1 saw international visitors decline by 60% YoY >>
31 Aug: COVID-19 will increase the poverty levels due to job losses and rising costs. Unemployment is set to increase to 20% in 2020 >>
28 Aug: The Lao Thiew Lao campaign has now launched its own Facebook page dedicated to showcasing the country and offer from the tourism industry >>
28 Aug: Laos’ inflation remains high, according to the Laos Statistics Bureau, at 5.12% >>
22 Aug: Laos’ Hin Nam Ho Karst National Protection Area hopes to gain UNESCO World Heritage status by 2022, as a trans-boundary extension to the World Heritage Site of Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park in Vietnam >>
21 Aug: The launch of a new Hmong culture park at the end of Nov is anticipated, with 80% of construction already completed. It will include a camping ground, restaurant serving local fare and an experience of the Hmong culture >>
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18 Aug: Nakai-Nam Theun National Park will join the IUCN Global Green List, meaning that its nature conservation efforts are recognised under an international standard >>
14 Aug: Laos has detected another 2 imported cases of COVID-19 >>
14 Aug: Lower and upper secondary school students are being urged to apply for tourism and hospitality courses at Technical Vocational Education Training institutions. All educational offerings have been compiled into one Facebook page, as part of a national online campaign to highlight the benefits of working in the industry, as it is one of the priority sectors for the Laotian government >>
12 Aug: Lao Zoo is being renovated to include a wildlife education program and upgraded animal enclosures, and will be open in 2021 >>
12 Aug: Nong Somdet Souphanuvoung is being developed as a natural tourist attraction, which will include parkland, restaurants, a camping ground and meeting venue. There will also be boat racing and other traditional festivals >>
View older updates from February onwards on our dashboard at: https://www.pearanderson.com/coronavirus/laos/
OUTBOUND
10 Jul: The Vietnamese PM has asked a committee to look into resuming key air routes to Tokyo, Seoul, Guangzhou, Taiwan, Vientiane and Phnom Penh >>
View older updates from February onwards on our dashboard at: https://www.pearanderson.com/coronavirus/laos/
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MALAYSIA Estimated RM45 billion in losses
TRAVEL Passengers not allowed to enter Malaysia (except Malaysian nationals, permanent RESTRICTIONS residents, work pass and MM2H permit holders). 14-day quarantine in designated centres on arrival. Reciprocal Green Lane (RGL) and Periodic Commuting Arrangement (PCA) with Singapore opened 17 Aug (IATA).
LOCKDOWN “Recovery Movement Control Order” (RMCO) until 31 Dec. RMCO allows interstate STATUS travel, domestic tourism, and the opening of nearly all commercial, religious and recreational activities. Sports which involve bodily contact, nightclubs and pubs remain prohibited. Schools reopened in phases from 15 Jul. From 1 Jul, tourism subsectors such as MICE, amusement and water parks, spas and reflexology centres reopened. From 1 Aug, mask wearing in crowded places is obligatory. Conditional Movement Control Order (CMCO) in place in certain locations in Sabah, Selangor states.
Consumer sentiment
Source: YouGOV
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Flight searches and booking volume for travel to Malaysia
Future flight search for % change in scheduled travel to Malaysia departures YoY
Source: Sojern COVID-19 dashboard
Source: The Airline Flight Demand Tracker, Lufthansa Innovation Hub
TRAVEL BUBBLES & INTERNATIONAL BORDERS
NEW 9 Oct: Sarawak has praised the decision of Brunei Darassalam to extend its COVID- 19 negative test results to 14 days, as it would help frequent travellers from the state to the country >>
NEW 8 Oct: Applications to enter Malaysia, both for Malaysians and foreigners, can now be made by MyTravelPass on the Immigration Dept website >>
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NEW 7 Oct: Japan will lift its travel advisories for citizens to travel to Singapore, Thailand, South Korea, China, Hong Kong, Macao, Australia, New Zealand, Brunei, Vietnam, Malaysia, and Taiwan >>
4 Oct: Malaysia will continue to discuss reopening the border with Singapore, despite the increase in cases >>
4 Oct: Foreign students will not be allowed to enter the country until 31 Dec, even if they have already received approval, the Immigration Dept has announced. The physical registration and learning of students in Oct 2020 intake has been postponed >>
27 Sep: The Malaysia-China Chamber of Commerce is urging the government to establish a travel corridor between the 2 countries for business travellers, expats and investors >>
26 Sep: Tourism Malaysia has revealed that the government is looking at ASEAN cross-border travel for leisure at some point during Q1 2021. They believe that green travel bubbles would be established with those ASEAN countries which share land borders with Malaysia, and do not necessarily require air travel, including Brunei, Singapore, Thailand and Indonesia >>
26 Sep: The Johor state government has urged for the Singapore-Malaysia border to open further for daily commuting, or 100,000 Malaysians may lose their jobs due to the extended closure. Unemployment in Johor state has already hit a record high of 18%, with 5-10% of businesses in the city area closing >>
23 Sep: Discussions between Malaysia and Singapore on reopening the border further are still ongoing, the Singapore government has confirmed >>
20 Sep: Hong Kong’s aviation regulator has banned Cathay Dragon’s flight from Kuala Lumpur to Hong Kong until 3 Oct, after 5 Cathay Dragon passengers who transited via Malaysia from India tested positive >>
16 Sep: PM Muhyiddin has said that the country is not in a rush to reopen borders, and will in fact tighten border controls, particularly for illegal immigrants. “We must strike a fine balance between protecting lives and livelihoods of all Malaysians,” he said >>
15 Sep: The Transport Minister is hoping to announce an air bubble with Singapore, as well as other countries soon >>
14 Sep: Johor is considering building an airconditioned walkway on the 350m-long causeway between Malaysia and Singapore’s border >>
12 Sep: Malaysia is looking at fully reopening with Singapore for daily commuters in Jan. The Health Minister of Malaysia said that the period until then was a time
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for more systems to be put into place. They are also looking into doubling the capacity for swabbing travellers under the RGL and PCA agreements >>
12 Sep: The regulations for Malaysians travelling outbound has been updated and Malaysian diplomats and their families, students who study overseas and Malaysians who are long-term passholders of another country do not need prior approval to leave. Those categories which do need approval include Malaysians with job offers abroad, those attending MICE, parents who will accompany their children for studies and those with family emergencies. Leisure outbound travel is still not permitted for Malaysians >>
10 Sep: Following the ban on people from countries with more than 150,000 cases of COVID-19, Malaysia has announced that expats and professional visit passholders from those listed countries would still be permitted to enter, provided they had approval from the Immigration Department before entry >>
10 Sep: Johor state has submitted an SOP working paper to the Malaysian ministry to expedite the reopening of the Malaysia – Singapore border beyond the current arrangements >>
10 Sep: The Malaysian Healthcare Travel Council is proposing that medical tourists from 6 countries may be allowed to enter Malaysia on commercial flights: Brunei, Singapore, South Korea, Japan, Australia and New Zealand >>
8 Sep: Hong Kong has said that they are in talks with 6 nations to establish travel bubbles – including Malaysia, who had reciprocated interest >>
6 Sep: Over 3,000 people have entered Malaysia from Singapore using the Periodic Commuting Arrangement (PCA) and Reciprocal Green Lane (RGL) agreements, with just one case detected from the PCA arrangement. Accordingly, those under PCA to Malaysia will have to quarantine in a hotel instead of at home >>
5 Sep: The Sarawak Tourism Minister has said that Malaysia is unlikely to go for selective reopening of borders, as the “we’d rather wait until the virus is curtailed before we reopen the borders” >>
4 Sep: Malaysia hopes to finalise arrangements for daily commuting with Singapore soon >>
3 Sep: Malaysia will extend a ban on citizens from countries with more than 150,000 cases of COVID-19 from 7 Sep. Amongst those countries banned are the US, UK, France, Spain, Saudi Arabia, India, Indonesia and the Philippines. Malaysians returning home from those countries will be permitted, but must undergo the 14-day quarantine >>
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28 Aug: Foreign students have registered but are waiting to be allowed entry to Malaysia, with the majority from China, Indonesia and Bangladesh >>
27 Aug: The Tourism Minister has announced that SOPs for travel bubbles will be proposed to the National Security Council next week >>
26 Aug: The Tourism Minister announced that Malaysia may stay closed to international tourists until Q2 2021, but that the country is still in discussions with foreign missions. Meanwhile, the Health DG called for a renewed clampdown of borders, and that inbound nor outbound travel should be permitted in the medium-term >>
25 Aug: Foreign spouses and children of Malaysians will be allowed to enter the country >>
24 Aug: Malaysia is looking into establishing green zones with certain parts of the country, showcasing niche tourism activities like golfing, diving and eco adventure >>
20 Aug: The list of Malaysians who do not need to pay for their compulsory quarantine has been expanded, including for Malaysian children under 6 years old and those with disabilities >>
19 Aug: More passengers will be allowed to transit at Changi Airport, including Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand, on Singapore Airlines Group’s flights, in addition to last week’s approval for Cambodia and Vietnam. Routes include from Bangkok, Jakarta, Medan, Surabaya, Ipoh, Kuching, Kuala Lumpur and Penang >>
18 Aug: Malaysia and Singapore’s cross border agreement came into force, with both sides stating that the systems were working well so far >>
18 Aug: Sarawak will continue to pay the cost for quarantine and tests for Sarawakians returning to the state from overseas >>
14 Aug: The Malaysian Association of Tour and Travel Agents (MATTA) and the Malaysian Association of Hotels (MAH) have both welcomed the government’s suggestion of restarting tourism with green zones, so long as strong protocols were in place >>
14 Aug: Japan and Malaysia may ease travel restrictions for expats in Sep, if they take a 14-day quarantine >>
13 Aug: The slots for the Reciprocal Green Lane (RGL) and Periodic Commuting Agreement (PCA) between Malaysia and Singapore are fully booked on Aug 17 – 19, the first 3 days of reopening. 60 people per day are allowed under the RGL, and 2,000 people per day are allowed under the PCA >>
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13 Aug: Foreigners entering Malaysia will now need to pay upon arrival for their quarantine and COVID-19 test fees, to avoid cases of foreigners refusing to pay costs after being sent to their quarantine centres >>
4 Aug: The Malaysia My Second Home (M22H) scheme has been temporarily frozen, to re-evaluate the programme >>
1 Aug: Further requirements have been revealed for the cross-border travel arrangement between Singapore and Malaysia, including for the Reciprocal Green Lane (RGL) having documentation from their companies or host agencies to show that the visiting country has approved the trip and be tested before and on arrival. Travellers must stay in their declared accommodation until negative test results are released. Those on short visits of up to 14 days must follow a controlled itinerary for their stay and not use public transport. Those on the Periodic Commuting Arrangement (PCA) can do so only via the land borders and travellers entering Singapore must serve a Stay Home Notice (SHN) of at least 7 days and have a COVID-19 test >>
15 Jul: The Periodic Commuting Arrangement (PCA) will be limited to 2,000/ day initially, whilst the Reciprocal Green Lane (RGL) will allow 400 people per country on a weekly basis >>
14 Jul: Malaysia and Singapore have agreed 2 schemes for reopening the borders, to start on 10 Aug:
1. Reciprocal Green Lane (RGL), for essential business and official purposes. Travellers would need to undergo PCR swab tests 2. Periodic Commuting Arrangement (PCA) for Malaysian and Singapore residents who hold long-term immigration passes for business and work purposes in the other country, to enter for work. They will be able to briefly return to their home country after 3 consecutive months of working >>
INBOUND
NEW 11 Oct: China’s Foreign Affairs Minister will visit Malaysia from 12-13 Oct >>
NEW 11 Oct: The Malaysian Association of Tour and Travel Agents (MATTA) has said that implementing staggered weekends and school holidays is welcomed, but the government must introduce more targeted incentives to tour domestically >>
NEW 10 Oct: The Malaysia Airlines CEO has said that it will have “no choice but to shut it down” if lessors do not support their restructuring plan. He revealed some creditors have agreed, others are resisting and one is on the fence. They plan to restructure their balance sheet to reach break-even in 2023, and expect domestic
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and ASEAN demand to stabilise by Q3 2022. They also require a new cash injection from Khazanah Nasional. Lessors will need to make a decision by 11 Oct, otherwise Plan B might be activated, shifting their air operator certificate to a new airline under a different name, or using Firefly and MASwings certificates instead >>
NEW 10 Oct: Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) has been ranked in the top 10 airports in the Airport Service Quality (ASQ) global survey, placing 9th and a score of 4.94 out of 5 >>
NEW 10 Oct: Theme parks are now seeing a decline of 90% in daily visitors since the 3rd wave of cases hit the country at the end of Sep. The Malaysian Association of Amusement Theme Parks & Family Attractions estimates that the industry has had RM1.58 billion in losses from Mar-Sep. They say that some parks may have to temporarily shut again due to poor attendance. They are also continuing to appeal to the government to lift the 25% entertainment tax to boost visitorship >>
NEW 10 Oct: Sarawak hotels are expecting a decline in occupancy again, after numbers starting to increase after interstate travel was allowed. The Malaysian Association of Hotels expects that it will drop to below 30% >>
NEW 10 Oct: Sarawak is considering extending its quarantine from 14 to 21 days >>
NEW 9 Oct: AirAsia and AirAsia X have confirmed that they have retrenched 10% of its 24,000 staff. Tony Fernandes said that the group will operate on a smaller scale, and they will try to rescue as many of its redundant staff as possible as business picks up. It also expects to receive its first financing by the end of the month, and that he agrees with the government’s policy of not bailing out airlines >>
NEW 9 Oct: Pahang state are considering changing work arrangements, weekends and school holidays to boost domestic tourism. They have proposed that workers be split into 2 groups allowing each group 3-day weekends, and schools have staggered school holidays to boost off-peak travel >>
NEW 9 Oct: An American lender has offered to loan AirAsia $1 billion USD for the data of its customers. AirAsia has announced that its first round of financing would be announced by the end of Oct, and that it will not be taking delivery of any new planes, predicting that they will be able to fly around 180 planes by the end of 2021. They also plan to return 22 planes to lessors >>
NEW 9 Oct: Mersing in Johor state could become a tourism destination to drive economic growth post COVID-19, the East Coast Economic Region Development Council (ECERDC) and the Johor State government have said >>
9 Oct: All schools in Sabah state will be closed from 10-25 Oct, due to the spike in cases >>
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NEW 9 Oct: AirAsia X expects that there will be no impact from its debt restructuring on its share capital. It also proposes that customers and travel agents receive travel credits for future travel or seat inventory >>
NEW 8 Oct: The director of the Malaysian Aviation Commission has said that one of Malaysia’s airlines could potentially close by YE, as both AirAsia and Malaysia Airlines are under strain >>
NEW 8 Oct: The majority of AirAsia X’s liabilities of RM63.5 billion are for aircraft orders, of which around 70% is to Airbus >>
NEW 8 Oct: AirAsia has launched its new super app, branding the airline as a lifestyle platform. It will hold the airasia.com Super Sale from 12-18 Oct, with discounts of up to 90% off >>
NEW 8 Oct: Travellers who visited Sabah before the mandatory quarantine order was imposed on 27 Sep are advised to go for a COVID-19 screening to be safe >>
NEW 8 Oct: Malaysians who travel to Sarawak from Peninsular Malaysia must undergo a 14-day quarantine on entry from 10 Oct >>
NEW 8 Oct: The Finance Minister has said that the government will “not be injecting any [more] cash or capital into the airline through Khazanah, so Khazanah will have to undertake their own exercise to ensure the survival of Malaysia Airlines” >>
NEW 8 Oct: Malaysia Aviation Group will be offering reskilling and upskilling programmes to 2,000 employees affected by the reduced capacity. The employees would then be temporarily reassigned to support other departments >>
NEW 8 Oct: Four zones will be under Conditional Movement Control Order (CMCO) from 9 Oct for 14 days, including Klang in Selangor state, Sandakan, Papar and Tuaran in Sabah state. Only essential services will be allowed to operate, and residents should remain at home >>
NEW 8 Oct: Malaysia Airlines will support its employees’ mental health via a digital therapeutics company, Naluri >>
NEW 7 Oct: The Malaysia Budget Hotel Association has launched a “Jom Nginap” campaign in collaboration with Touch N Go e-wallet and Gkash, encouraging hotels to participate in the e-wallet cashback schemes >>
NEW 7 Oct: Miri is planning to develop the 100 year old Makam Permaisuri site into a park and tourist site >>
NEW 7 Oct: The Malaysia Virtual Experience (MyVXP) was launched by the Tourism Productivity Nexus, and aims to have 150,000 virtual tourists by Jan 2021. It has
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150 products available for virtual experiences, and has now trained 450 hosts to develop products >>
NEW 6 Oct: AirAsia X has revealed a new debt restructuring program where RM63.5 billion worth of debts would be reconstituted, including future lease rentals, aircraft purchase commitments and advanced ticket sales into an amount of RM200 million. They would also reduce issued share capital by 90%, and intend to raise RM500 million. It will also rationalise its network plan, and shift its focus from market share to yield >>
NEW 6 Oct: The National Union of Flight Attendants Malaysia (NUFAM) has said that the ban on flights into Sabah will negatively affect airlines, and are also unhappy with the Finance Minister’s comment that the government would not interfere with Khazanah’s decisions for Malaysia Airlines’ restructuring >>
NEW 6 Oct: The Malaysian PM confirmed that it is not currently considering a nationwide lockdown, as they are afraid that this would “crash the social and economic system in the country”. The PM admitted that the state election in Sabah was partly responsible for the increase in cases >>
NEW 6 Oct: Interstate travel to and from Sabah will be banned from 12-25 Oct, with only certain residents allowed entry >>
NEW 5 Oct: The government is imposing a Conditional Movement Control Order (CMCO) on Kota Kinabalu, Penampang and Putatan in Sabah from 7 Oct for 2 weeks, with all non-essential businesses to close >>
NEW 5 Oct: The Malaysian Association of Hotels (MAH) is maintaining an average hotel occupancy rate of 25% for this year, so long as domestic tourism can be sustained. During the Merdeka weekend in Aug/ Sep, it went up to 42%, and average has been 39% >>
NEW 5 Oct: Sarawak have confirmed RM106 million worth of MICE events has been secured for the next 4 years, contributing to 8,480 jobs >>
NEW 5 Oct: Penang Hill has submitted its application to UNESCO to be considered a Biosphere Reserve >>
NEW 5 Oct: Terengganu tourism companies have been reminded to adhere to SOPs. Tourism arrivals to the state have been increasing, with Pulau Redang receiving 25,004 tourists in Aug, a 114.8% increase YoY. Perhentian Island recorded 41,420 tourists in Aug, an increase of 319.4% >>
NEW 5 Oct: Cancellations are rising in Langkawi as the number of cases increase in the state >>
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NEW 5 Oct: The Ministry of Health has warned against holding large events and conferences – and if they do go ahead, they should ensure that SOPs are followed >>
NEW 5 Oct: Tourism Malaysia has said that tour operators currently in red zone COVID areas should remain resilient, and look for interesting new packages to attract visitors >>
NEW 4 Oct: Kapit in Sarawak may receive more domestic tourists now that a road has been completed to Sibu – before this, it was only accessible by river >>
NEW 4 Oct: Malaysia Airports have revealed a new installment of their Airport Staycation program, including an experience with the Airport Fire & Rescue Services team >>
4 Oct: Non-Sabahans will need valid immigration passes from Sabah Immigration Dept before entering the state until 16 Oct >>
3 Oct: Malaysia will not reimpose widespread lockdown measures, despite a rise in cases, a government minister confirmed. Malaysia had a spike of 317 cases on 3 Oct, the highest since the pandemic began. The government is being criticised for the increase in cases, many of which have been linked to Sabah, which had an election last week. The Sabah outbreak has been blamed on illegal migrants >>
3 Oct: An inter-district travel ban in Sabah state has caused confusion amongst residents, who are calling for greater clarity, especially for those who regularly cross district lines for work. The inter-district travel ban is set to run from 3-16 Oct >>
2 Oct: Khazahah Nasional, the sovereign wealth fund of Malaysia, supports Malaysia Airlines’ restructuring efforts, it has said >>
2 Oct: Malaysia Airlines has said in a letter to lessors that it is unlikely to make Nov payments unless it receives more funding from Khazanah Nasional. The airline has requested discounts on aircraft rentals as part of a restructuring plan. It also said that is average monthly operating cash burn was $84 million USD, but as of 31 Aug it had just $88 million USD in liquidity, with an additional $139 million USD available from Khazanah. It is intending to complete its restructuring exercise over the next few months >>
2 Oct: The Malaysian Association of Tour and Travel Agents (MATTA) has complained that financial institutions are imposing unfavourable terms on them for extending the repayment moratorium. MATTA are gathering together the complaints to take them to Bank Negara >>
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1 Oct: Angsana Teluk Bahang, the first Angsana property in Malaysia, will soft launch on 10 Oct in Penang >>
1 Oct: The Sabah Association of Tour and Travel Agents (SATTA) has said that imposing a lockdown in Sabah is the right move, as tourism will only start to recover once cases return to low digits. They said that domestic tourism in the state had started to recover in Jul and Aug, but it was now declining again. They are hoping for an extension of the loan moratorium, as well as more government assistance >>
1 Oct: MATTA have advised travellers to postpone their holiday plans to Sabah until mid-Oct. They also asked the government to make the SOP clear for travellers from Sabah, including quarantine or tests. Malaysia Airlines and Malindo Air have reduced flight frequencies to the state >>
1 Oct: MATTA think that the extension of the Wage Subsidy Programme 2.0 will be a help to is members, but also appeals to banks to be more flexible >>
1 Oct: Non-Sarawakians in Sabah and Labuan will not be allowed to enter Sarawak from 4-18 Oct, whilst Sarawakians residing in those states will be allowed to enter, but must fill in an online application and be quarantined. Peninsular Malaysia residents will be allowed to enter Sarawak, but must quarantine for 14 days on arrival >>
1 Oct: There will be stricter screenings at public transport terminals, stations and counters from 2 Oct >>
1 Oct: Park Inn by Radisson Putrajaya has opened in Malaysia on 1 Oct, the first of the Park Inn by Radisson brand in the country >>
1 Oct: The Tourism, Arts and Culture Minister has said that they expect a decrease in domestic tourism expenditure in 2020 >>
1 Oct: AirAsia will connect Langkawi to Kuching with flights 3 times/ week from 13 Nov >>
1 Oct: All tour operators should comply with the SOPs, the ministry has reminded them >>
1 Oct: AirAsia Digital has launched the Redbeat Academy in partnership with Google, offering courses in technology >>
30 Sep: Q3’s economic activity is expected to improve, according to the Department of Statistics Malaysia (DOSM). According to DOSM, tourism in 2019 accounted for 23.6% of employment and 15.9% of Malaysia’s economy >>
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30 Sep: Credit card spend domestically in Malaysia doubled to RM10.205 billion from Apr’s RM5.3 billion. Last year’s Jul domestic spend was RM10.26 billion. Maybank has noted an increase in travel related expenses >>
30 Sep: The Malaysia Healthcare Travel Council (MHTC) estimates there has been a drop of 75% in medical tourism >>
29 Sep: The World Bank has revised its 2020 GDP forecast for Malaysia, with a contraction of 4.9% vs its previous forecast of 3.1% >>
29 Sep: Perak state is targeting 5 million domestic tourists in 2020. They have had over 90,000 room bookings since the lifting of the MCO >>
29 Sep: MATTA has partnered with Google Malaysia and the Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC) to run a special webinar series aimed at SMEs to connect them with local online consumers >>
29 Sep: AirAsia Group hopes to open 100 Santan restaurant franchises in Malaysia and overseas by 2022, in additional to the 15 stores it owns. It expected the contribution of its sales to group earnings to grow from 2% to 10-15% >>
29 Sep: Malaysia won the PATA Gold award 2020 in the “Tourism for all” category through virtual tourism for senior citizens >>
28 Sep: AirAsia is set to lay off more jobs, although a defined number has not yet been revealed. AirAsia X has also said that it would start cutting its employees in operations, technical and crew from 30 Sep >>
28 Sep: A targeted Movement Control Order (MCO) will be implemented in areas of Sabah from 29 Sep to 12 Oct >>
28 Sep: Malaysia Airlines supports the IATA proposal to have systematic COVID-19 testing to speed up travelling processes >>
28 Sep: Additional staff and screening equipment were moved to KLIA and KLIA2 airports to reduce the congestion from arrivals from Sabah after returning to the state to vote in the elections >>
28 Sep: The Institute for Democracy and Economic Affairs (IDEAS) has urged the government to develop a long-term tourism recovery plan, in addition to a stimulus, to help the sector >>
28 Sep: RM11.8 billion has been disbursed under the Wage Subsidy Scheme so far, the Human Resources Minister has said >>
28 Sep: Johor state is developing a long-term tourism strategy and improve its development plan within 10 years >>
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27 Sep: The coalition formed by the current PM’s government won the Sabah state elections on 26 Sep, defeating the opposition party who previously held the majority >>
26 Sep: Sarawak has identified another mountain, called the “Mountain Giant Baby”, which could become a new tourist destination >>
26 Sep: Travellers returning to Sarawak and Peninsula Malaysia from Sabah must undergo a home surveillance order (HSO) and undergo screening from 27 Sep, after clusters were detected in other states which originated from Sabah >>
26 Sep: The China-Malaysia Culture and Tourism Month-Fun with Nature campaign was launched at the National Zoo in Malaysia, with over 1,000 visitors the first day >>
26 Sep: Sarawak’s tourism arrivals in Aug dropped by 87% YoY, with just 44,156. Overall, its Jan-Aug numbers dropped by 62% YoY >>
26 Sep: Melaka is being promoted as a must-visit state in Kuala Lumpur through a new tie-up with public transportation being wrapped in advertising for the destination. The state government is also running a programme called the Dream Now Travel Later, with an app launched that sells tourism packages to the state. Customers receive RM10 credit when they use the app >>
25 Sep: AirAsia Group will launch a super app that combines all of its services into one platform, aimed at all ASEAN countries. The move is a way to diversify its revenue streams >>
25 Sep: Parlo Bhd, a travel agency in Malaysia listed on the stock exchange, is diversifying its business to provide employment agency related services to a Myanmar company specialising in migrant workers >>
24 Sep: AirAsia has said that their flights in Malaysia and Thailand are reaching 60% and 80% pre-COVID capacity respectively. Tony Fernandes forecasts that business, intercontinental and first-class travel will take longer to bounce back, but that short-haul travel is “proven already” >>
24 Sep: A China-Malaysia Digital Cultural Tourism Industry Forum was held on 24 Sep to promote mutual ideas on boosting tourism >>
24 Sep: A new economic stimulus program has been released by the PM, worth RM10 billion. It includes RM7 billion in cash aid for SMEs and the wage subsidy scheme >>
24 Sep: Malaysia’s wage subsidy scheme will be worth RM2.4 billion, and will be given to companies who have seen a 30% decline or more in revenue YoY. Companies would receive RM600 for up to 200 employees for 3 months. For those
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new applicants who did not have earlier assistance, they would receive it up to 6 months. The Malaysian Association of Hotels (MAH) welcomed the move, but highlighted that they are still calling for other assistance, including tax incentives, tourism marketing and tourism development >>
24 Sep: Malaysia has won the “Health and Medical Tourism: Destination of the Year” award for the 4th time in the 2020 Medical Tourism Award ceremony >>
24 Sep: Langkawi International Airport is one of just 7 airports worldwide to be recognised by the Airports Council International for consistent excellent performance in customer services and facilities >>
24 Sep: Mt Kinabalu Park has been closed for 14 days until 8 Oct, after a hiker tested positive for COVID-19 >>
23 Sep: The Tourism, Arts & Culture Minister has encouraged travel agents to create more niche tourism packages, which can be included in a booklet called “My Malaysia Experience”. They can also post their packages on to the website www.malaysia.travel, with currently has 103 offers and 107 packages >>
23 Sep: Analysts predict that Malaysia Airports Holdings will have tough times with continuing travel restrictions, and expects depressed results still in Q4 >>
22 Sep: MATTA Fair, the largest consumer travel fair which takes place twice yearly, will run its first online edition from 23-30 Sep. It will have 100 exhibitors, focusing on domestic travel. They are also planning for a 2-day physical B2C MATTA fair in Kuala Lumpur in Nov >>
22 Sep: According to the Amadeus Travel Insights Bulletin, Malaysian travellers are booking domestic flights further ahead than they did pre-pandemic, around 5 days out >>
22 Sep: The Finance Minister has said that foreign investors remain confident in Malaysia, with the ringgit becoming one of the strongest currencies in SE Asia >>
22 Sep: Malaysia Airlines has started an online travel fair from 23-30 Sep, with flights at up to 20% off for domestic destinations for bookings up to 30 Jun >>
22 Sep: Kidzania in Kuala Lumpur has teamed up with Klook to enhance the visitor experience at its indoor kids’ theme park, including a new area which will encourage kids to explore building their own tech startup >>
22 Sep: 15,666 Malaysians have lost their jobs in Singapore in H1, with the service sector the worst hit >>
22 Sep: Sport-related businesses will be allowed to open until 2am, in an extension to the hours >>
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22 Sep: The Malaysia Healthcare Travel Council (MHTC) has launched a national campaign called “A Hundred Unsung Heroes”, where it will highlight 100 frontliners. It aims to engender confidence in the healthcare system >>
21 Sep: SKS Airways, a new local airline, which was due to launch at Pangkor Airport on 15 Sep, has been postponed to Oct. It plans to operate flights to Pangkor and Tioman Islands, using Johor as its hub >>
21 Sep: The Tourism, Arts and Culture Ministry (MOTAC) have gazetted 548 items as “intangible heritage” in Malaysia, covering language and literature, manners and culture, performing arts and fine arts >>
21 Sep: A newly-discovered air raid shelter in Miri may become a new tourist attraction >>
21 Sep: The Malaysian Association of Amusement Theme Park and Family Attractions (MAAFTA) has said that if the 25% entertainment tax is not scrapped, the theme park and attractions industry will not be able to last for another year. They have said that all demand is focusing around weekends, as school and group attendance has not yet recovered >>
21 Sep: The first phase of repair works in Kuala Lumpur’s Heritage Quarter have started to be carried out, and is expected to be completed by 15 Oct >>
20 Sep: The snap election in Sabah on 26 Sep is proving to be an opportunity for tourism businesses, especially those in car rental, transportation and accommodation. However, this effect has not spilled over to east Sabah >>
19 Sep: Malaysia will join the Covax Vaccine Plan(global access), as well as start an agreement with China to receive access >>
19 Sep: Sabah will focus on ecotourism, as well as ensure that the industry is rebuilt, rather than pursuing arrivals or tourism receipts >>
19 Sep: Travellers to Sarawak state from Sabah will need to take a PCR test 3 days before departure, after a spike of cases in the state. Those who must travel frequently from Sarawak to Sabah for work would need to take a test every 2 weeks >>
19 Sep: Penang Hill and its surrounding area hopes to be designated a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve in the next 2 years >>
18 Sep: The Malaysian PM has hinted that if his allies win the snap election in Sabah state on 26 Sep, they should “quickly” hold a general election >>
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18 Sep: Airlines should support Sabahans by providing them with discounted airfares to fly home and vote in the snap election on 26 Sep, the opposition party’s chairman has said >>
18 Sep: Malaysia has cut its medical tourism targets for next year, now aiming to earn RM800 million in 2021 vs this year’s RM500 million, and much further from the original target of RM2 billion for 2021. They expect less than 300,000 medical tourists in 2020 vs 2019’s 1.2 million >>
18 Sep: Genting Malaysia is expected to see a turnaround from Q4, aided by strong domestic tourism. Resorts World Genting is welcoming up to 40,000 visitors per day, with 50% of hotels room open, and 90% average occupancy since Jun >>
18 Sep: Mersing Tourism Association (MTA) is planning free workshops for tour guides during the monsoon season, teaching them digital promotion, maintenance of tour boats and mapping island hopping packages >>
17 Sep: Nielsen’s consumer confidence survey for Q2 has shown that Malaysians have cut non-essential spending, with 44% spending less on vacations vs Q1’s 38% >>
17 Sep: The next Sabah government must regain travellers’ confidence to travel to the state, as well as offer incentives, the Malaysian Association of Tour & Travel Agents (MATTA) has said. The state has also launched a support stimulus whereby Sabah tour operators can claim back RM50 per pax who book a 3D2N package >>
16 Sep: Langkawi has reassured domestic tourists that the island is still a green zone, amidst higher cases and a localised lockdown in the state. The Langkawi Development Agency (LADA) have said that they have welcomed 82,000 pax since Jun >>
16 Sep: The Tourism, Arts and Culture Minister has said that they are cooperating with AirAsia, Malaysia Airlines and Malindo Air to offer affordable flights >>
16 Sep: The Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture in Sarawak has earmarked RM48.5 million for 9 projects in the state, including further development of ecotourism and homestay programmes >>
16 Sep: A new domestic tourism campaign focusing on Kuala Lumpur, Cuti-Cuti Kuala Lumpur, will be launched >>
16 Sep: The One&Only Desaru Coast hotel opened on 6 Sep >>
15 Sep: Kelantan has launched a new tourism campaign to attract domestic travellers, called “Jom Maghi Dderak Di Kelate” >>
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14 Sep: Penang medical tourism players are calling on the state government to reconsider its ban on inbound medical tourists. The Penang Centre of Medical Tourism suggests that tourists self-isolate for 14 days prior to arrival, and that in general, the medical tourism industry needs to diversify its source markets >>
14 Sep: The Malaysian government is planning to boost tourism through securing partnerships, investments, empowering local communities and ensuring the industry is sustainable and resilient. They expect to see a growth of at least 24% in hotel occupancy and related sectors by Dec >>
14 Sep: Brunei visitors to Malaysia have dropped 78.4% in H1 2020 >>
14 Sep: Standardisation of regulations and taxes for hotels and Airbnb in Malaysia shall soon be finalised, to create a level playing field >>
14 Sep: Sabah has launched a new domestic MICE campaign, called “BE here for you”, with the Sabah New Deals MICE Incentive 2020-2021. Event organisers can apply for a grant of up to RM100,000 per group of 30 or more delegates who stay in the state for at least 2 nights >>
14 Sep: The government will not set a ceiling limit for domestic flights between Peninsular and Eastern Malaysia, to avoid airlines imposing higher fares >>
14 Sep: Sarawak hopes for more visitors in Q4, now that flight connectivity has been restored >>
12 Sep: Malaysia Airports is aiming to transform into a digital airport, with various initiatives under development, including the Single Token facility, allowing pax to clear each touchpoint faster with minimal physical touch >>
12 Sep: The Penang Tourism Master Plan should be finalised by year-end, and will form the strategy for 2019 to 2030 >>
12 Sep: Tourism Malaysia have urged locals to travel domestically, and that the travel industry should create combinations of packages, theme parks and hotels to benefit everyone >>
11 Sep: AirAsia has consolidated its media solutions under the “AirAsia Media Group” >>
11 Sep: Malaysia’s unemployment rate had dropped to 4.7% in Jul from May’s record 5.3%. There are also 104,300 people who are temporarily jobless, but are not termed unemployed >>
11 Sep: Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd saw 1.4 million pax in Aug in Malaysia, a marked improvement. Kuala Lumpur International Airport saw an increase of 33%, and currently has 149 flight frequencies per week >>
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10 Sep: Food outlets and convenience stores will be permitted to stay open until 2am from 11 Sep, an increase from the previous midnight. All foreigners will now also be allowed to pray at mosques >>
10 Sep: The Tourism, Arts and Cultural Minister has said that it was the right move to bring these three areas together. She said that the Malaysian Association of Hotels reports that the average occupancy level is 38%, with higher levels at beaches and islands, lower in cities at 20%. She also encouraged travel agents to include arts and cultural programmes into their packages >>
10 Sep: Tourism associations are urging the government to extend the loan moratorium, due to expire on 30 Sep, for the tourism industry for at least another 6 months. They stated that “everyone in the tourism industry is hungry for business, not only the hotels have gone directly to the consumers; airlines and attraction operators too have joined the fray. They, too, have offered packages and ignored the fact that license imposed by the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture is required.” >>
10 Sep: 84,588 overnight visitors were recorded in Johor in Jun, vs May’s 585 >>
10 Sep: The World Hospitality, Lifestyle and Entertainment Exhibition and Conference (WHOLE 2020) opened in Penang on 10 Sep, expecting 3,000 physical and virtual visitors. The fair aims to boost domestic and inbound tourism, with a focus on B2B >>
9 Sep: 4,252,997 international tourists entered Malaysia in H1, a drop of 68.2%. The top 3 markets included Singapore, Indonesia and China, and there was a 64.2% drop in the number of daytrippers across the border >>
9 Sep: Passengers arriving to Malaysia faced huge entry delays with confusion as to whether Malaysian citizens arriving from banned countries were allowed to enter – once they were allowed, no arrangements had been made for quarantine for them >>
9 Sep: Sarawak state government will apply for an allocation of RM100 million for its tourism industry, and would identify tourism products to be proposed to the federal government >>
9 Sep: AirAsia is establishing its own unit to provide engineering services for AirAsia’s airlines, as well as other airlines, Asia Digital Engineering Sdn Bhd >>
8 Sep: Malaysia Airports would be set to lose potential revenue of RM 254 million should AirAsia X close down >>
7 Sep: AirAsia Group wants to raise RM2.5 billion by year-end, and is also reevaluating the future of its business unit in Japan >>
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7 Sep: The Malaysian Association of Hotels (MAH) has said the government decision to keep borders closed until 31 Dec will mean that the hotel industry has to re-strategise and push plans further into 2021. The Malaysian Association of Tour and Travel Agents (MATTA) has said that an extended RMCO would have a “most severe” impact on tourism players, who have seen a drop of 90% in revenue from Jan – Aug, calling the industry “crippled” >>
7 Sep: The Malaysia Tourism City (MTC) project, with the world’s first Hasbro water theme park, is still awaiting approval. The project incorporates mass tourism, health tourism, education tourism and ecotourism >>
7 Sep: Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd expect that its retail e-commerce platform shopMYairports will generate 10% of its non-aeronautical sales, with RM280 million expected to be generated in the next 2-3 years >>
7 Sep: A water shortage for days across Kuala Lumpur and its surrounding area across the weekend led tomany people booking staycations at local hotels >>
6 Sep: Jul’s number of visitors to Langkawi increased to 189,000 from 82,000 in Jun, with the number in Aug expected to be higher >>
6 Sep: Penang is aiming to be the top domestic destination in Malaysia >>
6 Sep: Revenues at malls and theme parks in Johor’s Iskandar Puteri have dropped by at least 40% since lockdowns were imposed, thanks to the drop in Singaporean and Chinese tourists >>
6 Sep: The Malaysian Association of Hotels (MAH) has said that popular beach destinations have seen occupancy rates from 50-80%, but that destinations which rely on flights saw lower occupancy levels, such as in Kedah, Johor, Sabah and Sarawak >>
5 Sep: All cultural year-end activities will be cancelled in Penang >>
5 Sep: The Sabah Tourism Board has been approved for the Safer Tourism Seal >>
4 Sep: AirAsia X is facing a $22.98 million USD suit in the UK for a breach of contract for leases >>
4 Sep: Sarawak will continue its Sarawak-Malaysia My Second Home (S-MM2H) scheme, despite it being stopped at the national level >>
4 Sep: Tourism Malaysia will launch special travel packages for civil servants under the Cuti-Cuti Malaysia campaign. Tour agencies, hotels and operators will participate in the campaign with products in Kuala Lumpur, including free bus tour tickets and discounted hotel stays >>
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4 Sep: Marriott is looking to open more properties in Penang, Melaka and East Malaysia following the opening of the Courtyard by Marriott in Georgetown Penang >>
3 Sep: Many Malaysian tourism companies plan to join the China International Fair for Trade in Services (CIFTIS) to attract Chinese inbound travellers >>
3 Sep: 42 hotels have now been recognised under the Muslim-Friendly Accommodation Recognition scheme, with an additional 30 hotels classified this year. The Islamic Tourism Centre will also launch a scheme to register Islamic Tourism Products and Packages >>
3 Sep: Airlines are being asked to introduce rebate systems for flights to Sabah state, as well as increase frequency of flights to help the tourism industry recover >>
3 Sep: Malaysians are the 8th most optimistic amongst 27 nations that a vaccine will be available by the end of 2020 >>
2 Sep: International tourist spending declined 69.8% YoY in H1 to RM12.58 billion, whilst there was also a loss of RM13 billion for domestic tourism in H1 >>
2 Sep: Sarawak will see improvement in its domestic tourism by the end of the year, with an increase of flights, as well as new packages for non-Sarawakian Malaysians at discounted rates >>
2 Sep: Brahim’s SATS Food Services has started to look at non-aviation opportunities, as the air catering company has been struggling since the pandemic hit, with lay-offs of around 50% of its kitchen staff, and a drop in revenue of 91% YoY in Q2 >>
2 Sep: Malaysia Airports Holdings will give tenants who sign up to their commercial reset programme a 30% rental reduction. It has also run a relief package worth RM22 million, with 650 retail tenants enjoying a 50% rental reduction for 6 months in 2020 >>
1 Sep: AirAsia will introduce a fee for using the check-in counter as opposed to its self-serve kiosks. Pax will be charged RM20 for domestic flights and RM30 for international flights. This is to encourage contactless technology and minimise physical contact with customers and staff >>
1 Sep: Kampung Santubong will be turned into an archaeological town, enabling it to attract more tourists. A target date for completion is Feb 2021 for 3 heritage sites to be developed >>
1 Sep: Pacific World will close its offices as part of its shutdown globally >>
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31 Aug: Apple Vacations will launch Apple MICE Muslim packages to attract Muslim travellers to book with them >>
31 Aug: AirAsia is building the next “super app” for the region, which would rival Grab, GoJek and WeChat all-in-one >>
30 Aug: Melaka’s tourism is now 90% recovered, especially on the weekends and public holidays. The state government is still 57erjaya57zing how to reach 5.6 million tourists by the end of the year >>
30 Aug: Malaysia’s economy has been continuously improving, but the Malaysian Association of Tour and Travel Agents (MATTA) has said that tourism players need to prepare for more challenges ahead, with company restructuring and staff layoffs inevitable. They called on the government to extend the wage subsidy program and the loan moratorium, and said that the RM1,000 tax relief for domestic travel was not useful as there had not been any clarification on how to claim it >>
29 Aug: The Langkawi Development Authority is aiming for 2.5 million tourists this year, backed by the Langkawi Great Sales campaign >>
29 Aug: Malaysia Airlines and the Football Association of Malaysia have signed an agreement to continue their partnership for another 3 years, until 2023 >>
29 Aug: Penang is working tirelessly for tourism, including the RM10 million Penang Business Continuity Zero Interest Loan with loans up to RM50,000 and the Responsible Tourism campaign >>
28 Aug: The Recovery Movement Control Order (RMCO) will be extended until 31 Dec, with the PM warning the public to continue wearing masks and maintaining hygiene >>
28 Aug: All Malaysians entering Sarawak from other Malaysian states would no longer need to quarantine on arrival, but will need to fill in a health declaration. 10% of arrivals will also be randomly screened >>
27 Aug: AirAsia founder Tony Fernandes has called on SE Asia to reopen its borders, saying that the airline may have to downsize further beyond its 30% already carried out, if borders are closed in the medium-term >>
27 Aug: Malaysia Airports Holdings reported a net loss of RM91.07 million in Q2, as passenger movements were down 96% YoY. They said that despite a positive trajectory, traffic had not reached full momentum yet. They are also planning to reduce its operating cost by 20% >>
27 Aug: There have been no discussions about a potential merger of AirAsia and Malaysia Airlines, the Transport Minister has told Parliament >>
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27 Aug: Tourism Malaysia is expanding its partnership with Visa, to see enhanced patriotism for Malaysians to buy locally-made goods and services >>
27 Aug: Owners of 33 supercars brought them on a 2-day trip to Penang, hoping that they could draw attention and increase sales at local businesses through visiting >>
26 Aug: The Malaysia Convention & Exhibition Bureau (MyCEB) is in the process of getting the Asian Association of Convention and Visitor Bureaus (AACVB) formally registered, to mobile it as a group, initially focusing on research and then branching out to other areas >>
26 Aug: MyCEB is encouraging MICE players to think more creatively, and they are identifying niche products and unique venues. They will also organise roadshows in key MICE destinations. They are also advising venues to upgrade their technology >>
26 Aug: Malaysia is looking into 28 measure to regain a Category One rating from the United States Federal Aviation Administration. As a result of the downgrade, Malaysia’s air carriers are restricted from new routes to the US, or codesharing with US airlines >>
26 Aug: The Tourism Minister launched Cuti-Cuti Malaysia TV, with 5 promotional videos highlighting difference themes. These will be broadcast on media and social media platforms >>
26 Aug: Firefly has launched the “Firefly Passport”, an unlimited domestic travel pass with 3 month and 6 month options >>
26 Aug: AirAsia posted losses of RM992.90 million ($238 million USD) for Q2. Its pax traffic dropped by 99% and said it had been severely affected by COVID-19. However, the airline says that it has enough cash flow to maintain operations for the remainder of 2020, and 2021 as demand for flights will rise. It said that June’s pax numbers have tripled in Jun for AirAsia Malaysia, whilst it has doubled for AirAsia Thailand, with an increase in load factor of 10% >>
26 Aug: AirAsia’s H1 losses exceeded Maybank’s estimates and they are downgrading their advice from Hold to Sell >>
26 Aug: 8 analysts have downgraded their price target recommendations on AirAsia shares after it released its Q2 results >>
26 Aug: Cardiff City Football Club will replace “Visit Malaysia” with “Malaysia 58erjaya” (Malaysia success) on its jerseys for the 2020-2021 Championship >>
26 Aug: The Ministry of Tourism will use social media to boost tourism, prioritising Facebook, Instagram and Tik Tok >>
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25 Aug: Malaysia Airports launched a staycation at KLIA airport, which included an exclusive tour of the airport’s firestation as well as “Insta moments with our fit and strong ’pinup’ firemen.” The 3-days programme sold out >>
25 Aug: MAVCOM received 384 complaints in H1, 52.6% lower than Q1 2019. They also received 2,340 requests for refunds. Malaysia Airlines had the highest number of complaints, at 44 per million pax carried >>
25 Aug: The Tourism Minister has said that the Malaysian business events industry looks promising, as only 24 events were cancelled, whilst 64 were postponed >>
24 Aug: Miri is suffering due to the lack of Bruneian tourists to the town – usually thousands of travellers from Brunei Darussalam visit, but have not been able to due to the border closure >>
24 Aug: AirAsia.com and Agoda have tied up as partners, sharing their flight and hotel inventories >>
22 Aug: Travellers to Langkawi have been urged to follow SOPs after a picture went viral showing hundreds of tourists squeezed into the Kuala Perlis ferry terminal >>
21 Aug: Malaysia Airlines is increasing its frequency to up to 8 daily flights between Kuala Lumpur and Kota Kinabalu, Sandakan and Tawau from Sep >>
21 Aug: Tony Fernandes has said that AirAsia is making good progress both to apply for the Danajamin loan from the government, as well as raising equity, and that he hopes to announce something in the next 2 months. Funding of RM 2 billion to 2.5 billion would be enough to last the airline until the end of 2021. He also called for patience from customers who want refunds saying, “If we pay all the refunds now, we may not exist.” >>
21 Aug: AirAsia.com’s e-commerce revenue grew 118% YOY in Q1. It forecasts that non airline revenues will become the key driver of business for the platform, and are now focusing on travel, lifestyle, e-commerce and media verticals in both B2B and B2C segments. A market survey the airline carried out showed that 45% of travellers want to travel immediately after lockdown, and flight searches increased 150% post hibernation. From Jun onwards, the site receives 1 million daily active users >>
21 Aug: The Penang International Travel Exchange 2020 will be moved to an online format on 14-16 Oct, with the aim of having 100 exhibitors participating with at least 200 buyers worldwide. It is fully subsidised by the Penang state government >>
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20 Aug: Malaysia Airports will create retail opportunities for bumiputera (those of Malay and indigenous ethnicities) within their network of airports, as part of its initiative to ensure 50% of its procurement spend goes to bumiputera operators >>
20 Aug: The E&O Residences in Kuala Lumpur will stop operation in Sep, affecting 50 employees >>
20 Aug: Sabah Tourism Board have released a “sensory travel experience”, with an animated clip that allows listeners to hear the sounds of Sabah >>
20 Aug: The Transport Minister has refuted the allegation that he unilaterally permitted a chartered flight with Indonesian medical tourists on board to arrive into Penang, saying that the state government should have opposed these type of flights beforehand, as the Sarawak state government had already done >>
19 Aug: Domestic consumption is growing again, with the government confident that the retail sector could reach up to 80% of pre-COVID levels by year-end. The Malaysian Shopping Mall association released statistics that Jul’s mall visitors had reached 80% of pre-COVID levels >>
19 Aug: The Penang state government has asked the federal government to prioritise the expansion of Penang International Airport, as it is the gateway for northern states and is already at overcapacity >>
19 Aug: RM30 million will be allocated to improving the Semenggoh Wildlife Centre in Sarawak. Facilities at other national parks in the state would also be upgraded in an aim to attract visitors >>
18 Aug: Only 16 overseas medical tourists have entered Malaysia since the sector was reopened, according to the Malaysian Healthcare Travel Council. Only 15 of the council’s 70 member hospitals were ready to receive foreign patients because of the stringent SOPs to be followed >>
18 Aug: Malaysian tour operators are trying to create unique experiences to attract the high-end domestic customers, with Mayflower Holidays, Apple Vacations and Sunflower Holidays all creating new domestic packages >>
18 Aug: Malaysia may see a greater boost to tourism from domestic travellers than other ASEAN countries, according to OCBC Bank, with the relative value of outbound tourism vs inbound spend, with outbound at $12.4 billion USD, and inbound at $5.2 million USD inbound >>
18 Aug: Sarawak MP has urged the state government to be cautious about opening up the state for medical tourism >>
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18 Aug: Moovby, a peer-to-peer car sharing startup, wants to work with the tourism industry to allow them to offer travel packages via the app to boost domestic travel >>
18 Aug: Johor state is expected to suffer a spillover effect from Singapore’s recession, with the number of Singaporean tourists reduced to zero, affecting transactions and spending in Malaysia >>
17 Aug: The Tourism Minister has reassured the public that Malaysia is safe for tourism, and that occupancy levels are increasing on the weekends for hotels in coastal areas >>
17 Aug: Business Events Sarawak have launched new marketing videos to promote safety, aimed at business events organisers. They are also working on a rewards programme which will be finalised by YE and rolled out for 2021. They will also work to showcase their unique tribal-based products which can be incorporated into events >>
17 Aug: The Sarawak Tourism Board is planning to launch inter-state travel packages by Sep, under the Sia Sitok (Here and There) campaign. It will offer 30 packages at up to 50% off to boost domestic travel >>
16 Aug: The Tourism Minister has called for budget hotel operators to become creative in attracting customers in the face of starred hotels holding promotions >>
16 Aug: Selangor state is looking to boost golf tourism, with the launch of the inaugural Selangor Golf Classic on 29 & 30 Sep >>
15 Aug: The Tourism Ministry is preparing to look at the application requirements for the tourism industry’s GAMELAN fund, as many players did not meet the previous regulations to be able to apply >>
15 Aug: AirAsia will focus on medical tourism by providing medical charter flights, with AirAsia Health launching an end-to-end health and wellness platform on the airline’s website soon >>
14 Aug: Water taxis will be launched in 2021 on the Klang River, forming a 15km route from Pangkalan Batu Urban Park to Mangrove Point >>
14 Aug: Malaysia’s economy contracted by 17.1% in Q2, the worst performance since 1998 and the Asian financial crisis. The worst sectors hit included tourism, manufacturing and investment >>
14 Aug: Malaysia Airports Holdings is teaming up with airport retailers to create an airport-wide sale at Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA), as well as holding a Cuti-Cuti Malaysia Mini Travel Fair. The Sama Sama Hotel KLIA will also offer an
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Airport Staycation package. Being held in the departures area, the airport expects 3,000 visitors per day of the fair >>
14 Aug: The Tourism Productivity Nexus has proposed that existing regulations for tourism businesses re relooked, particularly the clause that tour operators and travel agents need a physical office to renew their licence. They also want the licensing of more types of vehicles to be permitted, as well as affordable courses for tour guides >>
14 Aug: The Tourism Ministry has encouraged tourism players to apply for the PENJANA tourism financing, to avoid making any more redundancies >>
13 Aug: Penang International Airport’s expansion plans have been put on hold until the National Airport Strategy Plan is finished, estimated to be complete in 2023 >>
13 Aug: AirAsia is implementing robotic process automation across Malaysia, Thailand, Philippines, Indonesia and Japan >>
31 Jul: The tourism sector financing scheme under the PENJANA budget has now been opened for application. The total scheme is worth RM1 billion and it is aimed at MSMEs with financing of up to RM300,000 at a 3.5% interest rate per year >>
27 Jul: A new campaign to support MICE events in Malaysia, “Meet in Malaysia”, has been revealed by the Malaysia Convention & Exhibition Bureau (MyCEB). The campaign has 2 components: Let’s Meet Locally, for domestic business, and Let’s Meet Tomorrow, for groups with 10% international participants. Incentives for Let’s Meet Locally include free full-day city tour for a group of 30, whilst for groups of 60 with a 2-night hotel stay will see dinner sponsorship included. 150 participants and above can request for sponsorship of a full-day meeting package. Incentives for Let’s Meet Tomorrow include a full-day meeting package for groups of 120 pax who hold a meeting for 2 days or more. The campaign runs until Dec 2021 >>
5 Jun: The government released a new RM35 billion stimulus package for the economy, called PENJANA. It includes tax relief for individuals, a monthly unlimited travel pass for RM30, free 1GB data every day between 8am-6pm. For tourism it also includes:
• RM1 billion to finance transformation initiatives by SMEs (details to be announced) • RM1.8 billion in tax incentives, including tourism tax breaks from 1 Jul – 30 Jun • Moratorium on tax instalment payments from 1 Apr to 31 Dec for tourism companies (including airlines) • Personal income tax relief of RM1,000 for tourism expenses >>
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08 May: Sarawak state has announced a RM300 million stimulus package, with certain measures supporting tourism workers:
• One-off cash payment of RM600 to licensed van operators • Special grant of RM1,500 to 145 tourist and park guides >>
29 Apr: Bank Negara has allocated RM5 billion for financing loans to SMEs to help them sustain operations and maintain jobs >>
07 Apr: An additional RM10 billion financial stimulus has been announced targeted at SMEs. Key measures include:
• Wage subsidy of up to RM1,200 per employee for companies with less than 75 workers • Tax deductions for landlords to encourage rental reductions >>
27 Mar: The Malaysian government announced a new economic stimulus package valued at RM250 billion, including some support for the travel industry:
• Monthly subsidy of RM600 for 3 months for companies who have had a drop of 50% in business since 1 Jan • RM4.5 billion for SME and micro entrepreneurs comprising of five initiatives >>
View older updates from February onwards on our dashboard at: https://www.pearanderson.com/coronavirus/malaysia/
OUTBOUND
3 Oct: British Airways have restarted their flights to Kuala Lumpur after a stop of 6 months. It will fly 4 times/ week >>
2 Oct: The Religious Affairs Minister will visit Saudi Arabia early 2021 to understand the status of Malaysian pilgrims for Haj >>
25 Sep: Tenaga Nasional has signed an agreement with Malaysia Airlines to install solar panels on 4 of the airline’s buildings at Kuala Lumpur international Airport (KLIA). It forms part of their initiative to cut carbon emissions >>
24 Sep: Malaysia Airlines has deferred payment on RM1.5 billion worth of Islamic bonds by 6 months >>
23 Sep: Malaysia remains in discussion with Saudi Arabia over the resumption of umrah, after it was reported that Saudi Arabia may allow pilgrims from other countries to perform umrah from 1 Nov >>
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18 Sep: The Saudi government have not yet issued advise on performing umrah, the Malaysian government has confirmed >>
17 Sep: Malaysia Airlines is expected to reach 50% capacity by Dec, with 150 flights per day. They estimate that by mid-2021 they could be flying 70% of its capacity, so long as border restrictions are removed for the majority of countries. Its most popular routes remain Kuala Lumpur – Penang, Kuching and Kota Kinabalu >>
8 Sep: Haj pilgrims stranded in Jeddah on arrival from Malaysia are filing a lawsuit against a travel agency >>
4 Sep: Malaysia Airlines will stop flights to Perth, Adelaide and Brisbane from 25 Oct to 27 Mar 2021. Their flights will continue to Sydney and Melbourne, but at just one flight per week >>
26 Aug: AirAsia X has asked for creditors’ support as it reported a net loss of $73.2 million USD in Q2. The airline said that its ability to continue relies on scheduled flights gradually resuming in 2021. It has stopped selling tickets for future travel dates and is operating just cargo and charter flights >>
26 Aug: AirAsia X is planning to reduce payroll further in Sep >>
24 Aug: 42 foreign airlines will resume operations from Malaysia by the year-end, subject to the full re-opening of borders. Malaysia Airports saw 1.2 million pax in July, a reduction of 73.2% YoY, but a three times increase on June’s numbers. Turkish Airlines, Scoot and Starlux also restarted routes to Malaysia in Jul. The airport operator continues to invest in safety measures to minimise touchpoints >>
21 Aug: AirAsia is looking at reopening a twice-weekly flight between Kuala Lumpur and Macau from 20 Sep >>
View older updates from February onwards on our dashboard at: https://www.pearanderson.com/coronavirus/malaysia/
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MYANMAR 500,000 tourism workers may lose jobs
TRAVEL All visa issuances suspended. All international flights are suspended until 31 Oct. RESTRICTIONS 14-day quarantine for those who enter the country. Domestic flights suspended until 31 Oct.
LOCKDOWN Schools closed. Yangon state, Rakhine state and certain townships in Mon State, STATUS Mandalay Region, Bago Region and Ayeyawady Region are under “Stay-at-home”: residents limited to leaving home only for essential grocery shopping. Civil servants returning to Naypyitaw will need to be tested for COVID-19 and if from a Stay-at-home township, quarantined.
TRAVEL BUBBLES & INTERNATIONAL BORDERS
24 Sep: The suspension of international flights has been extended until the 31 Oct >>
29 Aug: The temporary ban on entry to Myanmar has been extended until 30 Sep, including the suspension of visas and visa exemptions. International flights have also been banned until 30 Sep >>
29 Aug: Clarification has been made for foreign staff seeking to re-enter Myanmar – they will need to prove that they are on urgent businesses and must contact the Myanmar Embassy to fly on relief flights >>
24 Aug: Myanmar and Japan have agreed to open their borders to one another for expatriate and long-term residents as early as Sep. Travellers must stay at home or at a designated place after arriving for 14 days. Japan also pledged $283 million USD to support Myanmar SMEs. They will also speed up talks to allow essential business travel >>
29 Jul: The flight suspension to Myanmar has been extended to 31 Aug. However, there are some “fast lanes” for essential businesses and officials upon request. These have started with China and Japan, and will be extended gradually to other countries. Myanmar citizens will also be allowed to travel abroad for medical treatment, studying abroad or working abroad on specially arranged flights >>
13 Jul: Myanmar are planning to allow Chinese travellers with urgent business matters to enter the country under a “Fast Track” scheme with a special quarantine
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program. The Chinese travellers could arrive into Myanmar via relief, special and chartered flights. They plan to expand this scheme to other countries too. Travellers must bring a negative COVID-19 test, and will undergo 2 swab tests. After 5 days, they will be able to do their work. Costs will be borne by the travellers >>
INBOUND
NEW 10 Oct: Small businesses and factories in Yangon will be allowed to resume operations after they pass inspections >>
NEW 8 Oct: Yangon now has enough hospital beds for patients, despite the increase in cases, as 10,000 new beds are ready >>
NEW 7 Oct: Myanmar’s number of cases crossed the 20,000 mark, after 10,000 new cases were reported in just 9 days >>
NEW 7 Oct: More hospitals will be converted in Mandalay into COVID-19 treatment centres >>
NEW 6 Oct: Myanmar’s Stay-at-Home order has been extended for 2 more weeks from 8- 21 Oct >>
3 Oct: Stricter stay-at-home orders were enforced in Yangon, with all but essential travel banned between townships >>
2 Oct: Domestic flights have had their suspension extended until 31 Oct >>
2 Oct: Myanmar had more than 1,000 new cases on 1 Oct. Yangon itself has had more than 10,000 cases total and is the centre of the outbreak >>
1 Oct: Myanmar has started to use antigen COVID-19 tests in Yangon to test, trace and isolate in an “all-out” battle against the pandemic >>
30 Sep: Night bazaars with dine-in in Nay Pyi Taw territory will be closed from 30 Sep >>
30 Sep: People in Nay Pyi Taw who leave home without a facemask will be fined >>
28 Sep: Local tourism businesses who are complying with safety protocols should be recognised for doing so. The government suggested that travel industry firms focus on community-based tourism packages, something which the Myanmar Tourism Entrepreneur Association agrees with >>
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26 Sep: State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi marked World Tourism Day with a speech, where she has said that Myanmar is focusing on a sustainable expansion of the tourism sector to contribute to economic and socio-cultural development, and protect cultural heritage promotion businesses. She also urged the formation of working groups to develop new destinations within the country >>
25 Sep: The government will subsidies the salaries of those workers in Yangon Region who are insured and under stay-home notices, up to 40% >>
25 Sep: From 26 Sep, stay-at-home notices have been served for certain townships in Mon State, Mandalay Region, Bago Region and Ayeyawady Region >>
25 Sep: Myanmar reported more than 1,000 new cases on 24 Sep >>
24 Sep: 1,041 businesses have been approved to take K20.7 billion from the 2nd COVID-19 fund >>
23 Sep: Hotels in Mandalay have been ordered to close after hotel staff have contracted the virus. The Tourist Guide Association in Mandalay has said that “the tourism sector is on the verge of collapse.” >>
22 Sep: The Myanmar military have warned that cases could climb to 16,000 by the end of Sep if the spread is not contained within the next week. The government has also budgeted for K1 trillion in funds to fight the virus >>
20 Sep: The whole of the Yangon region will be under Stay-at-home orders from 21 Sep >>
19 Sep: Myanmar will not postpone its 8 Nov general election despite the increase in COVID-19 cases, as it will ensure social distancing at polling stations and add more stations >>
19 Sep: The revised ADB forecast for Myanmar still maintains growth in 2020 at 1.8%, followed by 5% in 2021 >>
17 Sep: Some Yangon residents are barricading their neighbourhoods to stop non- residents from entering out of fear of disease spread >>
17 Sep: The Union Minister for Hotels and Tourism has said that the increase in cases will seriously impact the hotel and tourism business. He said that the ministry is also continuously implementing the Myanmar Tourism Relief Plan and is also drafting a Myanmar Tourism Strategic Recovery Roadmap (2015-2025) >>
16 Sep: The Yangon Region Directorate of Hotels and Tourism have closed their offices temporarily due to the outbreak >>
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16 Sep: Mandalay has resumed social restrictions, banning passenger buses, closing restaurants for dine-in and closing some markets and malls following an uptick in cases >>
15 Sep: Myanmar reported its highest daily case number of 307 on 15 Sep >>
14 Sep: The Myanmar Tourism Association have said that domestic tourism companies are shifting to other businesses such as food >>
14 Sep: Travel businesses are asking the government for more tax relief for the remainder of 2020, seeking an extension before tax rates are raised from 1 Oct on undisclosed sources of income >>
11 Sep: Domestic travel has been banned across the country, with all residents urged to not leave their regions and states unless absolutely necessary >>
10 Sep: Myanmar has increased lockdown measures in Yangon, with the stay-at- home order applying to almost half of the townships. Many domestic airlines have suspended their flights until the end of Sep, and people should not travel other than in an emergency >>
9 Sep: Tax relief has been extended until 31 Dec for prioritised sectors, something that the Union of Myanmar Travel Association welcomes >>
9 Sep: Sri Lanka’s Ambassador to Myanmar has said that a lack of air connectivity between the 2 countries should be made a top priority, with a focus on cultural tourism >>
9 Sep: Yangon International Airport has reopened Terminal 3 Gate 4 after construction work was finished >>
8 Sep: The tax payment deadline has been extended until 31 Dec, to boost morale >>
8 Sep: Mandalay has stricter regulations for those coming from Yangon or Rakhine – now they must be quarantined in a facility, and tested at their own expense >>
7 Sep: The quarantine period for positive COVID-19 patients has been reduced from 21 to 14 days with mild or moderate illness >>
6 Sep: Restaurants in Yangon region must only operate under a takeaway system from 8 Sep >>
6 Sep: The number of passengers on the Myeik-Yangon express buses has dropped by over 80% in the first week of Sep >>
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4 Sep: Civil servants returning to Naypyidaw with a travel history to townships who have had positive cases of COVID-19 will need to stay at community quarantine facilities for 7 days >>
3 Sep: Any delays to the general election due in Nov in Myanmar will be announced next month >>
3 Sep: Mandalay have extended their COVID-19 measures until 15 Sep, including the wearing of face masks and a ban on 30 pax gathered together. Returnees from Rakhine and Yangon must be quarantined for 21 days, and a nightly curfew of 12am – 4am will be enforced >>
2 Sep: Stay-at-home orders have been imposed on 7 townships in Yangon, including Thingangyun, Insein, North Okkalapa, Tharkerta, Hlaing, Pazundaung and Mingaladon. Those who have essential jobs may still go to work, but only one individual per household is allowed to go grocery shopping at a time. Bars and nightclubs are closed. There has also been a case detected in Yangon who had no recent travel history or contact with any known patient >>
1 Sep: A white paper, Myanmar: Priorities for Restarting Tourism has been released with recommendations about opportunities, focusing on sustainable tourism management and going beyond the major tourism destinations to ecotourism, outdoor and adventure activities. It also recommends that zero-dollar tours are banned and more licensed Chinese speaking guides trained to benefit the whole tourism supply chain >>
30 Aug: Myanmar has now had 4 locally transmitted cases in Yangon, as well as more in Rakhine >>
29 Aug: Myanmar had its biggest jump in reported cases at 77 on 29 Aug >>
27 Aug: Myanmar schools re-closed nationwide on 27 Aug >>
27 Aug: Job hunting has increased by 20% according to Myjobs.com.mm. Those employees who have left the tourism industry have been encouraged to enter jobs in digital and IT fields, leaving a shortage of workers when tourism recovers >>
27 Aug: Innovative social media campaigns by the Kayah State and Tanintharyi region have been implemented. Young staff at the states’ Ministry of Hotels and Tourism have had remote support to upgrade their crisis communication skills on digital media. They aimed to show empathy and establish trust with future travellers. The support was part of a project funded by the Netherlands >>
27 Aug: All townships in Rakhine State will now be subjected to a Stay-At-Home order >>
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26 Aug: A localised lockdown is underway in a street in South Okkalapa township, Yangon, after a case was detected from a resident >>
26 Aug: Centara Hotels has signed Hotel Management Agreements with 3 hotels in Myanmar, including the Centra by Centara Hotel Thiri Hpa-Ann, Hpa-An Hilltop Resort & Spa and Centara Hotel Mandalay >>
24 Aug: A new express train from Yangon to Mawlamyine was inaugurated on 22 Aug >>
24 Aug: The Myanmar Tour Guide Association (MGTA) has called for loans for their members, as they are not currently included in the government’s loan financial assistance scheme, and only benefit from a subsidisation of training courses currently >>
23 Aug: Sittway Township, Rakhine State was designated a “Stay-at-home” township from 20 Aug, with residents only allowed to leave their homes for essential purposes >>
22 Aug: 51 locally transmitted cases have been detected in the last week, with 22 on 22 Aug alone, all in Rakhine State >>
22 Aug: The Department of Civil Aviation has released COVID-19 guidelines for domestic airlines to follow, including the disinfection of the planes before and after landings, stopping serving food and distributing blankets and flight attendants wearing PPE. Overall, there were 13,151 domestic flights between Jan – Jun, a 22% decline YoY >>
20 Aug: Several domestic airlines suspended flights to Sittwe, the capital of Rakhine state, including Mann Yadanarpon Airlines, Myanmar International Airlines, Shwe Myanmar airline. Yangon has said that people who come to the city from Sittwe will need to undergo a 21-day quarantine >>
20 Aug: Entertainment businesses such as KTV, bars and nightclubs are still to remain closed in Yangon, authorities have announced >>
19 Aug: Mandalay has partially lifted the ban on religious activities, allowing people to worship, but the ban on public resorts, nightclubs, karaoke bars, concerts, cinemas, pagoda festivals and weddings remains. The curfew from 12am – 4am also remains in place >>
19 Aug: Inflation levels have eased due to declining consumer spend. A World Bank survey has also shown that Myanmar businesses have reduced access to credit to support their business operations >>
17 Aug: The first locally transmitted case of COVID in weeks was detected in Rakhine state, sparking fears of a second wave >>
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17 Aug: In Jul, Myanmar Airways International and Air KBZ operated 250 flights, including chartered, cargo and schedule flights. They have also not undertaken any paycuts or made staff redundant yet, the CEO has said, and intend to prepare for growth >>
15 Aug: More than 10,000 businesses have applied for emergency loans for the 2nd time >>
14 Aug: Myanmar’s COVID-19 restrictions have been extended to 31 Aug, including compulsory face mask wearing in public places >>
14 Aug: Abercrombie & Kent Myanmar have launched a new campaign aimed at domestic travellers, “Discover your Asia”. This offers a luxury experience with special resident rates for private tours around Myanmar, and sailings on the Sanctuary Ananda river cruise >>
14 Aug: Yangon International Airport will close Terminal 3 Gate 4 until the end of Aug >>
13 Aug: Gatherings of less than 30 people will be permitted from 16 Aug, as no COVID-19 cases have been detected for 26 days. The government is also considering reopening cinemas and resuming local football tournaments >>
12 Aug: The Ministry of Education continues to discuss reopening of schools >>
12 Aug: The Kawthaung travel and tourism district secretary has said that the government must give special opportunities to locals and SMEs to develop tourism, as well as put a stop to illegal fishing >>
11 Jul: The government will create a fund of 500 billion kyats to support businesses, including those in tourism. The loans will help to pay salaries and will be at a 1% interest rate >>
10 Jun: The Ministry of Hotels and Tourism have announced their COVID-19 Tourism Relief Plan to help tourism operators, to run from Apr 2020 – Jan 2021:
• Phase 1 (Apr-Jun): low-interest loans. Between 9 Apr – 2 Jun, over 1,000 tourism businesses received K27 billion. Tax and license fee waivers • Phase 2 (Jun-Aug): reopening Myanmar’s tourism. Government working to open regional tourism, and health and safety plans being developed • Phase 3 (Aug-Jan 2021): begin promoting Myanmar internationally, with visa exemptions, ease of travel restrictions and boosting tourism infrastructure >>
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23 May: There will be three stages in a roadmap for tourism, according to the Union Minister for Hotels and Tourism:
1. Survival, immediate action with the self-finance and stimulus package 2. Reopening and relaxing of lockdown and quarantine, to be implemented within 3-6 months 3. Relaunching, relaxing regulations and reinventing Myanmar tourism, to be implemented within 6-12 months >>
09 May: A fund of $2.5 million USD has been set up in a 3rd phase of economic stimulus to support loans to 111 industrial and tourism companies >>
02 May: A 2nd fund of $142.8 million USD is set to be created by the government to help struggling businesses >>
23 Apr: Land lease payments for 47 state-owned and private hotels will be deferred for 6 months. However, the Myanmar Hotelier Association has asked for an exemption, rather than just deferment >>
16 Apr: Hotel and tour businesses will not have to pay licence fees for one year until 31 Mar 2021 >>
18 Mar: Myanmar Government has introduced relief measures, including those for tourism businesses:
• Covid-19 fund established and funds may be borrowed at interest rate of 1% for one year • Commercial tax and corporate income tax deadlines extended until end of Sep 2020 >>
View older updates from February onwards on our dashboard at: https://www.pearanderson.com/coronavirus/myanmar/
OUTBOUND
View older updates from February onwards on our dashboard at: https://www.pearanderson.com/coronavirus/myanmar/
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PHILIPPINES Estimated 190 billion PHP lost in revenues from Mar – Jul
TRAVEL Temporary ban on foreigners entering from 22 Mar. Domestic flights permitted to RESTRICTIONS reopen from 1 Jun.
LOCKDOWN General Community Quarantine (GCQ) for Metro Manila from 1-31 Oct, whilst Cebu STATUS City is under Modified General Community Quarantine (MGCQ) from 1-31 Oct. Many industries and sectors are permitted to reopen, with 50% of the workforce. Travel agents allowed to open under GCQ areas. Elderly and youth must still stay at home. Public transportation and staycations in areas under GCQ permitted. MICE events allowed at 50% under MGCQ areas. Curfew of 10am – 5pm in Metro Manila. Staycations permitted from 1 Oct.
Consumer sentiment
Source: YouGOV
Flight searches and booking volume for travel to Philippines
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Future flight search for % change in scheduled travel to the Philippines departures YoY
Source: Sojern COVID-19 dashboard
Source: The Airline Flight Demand Tracker, Lufthansa Innovation Hub
TRAVEL BUBBLES & INTERNATIONAL BORDERS
10 Oct: The Foreign Minister of China and Philippines Foreign Affairs Secretary have “confirmed the prospective establishment of a Fast Lane for Urgently Needed Personnel Exchanges between the Philippines and China to facilitate, with due safeguards, the movement of essential official exchanges and travel by personnel in crucial industries such as business and trade, infrastructure, logistics, production, and technical services.” >>
NEW 8 Oct: The Bureau of Immigration has stressed that foreigners are still not permitted to enter the Philippines – only spouses and minor children of Filipinos are allowed to enter >>
21 Sep: Duterte has allowed Filipino nurses and other medical workers to leave the country for employment abroad if they have a valid contract from 31 Aug >>
17 Sep: The Philippines may allow nurses and other medical professionals to travel abroad for employment after a ban was imposed earlier in the year >>
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3 Sep: Malaysia will extend a ban on citizens from countries with more than 150,000 cases of COVID-19 from 7 Sep, including the Philippines >>
17 Aug: Officials and business owners in Boracay are planning to open the island to selected domestic and foreign tourists by Oct. The initial travel bubble is tipped to be with South Korea, as Philippine Airlines flies between Seoul and Kalibo International Airport. Since reopening, only 1,303 tourists had visited from 16 Jun to 13 Aug >>
8 Aug: The US Embassy in the Philippines has warned American citizens to reconsider travel to the Philippines >>
4 Aug: The Tourism Congress of the Philippines is backing the idea of travel bubbles direct to destinations, bypassing Manila to avoid impact from lockdowns >>
23 Jul: Non-essential overseas travel for Filipinos is once again suspended, and only those with plane tickets confirmed as of 20 Jul will be allowed to continue their trips, as only one travel insurance agency has agreed to provide the insurance required by government guidelines >>
INBOUND
NEW 11 Oct: Ilocos Norte will open up for tourists from Luzon from next week, even those under GCQ areas. Visitors would need a negative test result, and the Department of Tourism (DOT) will help to provide a system for visitors to register. Baguio City has now received 179 travel requests, and had 1,701 registrations on their visitor system, VISITA >>
NEW 11 Oct: The DOT has permitted 8 luxury hotels in Metro Manila to reopen for staycations >>
NEW 11 Oct: The Enchanted Kingdom theme park, the only theme park in the Philippines, will reopen in Oct >>
NEW 10 Oct: 5 Local Governmnt Units (LGUS) in Pangasinan are now open for Region 1 guests: Bolinao, Dasol, Manaoag, Sual and Alaminos City, under the Ridge and Reef Travel Corridor initiative. The DOT is planning to launch a universal website similar to Baguio’s VISITA registration system for the whole Region 1 >>
NEW 10 Oct: A road leading to a tourist site in Biliran, costing 92 million PHP, has been completed >>
NEW 10 Oct: Diving establishments under GCQ areas, such as the Batangas, will be able to operate for recreational visitors >>
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NEW 9 Oct: Palawan will open Coron to tourists only if there are no more cases in the area >>
NEW 9 Oct: The Aklan governor is sad about the low arrival numbers to Boracay island, averaging around 50 visitors per day compared to its previous 50,000. They admit that needing a swab test is the biggest obstacle for recovery. They are now working on a requirement that Western Visayas tourists will not need a swab test, as they previously did not require that before the island was reopened to all domestic tourists >>
NEW 9 Oct: The ban on commercial flights to Negros Oriental still stands >>
NEW 9 Oct: The new Bantayan Island Airport will be inspected by the Cebu Governor on 16 Oct, which is expected to start operations by the year-end >>
NEW 9 Oct: The Philippine Genome Center’s COVID-19 testing lab will open for drive- thru and on foot swabbing for elective testing, for those who need it for travel clearance >>
NEW 9 Oct: 14.1 million PHP was generated in the September Online Sale of the Hotel and Marketing Association, with over 1,000 vouchers sold. 36.3% were for Pasay and Manila hotels, 13.3% for Boracay Island >>
NEW 9 Oct: El Salvador city in Misamis Oriental has allowed the reopening of a pilgrimage site, the Divine Mercy Shrine, at 50% capacity. Northern Mindanao is also permitting tourism businesses to reopen, with 281 approved >>
NEW 8 Oct: Cebu Pacific has announced that it is looking to raise $500 million USD to help its balance sheet. Funds will be raised through convertible preferred sharee issuance and private placement >>
NEW 8 Oct: 38 tourism businesses will reopen in Pampanga, including 7 hotels >>
NEW 8 Oct: 8/10 Filipinos think positively about the government’s response to COVID- 19 >>
NEW 8 Oct: Bohol may open Panglao island by Nov, the governor has said. Tourists who want to visit need to register on a website to obtain a QR code, and will need a negative RT-PCR test. They will initially target group travellers, as they are easier to monitor >>
NEW 8 Oct: A new campaign, Ingat Angat Tayong Lahat, has been launched by the private sector to encourage consumer confidence, and is across retail, F&B, banking, leisure and telcos >>
NEW 8 Oct: The Tourism Promotions Board (TPB) of the Department of Tourism (DOT) will launch a new app which will allow booking of hotels, flights and tours, as well
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as provide updated information about pre-travel requirements. It is aiming to launch in Oct and will be able to integrate with different local government unit (LGU) apps such as VISITA in Baguio and the Ultimate Bohol Experience (UBE) >>
NEW 8 Oct: 86% of Filipinos have been stressed over COVID-19, a Social Weather Stations survey has revealed >>
NEW 7 Oct: The government has reaffirmed that it is “prepared to participate in the assistance to the airline industry” but “whatever assistance we have or we are going to provide will be part only of the entire process. The private sector banks have to cough up the majority of the assistance.” They also stated that the government does not want to end up owning airlines >>
NEW 7 Oct: The Department of Health has said that rapid antigen tests may not be suitable for tourists, frequent travellers and cross border workers, as the Baguio pilot revealed that it did not have the same accuracy as the RT-PCR >>
NEW 7 Oct: AirAsia Philippines will add flights from Manila to Zamboanga and General Santos in Oct >>
NEW 7 Oct: Cebu, Palawan, Siargao and Boracay island have been named in the top 10 Asian islands list for Condé Nast Traveler >>
NEW 7 Oct: Cebu City is working on a mobile app for tourists, due to be launched in 2021, which would reduce the need for physical contact >>
NEW 7 Oct: A maximum of 50 tourists per day are permitted to visit Ilocos Norte, which opened on 1 Oct >>
NEW 7 Oct: A World Bank survey has shown that 4/10 companies in the Philippines temporarily suspended operations in Jul, whilst 15% permanently closed. 1 in 5 of companies in arts, entertainment and recreation, tourism and food services permanently closed in Cebu, the National Capital Region, Calabarzon and Central Luzon. Companies reported uncertainty over reopening, with 36% saying they could remain open only for the next 3 months >>
NEW 6 Oct: San Miguel Corp this month will start working on the new Manila airport in Bulacan this which is expected to be ready in 5-6 years >>
NEW 6 Oct: Boracay resort owners are asking for the requirement for RT-PCR tests be replaced by antigen testing instead, to allow more visitors. 53 tourists arrived on 2 Oct >>
NEW 6 Oct: General Santos city will continue to implement priority tourism infrastructure projects, including the Queen Tuna Park and pocket parks projects >>
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NEW 6 Oct: The government is calling for Filipinos to support domestic tourism >>
NEW 5 Oct: Bohol is encouraging airlines to fly back to Bohol Panglao International Airport with regular flights, and a “calibrated reopening of commercial domestic flights” >>
NEW 5 Oct: Visitors to Boracay could get up to 75% discount on hotel accommodation, to offset the cost of the mandatory RT-PCR test >>
NEW 5 Oct: A Social Weather Stations survey has shown that the unemployment rate has dropped slightly from Jul, to 39.5% in Sep, around 23.7 million Filipinos >>
NEW 4 Oct: The Philippines reported 3,190 new cases on 4 Oct, its largest increase since 21 Sep >>
NEW 4 Oct: Baguio is running parallel RT-PCR and antigen tests on arrivals to see if antigen tests could be used for tourists with a great enough level of accuracy >>
NEW 4 Oct: 1,249 prospective visitors have registered on the Baguio VISITA portal, with 107 making travel requests. 43 have been approved from Region 1 to visit, and will be spread out throughout Oct. There are also approved requests for Nov and Dec >>
3 Oct: 17 business sectors will be permitted to operate at 100% capacity in GCQ areas, including non-leisure activities in malls and commercial areas. Dine-in at restaurants will be allowed at more than 50% capacity with social distancing, and food delivery is allowed 24 hrs/ day >>
2 Oct: Discovery World, a hospitality company, will invest 5.8 million PHP in Cay Islands corp, an owner of real estate property in El Nido, Palawan >>
2 Oct: The Tourism Secretary has reassured the public that the results of RT-PCR tests cannot be faked, as they are linked to a QR code which can verify its authenticity >>
2 Oct: The regular Palace briefings by Duterte’s spokesperson will be held in Boracay on Monday 5 Oct, to help attract more tourists >>
2 Oct: Just 35 tourists visited Boracay on its first day of reopening to tourists from all regions. Just 7 of these came from Metro Manila >>
2 Oct: More tourism businesses are signing up for accreditation by the Department of Tourism (DOT) through its digitisation program, up 32.36% YoY as of 15 Sep >>
1 Oct: Philippine hoteliers are questioning the strict measures implemented for staycations, which include every family member who live in one household to
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undergo screening. They pointed out that the cost of antigen testing for a family of 4 could cost the same as the room rate >>
1 Oct: Cebu Pacific is planning to increase the number of its destinations, adding Boracay, Bohol, Kalibo, Dipolog, Tuguegarao, Bacolod and Roxas. They will also operate limited international routes >>
1 Oct: Changing Metro Manila’s status from GCQ to MGCQ may be possible by November, the Presidential spokesperson has said >>
1 Oct: Dive operators in Mabini, Batangas, are asking for the government to reopen diving in Anilao >>
1 Oct: Travellers from Palawan will now be able to visit El Nido after an executive order from the Local Government Unit (LGU). Tourists will need health checks, fill in a health declaration form and pre-book accommodation. Island hopping tours will also open but visitors will need their own snorkelling equipment as rentals are banned >>
1 Oct: The need for an RT-PCR test for Western Visayas tourists to visit Boracay may lead to a decline in their number, due to the difficulty in obtaining the test and the expense involved. Previously, tourists required just a health declaration form. 3,780 tourists visited Boracay between 16 Jun-20 Sep >>
1 Oct: Batanes is not planning to open up to domestic tourism in 2020, the Tourism Secretary has confirmed. The province has had its first case in the province, after remaining COVID-free >>
1 Oct: Ilocos Norte is now open to tourists, with an Ilocos Norte Tourist Triage South located near the Badoc gateway for arriving travellers to have their safe pass checked >>
1 Oct: Philippine Airlines will resume its flights to Boracay on 4 Oct, delayed from the original plan of 1 Oct. They will fly to Caticlan twice/ week >>
1 Oct: 30.7% of Filipinos went hungry at least once in Q3 due to not enough food to eat, according to a new Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey, a jump of 20.9% in the July survey. The Department of Social Welfare and Development also admitted that they had not distributed a 2nd tranche of 10 billion PHP allocated to poor families >>
30 Sep: Fines of 5,000 PHP and one year imprisonment face tourists in Cebu who do not follow the health protocols. The governor said that they are not going for “quantity but quality” tourists >>
30 Sep: Baguio City will open to domestic tourism from Region 1 on 1 Oct, despite the increase of cases in the city. The tourists who visit initially will be limited in
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the places to which they can visit, including the public market and residential areas >>
30 Sep: Local tourists visiting Boracay will not need a travel authority from the Philippine National Police, the Tourism Secretary has clarified >>
30 Sep: Philippine AirAsia launched promotional airfares to Boracay Island as part of an effort to jumpstart the industry, with tickets as low as 8 PHP >>
30 Sep: Cebu Pacific says that it thinks recovery will “take longer than expected”, but they “continue being hopeful as we see there is still an inherent and latent demand for travel”, and it is still “well-placed” >>
29 Sep: Metro Manila will remain under GCQ from 1-31 Oct, along with Batangas, Tacloban City, Bacolod City, Iligan City and Iloilo City >>
29 Sep: Philippine airlines are likely to remain at much less than 2019 levels in 2021, Fitch Ratings has said >>
28 Sep: Bohol might reopen next in Oct, the Presidential spokesperson said >>
28 Sep: The Tourism Secretary has said that capacities at tourism destinations have been scaled down, with sustainability at its core >>
28 Sep: The Presidential spokesperson has said that the reopening of Boracay means that it is possible for the Philippines to work, if health is taken care of. The Tourism Secretary said that “the reopening of Boracay to new market sources signals a gathering momentum for domestic tourism all over the country.” >>
28 Sep: Dinagat Islands have launched a new type of tourism based on community conservation, trying to harmonise the relationship between communities and the environment >>
28 Sep: Staycations will be permitted from 1 Oct. The regulations have now been clarified:
• Must only be in 4 or 5* hotels with Certificates of Authority to Operate for Staycations by the DOT • Negative result from antigen test on the same day as check-in • Guests can only staycation in the province where they are located • A maximum of 2 guests from the same household can be in a rom of 20-29 sqm, 3 in 30-39 sqm and 4 in 40-49 sqm rooms • Cashless payment only • Hotels are able to operate restaurants, but not their bars, gyms and swimming pools >>
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27 Sep: PHITEX generated 15.6 million PHP from initial deals, preliminary numbers which were released that cover 20% of the sellers. It was the first hybrid event in the Philippines. The Tourism Secretary thinks that MICE travel “might take the lead” over leisure travel, judging from the results of the show >>
27 Sep: The Philippines crossed the 300,000 case mark on 26 Sep, but the cases seem to be slowing down >>
27 Sep: Lapu-Lapu city is discouraging the use of homestay apps such as Airbnb as they have “weak monitoring mechanisms on the compliance of minimum public health standards.” >>
26 Sep: Cebu Pacific has launched a new campaign, “Juan Love – One love for the Philippines”, which will showcase the country’s attractions, but also how every flight supports people behind tourism >>
26 Sep: Davao City is looking at opening up 3 additional flights to/ from Manila >>
26 Sep: Baguio City has had a record number of cases on 24 Sep, 52, linked to a slaughterhouse >>
25 Sep: Baguio City will trial the use of antigen tests for tourists, as a faster and cheaper alternative to RT-PCR tests >>
25 Sep: Consumer confidence in Q3 has fallen to record lows, and businesses are at their most pessimistic for 11 years >>
25 Sep: The Philippine Travel Exchange (PHITEX) opened on 23 Sep >>
25 Sep: 104 tourism sites in Bicol have now been reopened, including resorts, natural tourism areas and historical landmarks >>
24 Sep: Manila’s Mayor has said that he is focusing on helping businesses survive the pandemic, with high-impact projects continuing >>
24 Sep: The Manila Bay project has had more red flags raised by Infrawatch, a nongovernment think tank, who says that the project was likely overpriced, and there was just one bidder >>
25 Sep: The DOT has proposed that there should be no age restrictions on tourists visiting Boracay Island as “Filipinos travel in families”. They have also revealed that 4.8 million of 5.7 million tourism workers have either lost their jobs or have had salary cuts >>
24 Sep: Boracay will open to travellers from GCQ areas, including Metro Manila, from 1 Oct. Boracay’s hotels will offer discounts of up to 75% as it prepares for visitors from outside the Western Visayas. Travellers will need to have
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reservations, and will need a health certificate and RT-PCR test result before they are allowed entry. From 16 Jun – 20 Sep, just 3,780 tourists visited the island >>
24 Sep: The trade is welcoming the reopening of Boracay, but concerned about potential clashes between local government units’ (LGU) guidelines >>
24 Sep: Pangasinan town has reopened its ecotourism site at the Bangrin Marine Protected Area. It has extended the boardwalk from just 300m to 1km to the mangrove forest >>
24 Sep: Foreign arrivals from Jan-Aug are down by 72.26% to just 1,318,719 >>
23 Sep: Hotels and businesses along the Roxas Boulevard will benefit from the new Manila Bay white sand project, which partially opened on 20 Sep >>
23 Sep: The Baguio-Ilocos travel corridor might change into a two region travel bubble to include the Cordillera. The government is aiming to “jumpstart the local tourism industry [and] allow it to become the major driver for socioeconomic growth once more”. Tourism will be permitted in the Baguio-Ilocos travel corridor from 1 Oct, with a limit of 200 tourists per day into Baguio and 50 per day into Ilocos >>
23 Sep: The Philippine Travel Agencies Association (PTAA) have announced that they are negotiating an agreement with the Korean Association of Travel Agencies, in the hope of standardising tour costs, set up a complaints committee and a recommended list of destinations >>
22 Sep: The Philippines reported its lowest case numbers in 15 days on 22 Sep >>
22 Sep: According to the Amadeus Travel Insights Bulletin, Filipino travellers’ lead time for booking domestic flights has increased by 22% compared to pre-pandemic >>
22 Sep: The Department of Tourism (DOT) has reassured local government units (LGUs) that they will have the final decision on tourism in their area >>
22 Sep: PH Resorts Group are expecting to launch the Emerald Bay integrated resort in Mactan, Cebu by Q2 2022, which will have casinos as well as hotel rooms along the beachfront >>
22 Sep: Resort owners in Mabini town in Batangas have appealed for the Department of Tourism (DOT) to reopen their operations, after they were all ordered to close after a few resorts had exceeded the regulations on operating capacity >>
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22 Sep: Tourism tax paid by Filipinos and foreigners leaving the Philippines is estimated to drop by 83% in 2020. The Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority (TIEZA) estimates that this will normalise in 2024 >>
19 Sep: The moratorium on loans repayments will remain as part of the extension of the declaration of calamity in the Philippines, with a 60-day extension. The state of calamity has been renewed until 12 Sep 2021, unless earlier lifted >>
18 Sep: Visitors to Tagaytay from areas under GCQ such as Metro Manila will need to show a travel pass >>
18 Sep: The Department of Tourism (DOT) will earmark 1.44 billion PHP to market the Philippines to both international and domestic tourists, with domestic receiving the majority, 915 million PHP, international marketing 360 million PHP. They plan to develop regional circuits for domestic tourism, including North Luzon Circuit, Southern Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao >>
18 Sep: The government has approved the pilot use of antigen tests to screen travellers >>
18 Sep: The loan program as part of Bayanihan 2 will be interest-free with zero collateral, the Tourism Secretary has announced. They will be payable in 3 years, with a one-year grace period >>
18 Sep: The Philippines has become one of the latest destinations certified with the WTTC’s Safe Travels stamp >>
18 Sep: The Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority (TIEZA) predict a drop in tax collections in 2021 of about 90% vs 2019 >>
18 Sep: Quezon has reopened to domestic tourism, but health protocols will be in place. Tourists will need to show medical certificates, health clearances and travel passes if coming from another region >>
17 Sep: Cebu Pacific has revealed that they have refunded 50% of requests, totally 2.4 billion PHP, reaffirming that it still intends to refund the remaining amounts. It is currently only operating 10% of its pre-pandemic network >>
17 Sep: International arrivals from Jan-Aug fell by 76.3% YoY, with just 1.32 million tourists. Inbound tourism receipts also fell 75.2%, to 81.05 billion PHP >>
17 Sep: The representative for Aklan has called for the DOT to pay attention to the province beyond Boracay, highlighting underdeveloped tourism sites which are lacking in infrastructure >>
17 Sep: The DOT prefers antigen testing to RT-PCR tests prior to travel because of the faster result, despite WHO cautions against using it >>
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17 Sep: The Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority (TIEZA) have forecast that “normalcy” in tourism would only resume by 2024 >>
17 Sep: Cebu Pacific and AXA Life Insurance are launching new lifestyle insurance, which will not have to be linked to an air product >>
17 Sep: Duterte will “definitely” extend the state of calamity declaration in the Philippines, which was previously set to expire by 30 Sep >>
17 Sep: Baguio is forecasting that it may receive 200 tourists/ day once it reopens on 22 Sep. It will not allow pregnant tourists, nor those 60 and above. All tourists will need to take an RT-PCR test before entering >>
16 Sep: Other regions will be watching how successful the Baguio-Ilocos bubble (ridge to reef) scheme will be, before choosing to reopen domestic tourism. These regions are also awaiting for COVID-19 laboratories to be established, something which the DOT has requested from the Health department >>
16 Sep: Lapu-Lapu is preparing its regulations for tourism reopening >>
16 Sep: The Philippine Travel Exchange (PHITEX) will be held in Bohol as a hybrid virtual-physical event on 22-24 Sep >>
15 Sep: The Tourism Promotions Board (TPB), the DOT and motorcycle clubs in the Philippines will join together in a motorcycle caravan to showcase hard-to-reach tourism destinations. It will also encourage this niche product >>
15 Sep: A Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey has shown that 57% of Filipinos believe “the worst is yet to come”, an increase from just 10% in May >>
15 Sep: The Air Carriers Association of the Philippines (ACAP) has said that its airline members (Philippine Airlines, Cebu Pacific and Philippines AirAsia) expect to get 140 million PHP loan assistance and 10 billion PHP for loans/ equity under the Bayanihan 2 Act, but that they may only get the money in Dec due to the long loan application process >>
14 Sep: Puerto Princesa City has allocated 205 million PHP for tourism recovery, initially used for safety measures such as traveller health screenings. Its tourism revenue has dropped by 80% >>
14 Sep: Bohol has lost 10 billion PHP and around 200,000 (42%) of its workforce have lost jobs >>
14 Sep: The DOT has partnered with The Powerpuff Girls in a safe tourism campaign S.A.F.E. T.R.I.P. to promote health protocols >>
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13 Sep: The HSMA welcomes staycations being permitted under GCQ areas, saying that this will help stimulate tourism >>
13 Sep: A new survey by McKinsey in Jul shows:
• 59% of Filipinos have had their income negatively affected • 74% have cut back on spending until conditions improve • 53% are afraid to go out in case they get infected >>
13 Sep: 10,000 business process outsourcing industry jobs will be made available for displaced workers from the tourism industry in a partnership between the Department of Tourism (DOT) and Concentrix Philippines >>
12 Sep: The Bulacan Airport City Special Economic Zone has been approved by the House of Representatives, in a move to congest the Ninoy Aquino International Airport area >>
11 Sep: Staycations will now be allowed in hotels under GCQ areas, the Department of Tourism (DOT) has confirmed. The exact regulations have not yet been released, and it is also subject to the Local Government Unit’s approval >>
11 Sep: The Bayanihan To Recover as One Act, with its funds for tourism, has finally been signed into law by Duterte >>
11 Sep: Hotels can receive guests under “specialised programs” of the Department of Tourism, although the exact nature of the programs and number of guests is yet to be announced >>
10 Sep: Beach marshalls will be deployed once beaches reopen, who will ensure physical distancing amongst guests, but concessions, shops and vendors will be strictly banned >>
10 Sep: The Hotels Sales and Marketing Association (HSMA) have launched a 2- week sale focusing on flexible hotel and resort bookings across the country. These bookings will have a one-year validity >>
10 Sep: The HSMA have seen an increase in the number of customers looking for staycations with a stable wifi, allowing children to study, under a concept of Work + Study + Play >>
10 Sep: Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park has estimated that they have unrealised income of 80 million PHP, with zero arrivals from 15 Mar to the present. The park needs 50 million PHP to survive the year – currently it has only generated 20.68 million PHP >>
9 Sep: A North Luzon travel fair will be held to promote the opening of a tourism corridor of Baguio – Ilocos on 22 Sep >>
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9 Sep: An Asian Development Bank (ADB) report, “Reviving Tourism amid the COVID-19 pandemic”, noted that promoting domestic tourism in the Philippines could generate a 20% surplus of local tourists replacing foreigners, as well as a 30% surplus in expenditure >>
9 Sep: The Department of Health has said that regulations and guidelines on antigen tests will have to be developed before the tests are allowed. They reminded the public that the test must be registered with the FDA and validated by an institution that they have sufficient sensitivity (80% at least) >>
9 Sep: Antigen tests will be allowed to screen local tourists prior to travel, should there be no RT-PCR or swab tests available >>
9 Sep: AirAsia Philippines is launching a buy 1 take 1 promotion on all domestic and international flights for 2021. The airline saw +140% in seats sold in the last week of Aug >>
8 Sep: Philippine Airlines may make job cuts between 20-40% of its workforce (~6,000) under a new program, Project Gamma. The exact number of employees and whether they will be retrenched or have to take extended leave, has not been confirmed yet >>
8 Sep: The government will stop the white sand rehabilitation of Manila Bay if it is proven that it is harmful to visitors’ health >>
8 Sep: There are signs that the Philippines has succeeded in flattening the curve, a University of the Philippines research team has said. The reproduction number is also falling, as is the positivity rate >>
8 Sep: Bicol International Airport is expected to open in Q1 2021, with the project now 68% complete >>
8 Sep: The DOT has clarified that Local Government Units (LGUs) are the ones who will decide whether tourism should reopen, and that just because an area is under MGCQ does not mean that tourism will resume >>
8 Sep: The DOT has moved its food and travel festival, “Kain na”, online this year, from 15-18 Sep. It will include food tourism exchanges, online sales platform, digital training and food demonstrations >>
7 Sep: Talisay is preparing for the reopening of Barangay Tapul for tourists who are seeking nature >>
7 Sep: Many furloughed Filipino cruise ship workers are expected to remain without jobs until Mar 2021 >>
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6 Sep: The Cebu Alliance of Tour Operations Specialists (CATOS) is calling for a tourism-specific recovery package, including financial assistance, to maintain jobs >>
6 Sep: Next year’s government budget may see 35.7 billion PHP for tourism development, including bounce-back aid for tourism businesses >>
6 Sep: The DOT will hold the Philippine International Dive Expo virtually in Oct, aiming to position the country as a leading dive travel business hub >>
5 Sep: The DOT is identifying more tourism circuits that can be activated now that many provinces are under MGCQ and tourism is allowed once more. These would be similar to the Ridge to Reef tourism corridors >>
4 Sep: The national government and local government units (LGUs) are working closely together to decide on tourism reopenings to ensure that it is done in a safe manner, the Presidential spokesman has said >>
4 Sep: “White sand” beaches that are to be created on Manila Bay’s naturally grey coloured shores have caused controversy. It is part of Manila Bay Rehabilitation Program to save the bay from pollution >>
4 Sep: AirAsia Philippines will launch new routes from Manila to General Santos City and Zamboanga. Flights will start in Oct >>
4 Sep: July’s unemployment rate declined vs April’s levels, at 10% vs 17.7%. The Acting Socioeconomic Planning Secretary forecasts that by 2022 it should return to 4-5% >>
4 Sep: Moody’s now predicts that the Philippines economy could see a 7% contraction in 2020. Its earlier prediction was a decline of 4.5% >>
3 Sep: The Philippines reported its lowest daily case numbers for a month on 3 Sep, at 1,987 cases >>
3 Sep: Baguio will open to tourists from the Ilocos region (Region 1) from 22 Sep, in a “ridge to reef” tourism bubble strategy. Entry will be regulated and visitors’ movements monitored >>
3 Sep: The Tourism Secretary has said that she hopes to see the Ridge to Reef tourism bubble emulated across the country. The DOT is also working to collaborate with the Baguio City Tourism Council to implement Baguio’s monitoring app, to sponsor a photo contest, establish Baguio rebranding marketing and promotional projects, set up the baguiocreativecity.com platform and revive the weaving and fashion industry. They will focus on sustainable growth, and quality over quantity for tourists >>
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3 Sep: Ilocos Sur has seen 2 hotels closed and Vigan City, a UNESCO world heritage site, is now like a “ghost town” >>
3 Sep: The Bayanihan 2 Act will not be sufficient to sustain workers and companies, according to a think tank, with the cash subsidies putting recipients below the poverty line. They estimate 27% of Filipinos ae jobless or have been forced to take reduced pay >>
3 Sep: Rajah Travel Corporation are launching a new training program for tourism students, aiming to bridge the gap between academic courses and the actual workplace. It will launch 5 Oct and will include sessions on jargon, fares, pricing and tariffs beyond GDS, as well as soft skills >>
3 Sep: The Philippines Travel Agencies Association (PTAA) estimated that travel agents and consumers are owed 940 million PHP in airline refunds. Cebu Pacific has explained that refunds are taking up to 5 months from the date in which they were filed to be paid out, due to the high cancellation rates still ongoing. The PTAA has said that only 20 of its members are currently operating, serving overseas Filipino workers and seafarers >>
3 Sep: Tourist sites in Cebu City are being closely monitored to check for adherence to the health protocols, as they start to reopen for tourists now that the city is under MGCQ >>
2 Sep: The reopening procedure for Ilocos Norte to tourism includes protocols such as pre-booking and pre-registering their travel itinerary using the Stay IN Tourist Registration System and limiting the tourists’ arrivals between 6am – 10am. Tourists will also need to have a travel authority, medical certificate, a health declaration form no earlier than 48 hours prior to departure, and a negative rapid antigen test >>
2 Sep: The DOT will not force local governments to reopen to tourism, saying that “health and safety are still our priority” >>
1 Sep: Religious gatherings will be allowed in Metro Manila once more at 10% of the venue capacity >>
1 Sep: Leisure trips are allowed for Metro Manila residents to certain point-to- point destinations, such as resort islands. These islands require a negative RT-PCR test result, and the resort islands operate strict health and safety SOPs >>
1 Sep: Tacloban City has had to suspend its tourism activity after being placed under GCQ for one month until the end of Sep >>
1 Sep: Sipalay in Negros Occidental has extended the ban on tourism for another 15 days, until 15 Sep >>
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1 Sep: Businesses on Boracay Island are really suffering, with several of the oldest stores and restaurants deciding to close permanently. Businesses say that the situation had already worsened by the choice to attract low-end Chinese tourists to the island pre-pandemic. As of 13 Aug, just 1,303 tourists have visited the island since reopening >>
31 Aug: Metro Manila will remain under GCQ, whilst Cebu City has had its lockdown relaxed to MGCQ until 30 Sep >>
1 Aug: Mactan-Cebu International Airport now has a dedicated RT-PCR test facility for departing passengers, but hat this wasn’t mandatory. Test results are available within 36-48 hours >>
1 Aug: The DOT may face a budget cut of -5.33% in 2021, with other government departments also facing cuts, especially to their budgets for Travels, Conventions and Seminars >>
1 Aug: AirAsia Philippines will postpone their plans to file an IPO to possibly 2022, if they are being “realistic”, as their priority is recovery. AirAsia Philippines had a 2.3 billion PHP loss in Q2, with pax numbers falling by 99% YoY. By Q4, it expects to have recovered 60% of its Q4 domestic capacity >>
Aug: The DOT will revise its targets under the National Tourism Development Plan 2016-2022. Its previous targets were 10.4 million foreign visitors and 776 billion PHP revenue in 2021, and 12 million and 922 billion PHP by 2022 >>
30 Aug: The Philippine Association of Convention/ Exhibition Organizers and Suppliers estimates opportunity revenue losses of 2.1 billion PHP to date, and 9,000 jobs at risk >>
30 Aug: Farm tourism is suffering just as much as other tourism products, the National Farm Tourism Program has said >>
30 Aug: Baguio City will reopen all parks, the night market and start the weekly pedestrianisation of certain areas of the city from Sep for local residents, but the plan to reopen to other visitors, especially from Manila, is suspended >>
29 Aug: Philippine Airlines has been nominated as one of the top 10 safest airlines in the world for health and safety measures, with a score of 4.2/5 >>
28 Aug: The Philippines will host the 3rd international conference on ASEAN Mutual Recognition Arrangement on Tourism Professionals on 4 Sep >>
28 Aug: Thee hotels at Resorts World Manila, in partnership with Cebu Pacific, will offer accommodation with COVID-19 testing packages for Cebu Pacific passengers, from 27 Aug >>
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28 Aug: Travellers from Metro Manila to Cebu will need to get a “letter of coordination” prior to travel >>
28 Aug: Cebu City should continue to expect strict measures, even if its lockdown status is downgraded to MGCQ >>
28 Aug: El Nido has opened its first government medical facility, with the Tourism Secretary set to donate lab equipment, as a step to be able to reopen to tourism >>
28 Aug: A new project has been launched to help the DOT get input from the public to create research-based projects and policies for its current domestic tourism programs. They are looking for case studies on cultural heritage, creative industries and ecotourism, amongst others >>
27 Aug: Baguio City has lost around 1.6 billion PHP in gross revenue from tourism >>
27 Aug: Recent suicide bombings in Mindanao will not impact tourists to the region, the Department of Tourism (DOT) has said >>
27 Aug: The Tourism Congress of the Philippines recognises that tourism players’ expectations for funding needs to be managed, as they estimated that they would actually need 80 billion PHP, compared to the Bayanihan 2’s 10 billion PHP and the 38.4 billion PHP capital infusion for general SMEs. Nevertheless, they will work with the DOT on the guidelines for loans and fair distribution >>
27 Aug: AirAsia Philippines made losses of 2.3 billion PHP in Q2, with just under 30,000 passengers, a 99% drop YoY >>
26 Aug: The Philippine Travel Exchange (PHITEX) will be a hybrid event this year, with 100 Philippine sellers and 100 foreign buyers from 22-24 Sep >>
26 Aug: PAL and AirAsia are running low-fare promotions in an attempt to lift demand. The Civil Aeronautics Board has also suspended a passenger fuel charge on domestic and international flights. The Air Carriers Association of the Philippines (ACAP) has said that local airlines are flying 15% of pre-COVID levels >>
26 Aug: The Philippine Travel Agencies Association (PTAA) has asked for 27 airlines to provide full refunds of 141 million PHP to travel agents, so that they can in turn refund their clients. The airlines include local ones as well as those from overseas >>
25 Aug: Baguio City is considering opening up to visitors from the Ilocos region first when it reopens – this is unlikely to be in Sep, the tourism offer said. It may develop a tourism corridor with La Union, Pangasinan, Ilocos Norte and Ilocos Sur >>
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24 Aug: Two explosions by suicide bombers in Jolo, Sulu, killed 11 people and left 24 wounded >>
24 Aug: ACAP is seeking consistent and unified policies from the government, as well as government support with credit facilities or working capital loans. Cebu Pacific has said that the varying rule from local government units (LGUs) have slowed down their resumption of routes >>
23 Aug: The tourism sector will be able to access concessional loan terms under Small Business Corp CARES program, the Trade and Industry Secretary reassured the industry. SMEs can borrow up to 500,000 PHP >>
23 Aug: The Tourism Promotions Board has praised Manila’s initiative of clearing up public spaces, which will make it more interesting for tourists, enabling outdoor walking tours once tourism reopens >>
23 Aug: ACAP expects that it will take 2-3 years for the airline industry to recover to pre-pandemic levels >>
23 Aug: Negros Occidental will be under a 4-day lockdown from 28-31 Aug, to allow testing of 10,000 people with COVID-19 symptoms, with record high new cases >>
22 Aug: The Tourism Congress of the Philippines has thanked Congress for approving the 10 billion PHP budget for tourism under the Bayanihan 2 bill, saying “This will help over 4.8 million direct and indirect workers that have been affected by the various stages of community quarantine since last March.” >>
22 Aug: The Central Visayas lost the opportunity for $700 million USD from foreign tourist arrivals >>
22 Aug: The House and Senate came to a compromise for the 10 billion PHP allocated to tourism in the Bayanihan 2 bill, deciding to allocate 1 billion PHP for infrastructure, 3 billion PHP for financial aid for displaced tourism workers and 6 billion PHP for loans through Small Business Corp >>
21 Aug: Megaworld Hotels Group has said that they have managed to survive thanks to embracing new business models, hosting the employees of Business Process Outsourcing Firms, as well as take business online, with a virtual events management platform >>
21 Aug: Only 3.3 million Filipinos have been made jobless due to the pandemic, the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) announced, much below the numbers quotes in the Social Weather Stations survey which showed that 27.3 million have become unemployed >>
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20 Aug: A curfew between 8pm to 5am will be imposed in Metro Manila, as well as groups limited to 10 people instead of 10% of a venue during their “stricter” General Community Quarantine (GCQ). Metro Manila was downgraded from the Modified Enhanced Community Quarantine (MECQ) to GCQ, which will run until 31 Aug >>
20 Aug: The Civil Aeronautics Board has said that they may need to change the air passenger bill of rights to fit current developments, advocating for more support for passengers >>
20 Aug: The Department of Tourism launched the Philippine Harvest e-commerce site, to promote Filipino culture through local food >>
20 Aug: The Philippine MICE conference, will be held virtually in Oct, with this year’s theme: Future-ready MICE: Renew, Reboot and Revitalise. It will be held free of charge to industry professionals >>
20 Aug: Tuguegarao City airport has been reopened for domestic flights >>
19 Aug: Cebu City residents returning from Metro Manila will need to undergo a 14-day quarantine in isolation centres to prevent the spreading of COVID-19 >>
19 Aug: The DOT of Central Visayas will help Lapu-Lapu City to reopen to tourism, with hotels forecasting being able to open in Sep >>
19 Aug: Clark International Airport had its first A380 landing, with an Emirates flight arriving from the UAE. Emirates said that it has seen “huge demand” for its flights between Dubai to Clark and Manila, and it will resume operations to Cebu that week >>
19 Aug: AirAsia Philippines has said that its Q2 passengers declined by 99% YoY, with just 29,111 pax carried >>
19 Aug: Philippine Airlines resumed its domestic flight operations at Manila airport from 20 Aug >>
18 Aug: Cebu Pacific has resumed its domestic flights from Manila, as the city reverted to GCQ >>
18 Aug: Puerto Galera in Oriental Mindoro province is allowing domestic tourists to visit, with the first group expected to arrive on 19 Aug. Visitors must have a recent negative test, as well as point to point travel proof from their origin to their accommodation. On the island, they will only be allowed to use hotel provided vehicles to get around the island. The town has lost around 2.09 billion PHP from Mar to Jun >>
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17 Aug: Workers in the hospitality and tourism sector with symptoms of COVID-19 would be required to undergo swab tests, the government has clarified, after confusion where it seemed that all tourism workers would need to have swab tests on a regular basis >>
15 Aug: Support for the tourism sector is increasing, as a Cabinet secretary, lawmaker and former tourism secretary all calling for the 10 billion PHP allocation to remain with the DOT >>
15 Aug: A House leader called on tourism players not to drag Congress into in- fighting after the Tourism Congress of the Philippines criticised the diversion of funds from the Department of Tourism (DOT) to the Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority (TIEZA) >>
14 Aug: The DOT has said that the tourism industry is in a “critical status”, as she pushed for a change to allocate Bayanihan 2 bill funds for credit facilities, rather than infrastructure. Latest statistics show that Jan – Jul tourism receipts dropped to 81.05 billion PHP, 71.5% down YoY. Jan – Jul foreign arrivals were at just 1.32 million. This comes after the bill was passed, but reallocated 10 billion PHP earmarked for the DOT to TIEZA >>
14 Aug: The Tourism Congress of the Philippines has called for the allocation of 10 billion PHP to the DOT to remain in the Bayanihan bill, saying “Who will use those infrastructure when we’re all dead?” >>
14 Aug: The Department of Agriculture is strengthening ties with the DOT to support farm tourism >>
14 Aug: A tourist guide has set up a fund for the coach men of Intramuros, Manila, to help buy food for the horses and support their livelihood >>
14 Aug: The DOT forecasts tourism arrivals in 2021 to be revived, and once travel restrictions are lifted, they will engage with top tourist markets such as South Korea, China, Japan and the USA >>
14 Aug: A Social Weather Station Survey has shown that 79% of Filipinos believe that their lives have worsened in the past year >>
13 Aug: Panglao in Bohol is preparing to open to domestic and international tourists, partnering with neighbouring source markets. No date has been decided upon yet >>
13 Aug: Residents of Boracay have been roped into cleaning up the wetlands, with volunteers receiving 5kg of rice per household for the weekly cleanup >>
13 Aug: The Philippines will have the highest unemployment rate in SE Asia by the end of the year, with Maybank expecting it to reach 18.5% >>
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13 Aug: Some Manila malls are considering converting into car storage or e- commerce backend facilities, with a drop in footfall >>
27 May: The House of Representatives also passed a bill allocating 58 billion PHP to support the Department of Tourism’s Response and Recovery Program. These funds will be used for:
• Providing interest-free loans or loan guarantees up to five years for maintenance and operating expenses • Credit facilities for upgrading, rehabilitation, or modernization of current establishments to be compliant with new health and safety standards • Marketing and product development promotions and programs • Grants for education, training, and advising for tourism stakeholders for new normal alternative livelihood programs • Utilization of information technology for the improvement of tourism services • Development of a tourist tracking system for emergency response and • Establishment of spatial database to improve planning capacity >>
27 May: The government started making the payouts for the second tranche of the Small Business Wage Subsidy >>
01 May: International tourist revenue in Q1 has decreased by 40.6% YoY, whilst international arrivals have declined 40.2% according to the Tourism Secretary. PHP 43 billion stimulus package to support the tourism sector is being prepared by the government. It comprises of:
• PHP 36 billion: soft loans to provide employment • PHP 4 billion: jumpstart tourism infrastructure projects • PHP 500 million: marketing and support for domestic tourism, product market and development • PHP 500 million: international marketing promotion fund • PHP 500 million: training stakeholders • PHP 1.5 billion: fund that can be used by private sector for their activities >>
04 Mar: 6 billion PHP will be spent by the Department of Tourism (DOT) in a tourism resiliency programme, focusing on domestic travel. 2.2 billion PHP will be allocated to infrastructure improvement, 1.6 billion PHP to improve secondary airports, 725 million PHP for tactical programs and initiatives, 421 million PHP for new campaigns, 467 million PHP for “engaging content” to countries not affected by Coronavirus, 85 million PHP for training >>
View older updates from February onwards on our dashboard at: https://www.pearanderson.com/coronavirus/philippines/
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OUTBOUND
NEW 9 Oct: The government is urging Philippine Airlines to rethink its plans to make employees redundant, saying that the prospects for the aviation industry are positive as more Filipinos are permitted to return overseas for work >>
NEW 9 Oct: Filipinos will be able to travel throughout Russia on an e-visa from 2021, the Russian Embassy in Manila has announced >>
NEW 9 Oct: Qatar Airways is now operating 28 flights/ week to the Philippines, including to Manila, Clark and Cebu >>
NEW 5 Oct: Philippine Airlines has confirmed that it will cut 2,700 employees, combining voluntary and involuntary redundancies >>
1 Oct: Philippine Airlines started its jobs-cutting initiative on 1 Oct. Its first phase will ask for voluntary resignations, whilst the second phase will involve compulsory redundancies. The program is expected to run until early Dec and expects to cut its workforce by up to 35% >>
21 Sep: Philippine Airlines has had refund requests of $329 million USD, and has now paid out 80%. It is calling for its customers’ understanding and patience >>
10 Sep: Cebu Airport has welcomed the resumption of flights from Dubai to Cebu by Emirates >>
23 Aug: 5 new countries have opened up for inbound travel from the Philippines subject to certain conditions, including Brazil, Kiribati, the UK, Benin and Chad >>
14 Aug: Philippine Airlines posted a net loss of 11.55 billion PHP in Q2, with passenger revenues down 93.9% YoY. It has also received future stock subscription of 6.27 billion PHP, adding more funds to the airline >>
13 Aug: Cebu Pacific have reported a net loss of 7.96 billion PHP in Q2, with a decline in passenger traffic to 4.5 million in H1, down 60.1% YoY >>
12 Aug: Cebu Pacific is increasing the frequency of its flights to Dubai >>
View older updates from February onwards on our dashboard at: https://www.pearanderson.com/coronavirus/philippines/
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SINGAPORE 76% drop in international arrivals from Jan – Jul 2020
TRAVEL All short-term visitors to Singapore are barred from entering the country from 23 RESTRICTIONS Mar. “Fast lane” for Chinese and South Korean business travellers. “Business Track” with Japan from 18 Sep, “Residence Track” from 30 Sep. Reciprocal Green Lane (RGL) and Periodic Commuting Arrangement (PCA) with Malaysia opened 17 Aug. Singaporeans permitted to travel to New Zealand, Brunei, Vietnam and Australia (excluding Victoria) and residents from those countries will not have to serve quarantine on arrival to Singapore. Reciprocal Green Lane and Air Travel Pass with Brunei.
LOCKDOWN Phase 2 of lockdown easing started 19 Jun. More businesses reopened and social STATUS activities restarted. Gatherings limited to 5 pax. Shops, parks, swimming pools, and dining in restaurants allowed. Schools reopened fully. Working from home is still encouraged. Approved attractions, hotels for leisure stays and tour operators permitted to reopen. Wearing a mask outdoors obligatory. MICE events up to 250 pax permitted from 1 Oct.
Consumer sentiment Singapore tourism arrivals
% change YoY
3.90%
51.20% -
84.70%
Source: YouGOV -
100% 100%
- -
99.50%
99.60%
99.86%
- - - Source: Singapore Analytics Tourism Network
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Flight searches and booking volume for travel to Singapore
Future flight search for % change in scheduled travel to Singapore departures YoY
Source: Sojern COVID-19 dashboard
Source: The Airline Flight Demand Tracker, Lufthansa Innovation Hub
TRAVEL BUBBLES & INTERNATIONAL BORDERS
NEW 11 Oct: The Australian PM has announced that the country is in talks with Singapore to travel, but that they would need to move “very, very cautiously” >>
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NEW 7 Oct: Indonesia has announced that it is in final stages of negotiation with Singapore to open a reciprocal green lane. They hope to finalise it in Oct >>
NEW 7 Oct: The Hong Kong tourism industry is calling for its government to speed up talks to reopen with Singapore, hoping it could happen next month with a limited quota >>
NEW 7 Oct: New requirements like strict and repeated testing instead of 2-week stay- home notices are being considered for inbound travellers to Singapore. Air travel bubbles for leisure could also be made to work by setting quotas on the number of arriving travellers/ day, as travellers would need to apply before their journeys. Singapore will also continue to pursue reciprocal green lane arrangements and facilitate transfers at Changi airport – there are now around 2,500 transfer pax/ week. However, the Transport Minister has said: "For Members who are hoping to hear announcements on some air travel resumption and even possible December holiday destinations, I am sorry I will disappoint you." >>
NEW 7 Oct: Japan will lift its travel advisories for citizens to travel to Singapore, Thailand, South Korea, China, Hong Kong, Macao, Australia, New Zealand, Brunei, Vietnam, Malaysia, and Taiwan >>
NEW 6 Oct: In an address, the Transport Minister has said that international borders will “open up step-by-step, carefully, safely, steadily. What is at stake is not just hundreds of thousands of jobs, but our status as an air hub, Singapore’s relevance to the world, our economic survival, and in turn, the ability to determine our own future.” >>
4 Oct: Malaysia will continue to discuss reopening the border with Singapore, despite the increase in cases >>
2 Oct: Singapore has removed quarantine restrictions on travellers arriving from Vietnam and Australia (excluding Victoria) from 8 Oct, allowing them to make short-term visits under the Air Travel Pass. The Singapore Transport Minister has said that their counterparts in Vietnam and Australia are considering reciprocating the restrictions for Singaporeans arriving into their countries, but currently they would face quarantine on arrival >>
26 Sep: A “Residence Track” has been launched between Singapore and Japan for business executives and professionals who are work pass holders, as well as the Reciprocal Green Lane (RGL) for short-term business travellers. The Residence Track applications will begin on 30 Sep >>
23 Sep: Discussions between Malaysia and Singapore on reopening the border further are still ongoing, the Singapore government has confirmed >>
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23 Sep: A business travel pass for senior executives who need to undertake regional and international responsibilities is being piloted. Travellers would need to follow a strict itinerary, and upon return to Singapore, they would be able to have a test instead of a stay-home notice, self-isolating until the results come out. It would not be country specific, and travellers would have to comply with the restrictions in place in other countries. The number of passes would be limited initially >>
18 Sep: Singapore has been added to England and Scotland’s travel corridor list, meaning that from 19 Sep Singaporean travellers will no longer have to self- isolate for 2 weeks on arrival >>
15 Sep: The Malaysian Transport Minister is hoping to announce an air bubble with Singapore, as well as other countries soon >>
14 Sep: Johor is considering building an airconditioned walkway on the 350m-long causeway between Malaysia and Singapore’s border >>
12 Sep: Malaysia is looking at fully reopening with Singapore for daily commuters in Jan. The Health Minister of Malaysia said that the period until then was a time for more systems to be put into place. They are also looking into doubling the capacity for swabbing travellers under the RGL and PCA agreements >>
11 Sep: Singapore has agreed a ’Business Track’ with Japan for essential business and official travel from 18 Sep. This is the first country which Japan has established such a framework. Travellers will need to be tested pre-departure and on arrival, as well as keep to strictly controlled itineraries for the first 14 days of their trip >>
10 Sep: Johor state has submitted an SOP working paper to the Malaysian ministry to expedite the reopening of the Malaysia – Singapore border beyond the current arrangements >>
10 Sep: Singapore would welcome talks to resume travel to Hong Kong, the government has said >>
9 Sep: Non-Singaporean travellers to Singapore from India will need to have pre- departure tests 72 hours prior to departure, due to the surge in cases in India >>
9 Sep: The first 14 visitors from New Zealand and Brunei arrived into Singapore under the Air Travel Pass scheme >>
8 Sep: Hong Kong has said that they are in talks with 6 nations to establish travel bubbles – including Singapore, who had reciprocated interest >>
6 Sep: Over 3,000 people have entered Malaysia from Singapore using the Periodic Commuting Arrangement (PCA) and Reciprocal Green Lane (RGL) agreements, with
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just one case detected from the PCA arrangement. Accordingly, those under PCA to Malaysia will have to quarantine in a hotel instead of at home >>
4 Sep: Malaysia hopes to finalise arrangements for daily commuting with Singapore soon >>
2 Sep: A fast lane for residents of Singapore and South Korea will open on 4 Sep for essential business and official trips. Travellers will need to be tested pre- departure and on arrival, as well as follow a closely controlled itinerary for the first 14 days >>
1 Sep: A reciprocal green lane between Singapore and Brunei has been established for essential business and official trips. Passengers will need to take a test upon arrival >>
27 Aug: Singapore and Thailand have agreed to speed up discussion on a reciprocal green lane for essential business travel >>
27 Aug: Chinese nationals protested outside the Chinese Embassy against new requirements which would mean that they had to get tested before travelling back to China – something that Singapore does not usually do. In reaction, authorities have set up a testing service. 3 flights from Singapore has hit the ‘circuit breaker’ measure from China, where a 1-week flight suspension is triggered if 5 pax or more test positive onboard >>
27 Aug: Singapore have set up a “Safe Travel Office” which will be a single touchpoint for all travellers, and will help to coordinate across the different government ministries >>
26 Aug: Indonesia has started talks with Singapore for a Travel Corridor Arrangement (TCA) for essential business >>
25 Aug: Visitors from Brunei and New Zealand would need to use the TraceTogether app whilst they are in Singapore, and only delete the app 14 days after they have left the country to facilitate contact tracing >>
24 Aug: All foreign arrivals must now submit their travel information and health declaration form electronically before immigration clearance >>
22 Aug: Singapore and China are working together to find out why some travellers returning to China who have been classified as non-infectious by the Singaporean authorities then have a positive PCR result in China >>
22 Aug: Whilst New Zealand is aware of Singapore’s changed travel restrictions for its citizens, it will not change its own travel advisories, the New Zealand government has said >>
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21 Aug: Singapore will allow people to travel to New Zealand and Brunei for general purposes from 1 Sep, including leisure, and students for study overseas. Travellers entering Singapore from Brunei or New Zealand will also not have to serve a stay-home notice, but will still need to have a COVID-19 test on arrival at the airport. However, this still depends on border measures implemented by New Zealand and Brunei, as Singapore is still in talks to ensure reciprocal arrangements, as those countries only allow their own citizens and residents to visit. Stay-home notices from low-risk countries will also be reduced from 2 weeks to 1 week, including Australia (excluding Victoria), mainland China, Macau, Malaysia, Taiwan and Vietnam, with a COVID-19 test at the end of their notice >>
19 Aug: More passengers will be allowed to transit at Changi Airport, including Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand, on Singapore Airlines Group’s flights, in addition to last week’s approval for Cambodia and Vietnam. Routes include from Bangkok, Jakarta, Medan, Surabaya, Ipoh, Kuching, Kuala Lumpur and Penang >>
18 Aug: Malaysia and Singapore’s cross border agreement came into force, with both sides stating that the systems were working well so far >>
14 Aug: The Singapore Transport Minister has suggested Singapore introduce reciprocal green lanes for leisure travellers at Changi Airport, for tourists coming from countries where the COVID-19 situation is similar or better than that of Singapore. He said that the challenge was to restore passenger volume whilst maintain safety, but that Singaporeans needed to be enterprising and “hungry” to do this: "To survive, we have to keep our borders open. To thrive, we have to connect to the world. To prosper, we have to be a hub of the global economy." >>
14 Aug: Singapore and Japan have agreed to resume essential business travel, with an agreement to come likely by early Sep, called a “Residence Track”. This would provide a quota of cross-border business travel, including a 14-day stay home notice on arrival to each country. They would also need to maintain a controlled itinerary >>
13 Aug: The slots for the Reciprocal Green Lane (RGL) and Periodic Commuting Agreement (PCA) between Malaysia and Singapore are fully booked on Aug 17 – 19, the first 3 days of reopening. 60 people per day are allowed under the RGL, and 2,000 people per day are allowed under the PCA >>
1 Aug: Further requirements have been revealed for the cross-border travel arrangement between Singapore and Malaysia, including for the Reciprocal Green Lane (RGL) having documentation from their companies or host agencies to show that the visiting country has approved the trip and be tested before and on arrival. Travellers must stay in their declared accommodation until negative test results are released. Those on short visits of up to 14 days must follow a controlled itinerary for their stay and not use public transport. Those on the Periodic
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Commuting Arrangement (PCA) can do so only via the land borders and travellers entering Singapore must serve a Stay Home Notice (SHN) of at least 7 days and have a COVID-19 test >>
26 Jul: Cross-border travel between Singapore and Malaysia under the Reciprocal Green Lane (RGL) and Periodic Commuting Arrangement (PCA) will start on 17 Aug at the earliest. Applications will begin on 10 Aug >>
15 Jul: The Periodic Commuting Arrangement (PCA) will be limited to 2,000/ day initially, whilst the Reciprocal Green Lane (RGL) will allow 400 people per country on a weekly basis >>
14 Jul: Malaysia and Singapore have agreed 2 schemes for reopening the borders, to start on 10 Aug:
1. Reciprocal Green Lane (RGL), for essential business and official purposes. Travellers would need to undergo PCR swab tests 2. Periodic Commuting Arrangement (PCA) for Malaysian and Singapore residents who hold long-term immigration passes for business and work purposes in the other country, to enter for work. They will be able to briefly return to their home country after 3 consecutive months of working >>
3 Jun: Further details regarding the “fast lane” between Singapore and China have been released. It will start on 8 Jun, and travellers will need to take a COVID-19 swab 48 hrs prior to departure. The test fee will be borne by the passenger. For Chinese travellers to Singapore, they must also undertake a controlled itinerary supervised by the host company for the first 14 days, and may not use public transport (except for taxis). On arrival to Singapore or China, pax will undergo a swab test, and must stay in designated accommodation (China) or isolation (Singapore) until test results are released >>
INBOUND
NEW 11 Oct: A new 3.5km path linking Changi Airport to the East Coast Path has opened, complete with 22 dinosaur models. Visitors will need to reserve a slot on the weekends >>
NEW 10 Oct: 63% of Singaporeans generally agreed that it is important that Singapore remains open to foreigners >>
NEW 9 Oct: Singapore Tourism Board (STB) and bank DBS are partnering to stimulate domestic tourism, as well as promote cross-border travel in the medium-long term. They have signed a 3 year MOU and will help SMEs to speed up their digital
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transformation. They will curate promotional tour package bundles, and distribute content to increase awareness of local tourism products >>
NEW 8 Oct: The Event Industry Resilience Roadmap has been launched on 8 Oct, with information on how to hold hybrid events. The guide was launched by the Singapore Association of Convention and Exhibition Organisers and Suppliers (Saceos), Enterprise Singapore and the Singapore Tourism Board (STB). The 2nd edition of the roadmap will focus on business model development for MICE companies >>
NEW 7 Oct: The overall unemployment rate in Singapore climbed to 3.4% in Aug, past the high of the global financial crisis in 2009. It increased 0.4% from Jul >>
NEW 6 Oct: The TravelRevive event, taking place between 25-26 Nov, will be the first pilot tradeshow to test safe business events, including safety measures such as touchless technology and plexiglass shields in exhibition booths >>
NEW 5 Oct: The Enhanced Training Support Package will be extended until 30 Jun 2021 for hard-hit sectors, including air transport, retail and tourism. The Temporary Bridging Loan Programme will also be extended until Sep 2021, at reduced levels >>
NEW 5 Oct: The government is working on the Phase 3 easing restrictions roadmap, but for now it will remain at DORSCON Orange levels >>
3 Oct: Experts see phase 3 of Singapore’s reopening to be as calibrated and cautious as phase 2, with blurred boundaries between the 2 phases >>
2 Oct: The Singapore Tourism Board (STB) is looking at creating a framework for cruise lines to be able to resume trips from Singapore. Cruises to nowhere would be permitted at 50% capacity for the first 3 months, but all cruises in/ out of the city would need to be audited and receive certification from Singapore. No start date has yet been finalised >>
1 Oct: Haw Par Villa theme park will be closed from 1 Oct-31 Mar 2021 for renovations, including night lighting and ventilation works >>
1 Oct: August’s arrivals were up 30.3% from Jul to 8,910, but were still down from 1.74 million in Aug 2019. The increase in arrivals was from China, from 1,410 in Jul to 2,620 in Aug >>
30 Sep: The International Dental Exhibition and Meeting (IDEM) will be based at Marina Bay Sands from 2022 >>
30 Sep: Only 22 travel agents have closed over the last 8 months, which industry players attribute to the fact that many travel agents have hibernated, rather than closed down. The National Association of Travel Agents Singapore (NATAS) has
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said that there will be a high demand for structured itineraries, and end to end travel solutions, and there is a strong pent-up demand for leisure travel >>
29 Sep: Confidence in business activities of SMEs has fallen to its lowest levels since 2009 when the index began >>
29 Sep: The STB has launched a business Whatsapp account for its Indian travel trade partners as a communication tool >>
28 Sep: The National Heritage Board and the National Gallery Singapore have said that visitors have started to return to museums, but are not yet back to normal levels. Aug visitors were 12,000 to the Asian Civilisations Museum and 31,000 to the National Museum of Singapore >>
28 Sep: STA Travel Singapore is winding up operations, affecting 682 customers, after its parent company filed for insolvency >>
28 Sep: AirAsia’s BigPay will expand its e-wallet to Singapore, with payments and remittance features >>
27 Sep: Many Singaporeans are planning to use their SingapoRediscovers vouchers for local tours, staycations or attractions >>
25 Sep: Corporate travel companies welcome the implementation of the Business Travel Pass but they do believe that it will help to “"open up a safe travel reopening pathway based on destinations" >>
25 Sep: The Singapore Tourism Board (STB) is working together with Adobe under a program called “One Singapore Experience”, to allow a seamless and personalised experience when visiting Singapore. It is helping tourism companies with digital transformation. Companies such as the Wildlife Reserves Singapore have launched virtual experiences aimed at school groups, which they are now marketing at Indian or Chinese schools, too >>
24 Sep: The Singapore Tourism Board (STB) has said that it could take 3-5 years for international arrivals to return to previous levels, whilst the Association of Singapore Attractions has urged operators that are struggling to survive to cut their losses now. The Singapore Hotel Association said that international tourists contribute up to 90% of hotel revenue. The National Association of Travel Agents Singapore (NATAS) has also said that they will develop platforms for agents to collaborate >>
24 Sep: More employees will be allowed to work from the office from 28 Sep, but employers should still ensure that employees continue to work from home for at least half of their working hours, as working from home is still the default option. Events in the workplace such as seminars, corporate retreats and AGMs can resume
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with social distancing measures in place. However, these are not allowed to take place at external venues >>
24 Sep: Plans for the 3rd phase of reopening may be released soon, according to the government. Phase 3 would include more relaxed border controls and allow more people to gather together >>
24 Sep: A survey has shown that 78% of respondents worried about economic issues, with the majority concerned about unemployment rates. 73% were also worried about health issues >>
23 Sep: Singaporeans visiting Sentosa’s beaches will now need to make advanced reservations during peak periods, where they can choose from 2 timeslots >>
23 Sep: The Kusu Pilgrimage season will limit the number of visitors to just 500/ day for better crowd control. Pilgrims must also make a reservation in advance >>
23 Sep: Startups specialising in AI solutions for hospitality are hopeful for the future, with Vouch and Travelstop seeing a boost in use thanks to the pandemic >>
23 Sep: The Minister for Trade and Industry has said that the government is “working very hard and bilaterally with various countries to resume air services with mutual assurance” >>
18 Sep: Consumer spending has fallen 14% in Singapore, according to a new report, “Impact of Covid-19 on Tourism in Singapore and the Road to Recovery and Transformation,” by Singapore Tourism Board (STB) and Visa. Local brands in particular have suffered, especially those without an online presence. The retail areas worst hit in Singapore were Orchard Road and Marina Bay. STB and Visa have signed a 3-year MoU, with research and analytics, as well as marketing partnerships. Their first project is to encourage Singaporeans to shop at local retailers. >>
18 Sep: Tourism companies are cautiously optimistic about the benefits of the SingapoRediscovers vouchers. Tour operators suspect that hotels will get the majority of spend, rather than them >>
17 Sep: Experts have suggested that the effectiveness of the SingapoRediscovers vouchers lies with how collaborative tourism players are with one another. The Association of Singapore Attractions urges hotels, attractions and tour operators to work together to create a staycation package that would benefit the whole tourism ecosystem >>
16 Sep: The idea of no-destination flights from Singapore Airlines has been criticised by environmental groups, who have instead proposed alternative on-the-
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ground activities the airline could undertake, including overnight stays in the business and first-class suites, as well as tours of the cockpit >>
16 Sep: Tourist attractions can double their capacity to 50% from 18 Sep once their application is approved. Outdoor shows will be allowed 250 pax, up from the current 50, but must be split into 5 zones with distancing between the groups. The Gardens by the Bay has seen encouraging increases in their visitors, with 480,000 since Jul >>
16 Sep: Singaporeans 18 years and above will receive $100 SGD in digital vouchers for the SingapoRediscovers Vouchers in Dec. The vouchers will come in denominations of $10 SGD and can be used at all licensed hotels, leisure attractions and local tours which have been approved by STB to reopen. The STB say “As to the exact extent of the catalytic effect, it will be a bit hard to predict at this point in time, but we hope that it is at least a few times what we have provided for in the budget.” >>
15 Sep: The STB is aiming to capture around 10% of the $25 billion USD 2018 outbound spend from Singaporeans >>
15 Sep: Retrenchments in Q2 more than doubled those in Q1, with a total of 11,350 workers made redundant in H1. This number does not include the numbers from Singapore Airlines Group or Resorts World Sentosa. Singaporean and permanent residents were less likely to be made redundant than foreign workers. The overall unemployment rate for Singaporeans in Jul rose to 4.3% from 3.5% in Mar. Overall hiring demand also fell >>
14 Sep: STB and Klook have signed a $2 million SGD partnership for domestic marketing under the SingapoRediscovers Campaign. Klook’s merchants will be encouraged to develop new products and experiences to inspire locals >>
11 Sep: Singapore Airlines may launch no-destination flights, according to sources, by mid-Oct. These could potentially be paid for by the government’s tourism credits. Flights would last 3 hours, and would likely be paired together with a package >>
10 Sep: Singapore will distribute TraceTogether tokens free throughout the nation, which will be used for contact tracing. The tokens use Bluetooth signals with other tokens nearby, as well as mobiles with the app >>
10 Sep: STB and Mastercard have partnered to explore solutions to transform the tourism visitor experience under the City Possible programme >>
8 Sep: Tripadvisor’s Season Travel Index has shown that 45% of Singaporeans are more likely to consider outdoor or nature trips, whilst 37% are more likely to consider roadtrips >>
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8 Sep: The MICE industry in Singapore welcomed the news that events would be allowed more participants, saying it would give hope and open up the opportunity for even larger events >>
8 Sep: MICE Depot created a hybrid model for events, allowing 50 pax to attend a meeting physically, whilst the rest attend virtually. This new model has generated about 50% of lost revenues and managed to avoid retrenching employees >>
7 Sep: Singapore will allow MICE events with up to 250 people to take place from 1 Oct, once organisers have obtained relevant permissions. This will act as a pilot scheme before larger-scale events are allowed >>
7 Sep: The Singapore Tourism Board (STB) is launching a new program, Cook with Me, which will focus on Singaporean dishes, as well as Jalan-Jalan Bersama Marissa, following Marissa Nasution, an Indonesian actress who lives in Singapore, around the city, to attract more Indonesians >>
7 Sep: The Ministry of Manpower has revealed that 39% of workers retrenched in Q1 managed to find jobs by Jun, an encouraging sign that businesses are still hiring. 1,400 workers from 100 hotels and tourism companies have been retrained or are being retrained for new roles >>
4 Sep: Singapore’s retail sales have fallen 8.5% in Jul YoY, an improvement from Jun’s 27.7% drop >>
2 Sep: Sentosa has revealed that its Jul and first 3 weeks of Aug had an increase of 40% YoY for domestic tourists. Other attractions such as Universal Studios Singapore and S.E.A Aquarium have also seen “enthusiastic footfall” since reopening. However, it remains to be seen whether this football is translating into hotel stays >>
2 Sep: The PM has said: "Do not doubt. Do not fear. Jewel will shine again. Changi will thrive again. SIA will be a great way to fly once more. Our economy will prosper anew." >>
2 Sep: Starburst, an aerospace and defence accelerator, has launched the Aviation Tech Accelerator Program in Singapore, related to new aviation technologies. It will take 10 startups a year through a 13-week program >>
1 Sep: Workers in the aerospace sector can now access more training courses with higher subsidies with 13,000 places across 100 courses, in the hope to avoid workers leaving the industry >>
1 Sep: Singapore’s international arrivals in Jul reached 6,840 pax, up from 2,170 in Jun. Arrivals remained 99.6% down YoY. Hotel occupancy reached 70% in Jul >>
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31 Aug: Consumers in Singapore are now more price-conscious, according to a Nielsen survey, and consumer confidence for Q2 2020 is 68 (dropping 23% from Q4 2019) >>
31 Aug: Millennium Hotels and Resorts have partnered with Wildlife Reserves Singapore to create personalised guest packages, including “Millennium Wild Experience with the Orangutans”. Guests will have a chance to go behind-the- scenes with the animal care team. For those serving Stay-Home notices, guests can enjoy “Hello from the Wild Side”, an initiative that allows quarantined guests to interact virtually with the animals >>
31 Aug: TruTrip, a startup based in Singapore focusing on business travel, is capitalising on COVID-19 by providing more tools such as Covid Entry Check for SMEs >>
28 Aug: dnata has laid off employees in Singapore, declining to announce the number or compensation of the workers. It stated that it will have a “stronger Singaporean core” than before, moving from 63% of its workers being Singaporean to 73% after the cuts >>
27 Aug: 85 employees of Suntec Singapore Convention and Exhibition Centre, almost half of its workforce, will be retrenched >>
27 Aug: Hotels in Singapore are partnering with local tour operators to create innovative staycation packages which include tours as an extension to the hotel stay >>
23 Aug: Chinatown Complex Hawkers’ Association is organising virtual and physical tours of complex, under a campaign Hawker Day Out. They hope to rejuvenate the stalls and the complex in general, bringing back business >>
22 Aug: From 1 Sep, there will be further easing of restrictions, including exercise classes allowed to take place at more open spaces, and the 1m safe distancing requirement will be waived on public transport and in lifts. However, crowd control for Lucky Plaza and Peninsula Plaza malls will be enhanced, with visitors with an identity card which ends with an even number will only be allowed to visit the mall on even dates on the weekend, and vice versa for odd numbers >>
21 Aug: Singapore Airlines and Changi Airport Group welcome the government’s decision to ease entry restrictions from New Zealand and Brunei, as it “is an important step towards the gradual rebuilding of the Singapore air hub.” >>
21 Aug: Singapore will allow small-scale live performances as trials to restart events on a broader scale >>
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21 Aug: Nam Ho Travel, a Singaporean travel agency, is launching virtual tours with overseas presenters visiting “hidden gems”, whilst their online store, Buy Beyond Borders, had a soft launch in Aug and will sell overseas trending snacks >>
20 Aug: Aviation companies have welcomed the government’s extended measures for the industry, but note that they still need to carefully manage costs >>
19 Aug: Millennium Hotels and Resorts has made 159 employees redundant in Singapore, around 15.2% of its workforce, following cost cutting measures, calling it a “difficult but inevitable move” >>
18 Aug: 80% of SMEs surveyed by the Singapore Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry have seen revenues decline, but only 8% have retrenched workers >>
18 Aug: The academic year dates for 2021 have been set, with term starting on 4 Jan, and finishing on 19 Nov >>
18 Aug: The Jobs Support Scheme has been extended by up to 7 months for workers in the tourism, aerospace and aviation industries, with wages paid at 50% from Sep to Mar 2021 >>
18 Aug: “Tourism credits” of up to $320 million SGD will be given to spend domestically, called SingapoRediscovers vouchers. The mechanism for the vouchers will be announced in Sep >>
17 Aug: $187 million SGD will be allocated to support the aviation industry further, with extended financial relief for airlines, ground handlers, cargo agents, and other aviation businesses at Changi and Selatar Airport. It includes landing, parking and rental rebates. The government said that this funding “is critical to preserving our relevance as a global hub” >>
17 Aug: The Consumers Association of Singapore has revealed that 1,133 complaints have been made against the travel industry between Feb to Jul, significantly higher than the same period last year >>
16 Aug: Backpacker hostels are struggling to take advantage of the staycation campaign, forming their own alliance to try to discuss their specific needs >>
16 Aug: The Singapore’s east coast should be promoted to domestic tourists, the Deputy PM said in a live broadcast highlighting its hidden charms >>
16 Aug: More than 20 tourist souvenir shops have been closed permanently, with many other shops under strain >>
15 Aug: Speakers will be able to be beamed “live” on stage at Marina Bay Sands, thanks to a studio which allows holograms at the Sands Expo and Convention
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Centre. The studio can accommodate up to 50 people to host hybrid format meetings >>
14 Aug: Singapore Tourism Board (STB) has teamed up with Tripoto, with an embedded microsite within the Tripoto website. This is aimed to keep top of mind awareness for Indian travellers >>
22 Jul: The STB has launched a $33 million USD domestic travel campaign, the largest it has ever run under “SingapoRediscovers”. They will partner with Enterprise Singapore and the Sentosa Development Board, as well as tourism associations, community groups and e-commerce platforms to develop unique and value-for-money experiences and packages for local travellers. It will use 3 approaches:
1. Partner with local communities to discover off-the-beaten-track activities 2. Curate precinct activities to develop authentic experiences for “Singapolidays” 3. Collaborate with tourism players to develop quality experiences and promotions >>
26 May: The Singaporean government has launched its Fortitude Budget, worth $33 billion SGD. Measures it will take include:
• Extending the duration of wage subsidies until Aug 2020, including MICE and tourism businesses at 75% • May include further support for aviation and tourism longer-term • Rental waivers for SMEs who have significant income loss • One-off $100 SGD credit for every Singapoean household to cover utilities • $2 billion SGD in cash grants to SMEs to offset rental costs • Creation of 100,000 job opportunities in public and private sectors • Financial support for startups >>
24 Apr: The STB has unveiled further information about how they plan to support the local travel industry. Steps include:
• $20 million SGD Marketing Partnership Programme • Phase 1 was launched for hotels in Apr 2020, funding half of qualified marketing costs • Phase 2 will increase to funding for 70% of marketing costs for hotels, attractions, inbound travel agents and MICE • $2 million SGD SG Stories Content Fund for local and international digital video content creators to create stories about Singapore • Tourism Transformation Index to help tourism businesses go digital • Launch of ThreeHouse, an innovation space for companies to collaborate
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• STB Marketing College – joint scheme with UOB, Facebook, Google and LinkedIn to develop online training • Minimum financial requirement for travel agents to be reduced by 90% until 31 Dec >>
06 Apr: A Solidarity Budget has been announced to support all businesses during lockdown, including:
• Increasing wage subsidies for all sectors to 75% • Deferring contractual obligations such as paying rent • Payout of $600 SGD to every Singaporean adult >>
26 Mar: Singapore released its Resilience Package, with many measures supporting the tourism industry, including:
• Job support scheme for tourism businesses which will subsidise up to 75% of salary up to $4,600SGD/ month • $90 million SGD budget for recovery marketing when the time is right • Property tax rebates and rental waivers • Enhanced training industry Professionals in Tourism grants extended • Rebates on certain fees for private bus operators • $350 million SGD fund for airlines to fund rebates on landing and parking charges; rental relief for airlines, ground handlers and cargo agents • CAAS allow Singapore carriers and airport operator to defer payment of certain fees by up to one year, as well as 50% rebate on regulatory fees >>
18 Feb: The Singaporean government have released economic measures to support the tourism industry, including:
1. $4 billion SGD package 2. Bridging loan programmes for businesses in tourism 3. Rental rebates for shops/ cargo agents at Changi 4. 15% property tax rebate for commercial properties in retail and food sectors 5. Licence fees for hotels, travel agents and tour guides waived by STB >>
View older updates from February onwards on our dashboard at: https://www.pearanderson.com/coronavirus/singapore/
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OUTBOUND
NEW 9 Oct: An online poll has shown Singaporeans have mixed views on cruises to nowhere, with 51% for it, 49% against it. Those who are against it cite a lack of confidence in safety >>
NEW 8 Oct: 2 cruise lines will be permitted to operate “cruises to nowhere” from Singapore: Genting Cruise Lines’ World Dream from 6 Nov and Royal Caribbean International’s Quantum of the Seas from 1 Dec. The ships will have to operate at 50% capacity, will only allow Singaporean residents, and crew will need to undertake a 14-day isolation period in their home country, followed by a 14-day stay-home notice on arrival to Singapore. Ships will also need to obtain CruiseSafe certification >>
NEW 8 Oct: In a poll on which country Singapore should negotiate an air bubble with, South Korea came top (40.74%), followed by Japan (17.7%) and Thailand (16.9%). Malaysia, New Zealand and China were also on the list >>
NEW 7 Oct: Singapore Airlines will resume its flight to Fukuoka on 5 Nov, flying once a week. It will also expand its Singapore – Tokyo Narita and Singapore – Kansai route to 5 times/ week >>
NEW 6 Oct: Changi airport will set up a dedicated testing lab at the airport as testing will be key to unlocking air travel, the Transport Minister has said. The airport already has a facility to be able to swab 10,000 pax/ day >>
NEW 6 Oct: The Changi Airport Terminal 5 project will be put on hold for 2 years to assess air traffic demand, the government has said >>
NEW 6 Oct: The Transport Minister has said that now is not the time to be talking about imposing an environmental tax on Singapore Airlines >>
NEW 6 Oct: Changi Airport has dropped from being the 7th busiest airport in the world to 58th, with direct flights to just 49 cities worldwide, flying just 1.5% of its previous pax, something which the Transport Minister has called a “deep crisis” for the airport group >>
NEW 5 Oct: Singapore Airlines expects to reach 15% of its normal volume of flights by year-end, increasing the number of destinations and frequencies. By the end of Mar 2021, it expects to be flying 50% of its usual pax traffic >>
2 Oct: Changi Airport Group’s net profit attributable to shareholders fell 36% in the financial year ending 31 Mar. The group has cut salaries of staff by up to 30%. The group have said that they will reassess air traffic demands for T5, but it remains a critical piece of infrastructure long-term >>
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1 Oct: Singapore Airlines has unveiled its new experiences, called “Discover Your Singapore Airlines”. These include dining on board a stationary A380 in economy, premium economy, business and first class for 2 afternoons, tours of its training facilities, a flight stimulator experience and even a home dining food delivery experience. They will not offer flights to nowhere >>
28 Sep: All Nippon Airways will start flights to Singapore and Bangkok in November >>
23 Sep: Scoot will fly to 20 destinations in Oct and Nov from Singapore, adding Semarang in Indonesia and Tianjin in China >>
19 Sep: Singapore Airlines pilots have agreed to take harsher paycuts of up to 50% to save more jobs >>
17 Sep: Singapore Airlines Group reported a drop of -98.6% YoY for their Aug pax, carrying just 32,700 in total, with a load factor of 19.2%. Their passenger capacity was -91.1% YoY >>
16 Sep: Around 50% of Singapore Airlines’ cadet pilots and cabin crew attendees have been let go, with the other 50% allowed to complete training, but they must leave after >>
15 Sep: Singapore Changi Airport has come top in the Safe Travel Barometer’s list of safest airports, with a score of 4.7 out of 5 >>
14 Sep: Singapore Airlines has confirmed it will not resume its routes to Canberra and Wellington >>
13 Sep: The travel industry has said that many of their customers are just waiting for a “green light” to be able to travel, but the main sticking point would be stay- home notices upon return to Singapore >>
12 Sep: Singapore Airlines Group’s retrenched staff will get one month of pay per year of service, limited to 25 months, if they have been working at the group for at least 2 years >>
11 Sep: The Singapore Airlines Group is cutting 4,300 positions, directly affecting 2,400 employees, as the remaining 1,900 positions have already been cut by recruitment freezes and voluntary departure schemes. The airline expects to operate just 50% of its capacity by Mar 2021, and that it was a “painfully difficult decision” to make >>
10 Sep: An Agoda survey has shown that the availability of a vaccine, virus containment in destination and quarantine exemptions are the most important factors for Singaporeans to travel confidently. 48% of Singaporeans are also worried about job security and financial security, so might spend less on travel >>
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9 Sep: All planes operating to/ from Singapore must have on-board emergency quarantine areas, with a section of seats blocked off to minimise passenger risk >>
5 Sep: Air Charter Service has seen 3 times more charter flights in and out of Singapore compared to the same period last year >>
4 Sep: Scoot will not pay its cabin crew a basic salary if they earn more than $2,500 SGD/ month in temporary jobs. For those who do not, they will have half of their basic salary paid >>
3 Sep: Singapore Airlines has now reduced the requirement needed to maintain or reach its loyalty scheme statuses for PPS Club and Krisflyer customers >>
2 Sep: Singapore Airlines Group and Jetstar Asia will be increasing the number of destinations. Jetstar Asia will restart flights to Cambodia on 18 Sep, as well as implement a new safety programme where passengers will receive a sanitising wipe and have sequenced boarding of flights >>
2 Sep: By the end of Nov, the Singapore Airlines group will have reached 11% of its January 2020 capacity >>
31 Aug: Singapore Airlines is planning to reopen its Singapore – New York JFK route from 1 Nov, according to the latest GDS filing >>
28 Aug: One of Singapore Airlines’ 787 Dreamliners has been affected by a grounding by Boeing after it discovered issues in the jet’s structure >>
28 Aug: Scoot will add Tokyo and Osaka to its routes from Singapore in Sep >>
27 Aug: Changi Airport launched its first online shopping campaign until 11 Oct, with deals on 9,000 tax and duty-absorbed products, as well as live streams from celebrities and social media stars >>
27 Aug: Reviving Singapore’s status as an air hub is a “top and immediate priority” according to the Ministry of Transport. They are also taking advantage of the downtime to review Terminal 5’s layout, to make it more resilient >>
25 Aug: Scoot has apologised after sending out a mass email to customers who have travelled with Scoot or have future bookings, regardless of whether they were the specific passengers who needed to take a COVID-19 test before a flight to Guangzhou. They put this down to human error, rather than a data leak >>
21 Aug: Scoot is extending its passenger network to 15 cities, including 3 cities in Indonesia – Palembang, Pekanbaru and Yogyakarta, bringing its Sep totals to 38 flights weekly >>
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20 Aug: Singapore Airlines has spent $3.2 billion USD over the last 2 months, almost half of the amount it raised through rights issues in Jun >>
17 Aug: Singapore Airlines had a load factor of 22.5% in Jul, the highest level in 4 months, but still total pax numbers were -98.6% YoY >>
13 Aug: Singapore Airlines and SilkAir are offering early retirement or early release to its cabin crew to cut costs >>
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THAILAND Could lose up to 1.78 trillion THB in lost tourism revenue
TRAVEL Certain non-Thai passengers allowed entry, including: medical tourists, filming RESTRICTIONS crews, Thailand Elite card members, foreigners who have work permits, foreigners married to Thai nationals, foreigners studying at educational institutions, Special Tourist Visa holders, foreign athletes who will participate in the Tour of Thailand 2020 bike race, Thai Airways pilots and cabin crew, holders of non-immigrant types of visa, long-stay tourist visa, holders of the APEC Business Travel Card from low-risk countries (TAT).
LOCKDOWN All businesses reopened, including hotels, exhibition centres. Interprovincial travel STATUS allowed. Schools fully opened, limits on shopping mall operation hours lifted. Pubs, bars and karaoke must close by 12am.
Consumer sentiment Thailand tourism arrivals
% change YoY 2.50%
JAN - 20 FEB- 20 MAR - 20 APR - 20 MAY - 20 JUN - 20
42.80%
-
76.10%
-
100% 100% 100%
- - - Source: YouGOV Source: Ministry of Tourism & Sports Thailand 1, 2, 3
Flight searches and booking volume for travel to Thailand
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Future flight search for % change in scheduled travel to Thailand departures YoY
Source: Sojern COVID-19 dashboard
Source: The Airline Flight Demand Tracker, Lufthansa Innovation Hub
TRAVEL BUBBLES & INTERNATIONAL BORDERS
NEW 10 Oct: Foreigners who own property in Thailand will be added to the list permitted to apply to enter Thailand – but they need to be able to show a balance of at least 3 million THB deposited in a Thai bank account >>
NEW 10 Oct: The Health Ministry has said that the quarantine for travellers arriving from a low-risk country (where infection is at 0.2 per 100,000 residents) could have a 7- day quarantine, but additional checks would need to be in place >>
NEW 10 Oct: The Tourism Minister has said, "Before we approach the second stage on Nov 17, which aims to shorten the quarantine period, we must evaluate the first phase. If there's even a single case, we cannot continue to the second phase." The first group of tourists from China are expected on 20 Oct to Bangkok, and the next group will be 26 Oct to Phuket. The Scandinavian group is still scheduled for 1 Nov. The Tourism Minister suggests that the Foreign Ministry consider tourists based on city, rather than country, and will also propose a 7+7 plan, where tourists
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should stay in their rooms for 7 days, then be allowed outside the room, but remain within the hotel area for 7 days >>
NEW 9 Oct: The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) will work closely with the Foreign Ministry to facilitate incoming tourists, as hundreds of travellers await permission, including Thailand Elite Card members and Special Tourist Visa (STV) applicants >>
NEW 9 Oct: The director-general of the Department of Medical Services is supporting the reopening of Thailand, saying: "This means we may have to see a small number of infections but if we work together to prevent them, the country will be able to achieve a balance between public health and the economy." He also mentioned that maintaining zero cases was unrealistic >>
NEW 8 Oct: Administrative processes have delayed the issuing of the STV, the TAT has said – they expect 100 tourists to arrive this month >>
NEW 8 Oct: The STV, which would have seen the first group of Chinese tourists arrive into Phuket, has now been delayed until after the island’s vegetarian festival has finished, to allow locals to celebrate without fear. There have been cancellations from locals to Phuket after conflicting messages from the government >>
NEW 7 Oct: Japan will lift its travel advisories for citizens to travel to Singapore, Thailand, South Korea, China, Hong Kong, Macao, Australia, New Zealand, Brunei, Vietnam, Malaysia, and Taiwan >>
NEW 7 Oct: A poll by the National Institute of Development Administration has shown that 57% of Thais disagreed with the STV scheme, with 40.2% saying it could cause a 2nd outbreak. 62.6% of Thais had no confidence in the government’s ability to prevent the spread of Covid-19 once they reopen the country to foreign tourists >>
NEW 7 Oct: The Centre for Economic Situation Administration (CESA) is considering a proposal to exempt key foreign investors from quarantine >>
NEW 6 Oct: The head of the panel for economic recovery has said that Thailand should reopen now, or face collapse. They said that the Q4 season was vital to the industry, and if it reopened after that, it would be too late >>
4 Oct: 4 more airports have been given initial approval to receive international medical tourists: U-Tapao, Koh Samui, Chiang Mai and Phuket >>
4 Oct: All Special Tourist Visa (STV) applicants must come from low-risk countries >>
3 Oct: Despite earlier proclaiming that the first group of Chinese tourists under the STV would arrive on 8 Oct, the Tourism & Sports Ministry has now revealed that
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this is delayed to later in Oct, as entry processes had had to be settled first. However, it is still set to go ahead and will welcome at least 1,200 tourists. They acknowledged that the idea of a shorter quarantine period of 7 days could be “on the radar, but we need to see how it goes step by step”. They also clarified that any province which has alternative local state quarantine facilities (ALSQ) can be a destination for long-stay tourists, not just Phuket and Koh Samui. However, only Phuket and Bangkok can host STV tourists in Oct, as tourists must fly into a city with an international airport and ALSQ >>
2 Oct: The Tourism & Sports Minister confirmed the first group of 150 Chinese tourists under the STV would arrive into Thailand on a chartered AirAsia flight. Another group of 126 would arrive from Guangdong to Bangkok on 25 Oct, and a 3rd group of 120 from Scandinavia and Schengen countries to Bangkok would arrive on 1 Nov >>
1 Oct: The STV is now officially approved, with the following conditions:
• Be from a low-risk country • 14-day quarantine in ALSQ • Provide evidence of a place to stay during the long visit • Proof of payment for hotel accommodation/ hospital for quarantine • Proof of payment for accommodation once discharged from quarantine/ deed title of visitor’s property/ evidence of renting accommodation • Proof of health and accident insurance policy, covering 40,000 THB outpatient treatments, 400,000 THB inpatient treatments • Pay 2,000 THB for a visa for 90 days, which can then be renewed up to 2 times >>
1 Oct: The Association of Thai Travel Agents (ATTA) has proposed that foreigners from low-risk countries be allowed to enter without a 14-day quarantine, to boost the number of tourists. They have warned that there will be more closures of tourism businesses if the number of tourists who can enter is not raised >>
30 Sep: The Center for COVID-19 Situation Administration has approved 6 groups of foreigners into Thailand, including: foreign athletes who will participate in the Tour of Thailand 2020 bike race, Thai Airways pilots and cabin crew, holders of non-immigrant types of visa, long-stay tourist visa, holders of the APEC Business Travel Card from low-risk countries >>
29 Sep: Thailand is considering granting business visas to Japan to attract investment. They are also thinking of a shorter quarantine, which would allow business travellers. The Deputy PM said, “Next year, we will be focusing on the opening of the country” >>
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29 Sep: The visa amnesty for foreigners stranded in Thailand has been extended until 31 Oct >>
27 Sep: The Special Tourist Visa (STV) is set to be approved by a government committee on 28 Sep. STV travellers must undergo a 14-day quarantine on arrival, and arrive by charter flight. They expect 1,200 travellers to enter each month, generating 1.03 billion THB >>
25 Sep: The Tourism Minister has said that he wants to shorten quarantine to 7 days to make visiting Thailand more attractive from mid-Nov, if none of the tourists in the first batch tested positive. The Minister said that 300 tourists have already been attracted to the program and will enter on 1 Oct. If the first batch is ‘safe’, they will allow the 2nd batch of 300 tourists to arrive on 21 Oct. If the initial phase is successful, they will ask the government to allow 10,000 foreigners to enter per week >>
24 Sep: A special wellness quarantine initiative may be launched at Thai spas under the Alternative State Quarantine program. This may go ahead initially in Krabi, if granted approval >>
24 Sep: The immigration department is warning foreign tourists stuck in Thailand who have over-stayed and not renewed their visas that they will face fines and potentially imprisonment. The visa amnesty expires on 26 Sep >>
22 Sep: Thai Elite Card want to add work permit privileges for members who invest $1 million USD. The number of applications for the Thai Elite Card grew from 300 in Aug to 500 in Sep >>
21 Sep: The Ministry of Tourism and Sport has clarified that tourists entering under the STV would not need to undertake self-isolation in their home country prior to departure >>
19 Sep: Additional requirements for travellers hoping to enter Thailand under the Special Tourist Visa (STV) will need to have quarantined in their origin country (during which they will need to have been tested twice), as well as a specified minimum amount of money in their bank account. Low-risk countries will be allowed first, but no details yet have been shared as to which countries these may be >>
19 Sep: The Vietnamese PM has approved the recommendation to reopen commercial flights to Thailand >>
18 Sep: The Tourism & Sports Ministry has said that the STV will be up and running by Oct, with Bangkok as the primary destination. It has asked tour operators to start promoting long-stay packages They have clarified that foreigners
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who want to enter Thailand under the STV will need to enter either by charter plane or private jet, which will be issued by Thai Embassies abroad. During the first stage of reopening, there will be a limit of 3 charter flights with a maximum of 100 pax per plane >>
18 Sep: Thailand has been added to England and Scotland’s travel corridor list, meaning that from 19 Sep Singaporean travellers will no longer have to self- isolate for 2 weeks on arrival >>
18 Sep: Thailand Elite has started the process to get its members officially approved for entry to Thailand, with 7 membership packages available >>
17 Sep: The travel trade has had mixed reactions to the approval of the STV, with some positive that first steps are being taken, others that it will have a very limited boost for the travel trade >>
17 Sep: The government has reassured the Thai people that reopening to foreigners would not be risky >>
16 Sep: The Thai cabinet has approved the Special Tourist Visa (STV) scheme in principle. It would require a 14-day quarantine upon arrival, either at a hospital or certified alternative state quarantine. The visa would be valid for 90 days, with 2 additional renewals possible, taking it to 270 days in total, and would cost 2,000 THB. 1,200 tourists per month are expected >>
16 Sep: The government approved in principle the idea of changing requirements for permanent visa and smart visas to foreigners who buy condominium units, want to set up startups or create jobs in fields other than science and technology >>
15 Sep: The Association of Thai Travel Agents (ATTA) are planning a proposal which would not require quarantine for short-haul international visitors. Visitors would come from cities which have not had cases for the last 60 days, would need a test prior to flying, on arrival and would wait in their hotel for the results >>
10 Sep: The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) has said that it is working with the private sector to find a model and safety measures for short-haul international visitors who cannot stay for a 2-week quarantine. TAT said: "We cannot avoid new cases, but the most important thing is to have risk management in place. If there are five cases among 5 million tourists, and we can contain those infections with stringent measures, that would be a good balance between public health and business survival." >>
9 Sep: The “Phuket Model” will be applied to other provinces. Foreign tourists would instead be allowed to travel “at large”. It will also be rebranded to “Special
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Tourist Visa”. Holders of the visa would be allowed to stay in the country for 90 days, and would be entitled to renew it twice >>
9 Sep: A senior official has said that the government’s plan to reopen to foreign tourists will be finalised before the end of Oct >>
9 Sep: The Deputy PM has said that: “We have to learn to fight and live with the pandemic. We can’t be afraid of it.” He also said that he government is ready to open Phuket, but they are concerned about the risk of more infections >>
9 Sep: The Association of Thai Travel Agents (ATTA) is planning to create a safety tourism scheme for Asian tourists, bypassing the 14-day quarantine >>
7 Sep: A senior official at the Chinese Embassy in Bangkok has said that there will not be an early reopening of the two countries >>
7 Sep: The Minister of Tourism has admitted to a miscommunication on opening Phuket to foreigners, which caused concern amongst locals >>
6 Sep: The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) has said that the launch of the “Phuket model” will be likely delayed due to the detection of a new locally transmitted case. The TAT are visiting Phuket business operators this weekend to discuss disease control measures. They also stated that domestic tourism during the last 4-day weekend only had hotel occupancy levels of 30%, and spend of 8.8 billion THB >>
4 Sep: The Thai PM has insisted that foreign tourists are not welcomed to Thailand yet, and people should not panic, as public health is prioritised >>
3 Sep: There would be 4 phases to the Phuket model reopening, according to the Provincial Governor:
1. “Phuket longstay” for foreigners who would stay on the island for at least 3 months 2. “Safety tourism” where Phuket would open to foreigners from safe countries who would be allowed out twice from their 14-day quarantine 3. Tourists allowed from moderate risk countries, but would still require a 14- day quarantine 4. Post-vaccine: arrivals tested at the airport and if they are negative, can travel freely >>
3 Sep: A Thai minister has suggested that foreigners visiting Thailand for MICE could be allowed to skip the 14-day quarantine, whilst the Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau (TCEB) is also proposing a Special Journey scheme for business people to enter without quarantine, too, if they followed certain protocols >>
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3 Sep: Foreigners arriving into Thailand must have insurance worth 3.2 million THB to cover medical treatment and repatriation, with plans sold online via 16 domestic travel insurance companies >>
2 Sep: China will gradually resume direct flights from Beijing to Thailand >>
30 Aug: The Phuket Tourism Association disagrees with the “Phuket model”, and wants only a small number of foreigners to be allowed in who have been screened and tested. Some locals are also concerned that VIP tourists may not follow the rules, and that the scheme will not benefit them, only certain hotels >>
28 Aug: A government spokesperson on 28 Aug said that the “Phuket model” will not be implemented across the country nor in the near future, with many factors yet to be considered >>
28 Aug: Government ministers will survey local Thais and businesses for the opinion on reopening Phuket to foreigner tourists >>
28 Aug: The Centre for COVID-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) will recommend that long-term residents and foreigners with permanent residences in Thailand be allowed to return, as they have high purchasing power >>
27 Aug: Thai Airways have announced that they will launch charter flights to Phuket from Denmark, Germany, UK, South Korea, Japan, Hong Kong and China in late Nov, with 2 flights per month, as part of the government’s policy >>
27 Aug: Singapore and Thailand have agreed to speed up discussion on a reciprocal green lane for essential business travel >>
27 Aug: Thailand will allow more foreign medical tourists to enter the country from Sep, with 100 additional health facilities allowed to accept patients, bringing it to a total of 220. Hospitals have urged for processes to move faster, saying that patients have died whilst waiting for urgent medical treatment >>
26 Aug: The PM has said that Thailand needs to open to limited foreign tourists as “the country needs oxygen to breathe for survival.” He reassured the public that they would not open the whole country to unrestricted arrivals, and stringent measures would be in place >>
25 Aug: Hong Kong has restarted discussions with Thailand over travel bubbles >>
22 Aug: The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) has said that they have to risk reopening borders for the upcoming high season: "There is a risk in the new tourism model, but if we don't open there is a bigger risk for the economy," said TAT governor Yuthasak Supasorn. If the Phuket model is successful, then Thailand could reopen further to the long-stay market. The trial period will be on chartered flights only, with tourists obliged to register beforehand. They will target either
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Asian or European guests from 6-hour flight origins, or those nations who allow outbound travel >>
21 Aug: The PM has allowed in principle for inbound tourists to Phuket from 1 Oct under limited conditions as part of the “Safe and Sealed” plan. A 2-week quarantine would be required, before foreign tourists can travel freely within Phuket – if they want to travel outside the province, they will need to stay another 7 days. Different hotels sharing the same beach within 1km can group together under a sealed zone, but hotel staff must also stay in the sealed area – if they want to leave it, they must have a test and undergo a 14-day quarantine. A visit in early Sep is planned to assess sea transport links, to ensure that tourists will not be able to use this method to break quarantine >>
19 Aug: More passengers will be allowed to transit at Changi Airport, including Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand, on Singapore Airlines Group’s flights, in addition to last week’s approval for Cambodia and Vietnam. Routes include from Bangkok, Jakarta, Medan, Surabaya, Ipoh, Kuching, Kuala Lumpur and Penang >>
16 Aug: The Tourism Association of Koh Samui will meet the Centre for COVID-19 Situation Administration to see how guidelines could be created to allow foreign tourists to visit Koh Samui. Tourists would need to be quarantined for 14 days, and travel to Thailand on Thai Airways >>
15 Aug: The Phuket Tourist Association (PTA) is pushing for the island to open to long-stay tourists from Nov, under a “4T” model (target, testing, tracing & treatment). They propose to start with chartered flights, and tourists would need to take COVID tests prior to departure. Once they arrive, they will be tracked >>
15 Aug: There was an increase in the number of applicants for the Thailand Elite Visa scheme, but the approval for the card holders to enter Thailand is apparently only on principle currently, and has not yet been implemented. When it is implemented, there would be quotas and conditions >>
14 Aug: The Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand (CAAV) has announced that there is no finite schedule of when international commercial flights will be allowed into Thailand >>
12 Aug: An organisational quarantine would apply the same regulations as state quarantines. The organisations would arrange their own quarantine venues and partner hospitals, and would pay at their own cost >>
1 Aug: Phase 6 has now begun, and four groups of foreign visitors will be allowed entry, including foreign business representatives, film crews, medical tourists and Thailand Elite card members. These must stay in quarantine facilities on arrival >>
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INBOUND
NEW 10 Oct: Mu Koh Similan National Park will open from 15 Oct to tourism. The island took tourism entrepreneurs and the press to visit the islands ahead of the opening >>
NEW 10 Oct: Bangkok will open 30 public parks for those celebrating the Loy Krathong festival >>
NEW 10 Oct: Chiang Mai has lost 100 billion THB in tourism revenue. The Chiang Mai Chamber of Commerce is rolling out a project to attract domestic tourists to the city and neighbouring provinces, hoping to generate 70 billion THB. They will also target medical tourists and are preparing the Alternative Local Quarantine (ALQ) for the STV tourists >>
NEW 10 Oct: The Tourism Minister is planning to include tour operators into the domestic stimulus package by asking them to arrange weekday tour packages for 55-75 years old passengers. The tourists would be entitled to a 40% subsidy, capped at 5,000 THB/ pax in Nov >>
NEW 9 Oct: Khao Yai National Park has temporarily closed after access to it has been blocked by mudslides and trees after unprecedented rain >>
NEW 9 Oct: Minor International have warned that they may need to cut more jobs and close recently reopened properties, as they posted their biggest quarterly loss for Q2. 83% of the hotel chain’s 526 hotels are currently operating, and they hope to increase that to 90% by YE. The chairman of the company said that he believed that if China does not allow its tourists to visit Thailand soon, he believes the Thai economy is “toast” >>
NEW 9 Oct: Luxury hotels which have recently opened in Bangkok during the pandemic are hoping to attract long-stay visitors. The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) have said that they have around 800-1,000 Chinese tourists prepared to fly in on the STV on private jets during phase 1 of reopening >>
NEW 9 Oct: The Thai consumer confidence dropped in Sep, for the first time in 5 months >>
NEW 9 Oct: Thai Airways will keep Thai Smile Airways, and will use it to operate short international flights with “travel bubble” countries >>
NEW 9 Oct: Phuket International Airport is expecting to see at least 15,000 domestic tourists/ day during its vegetarian festival from 16-25 Oct, generating around 200 million THB. They expect 90 domestic flights/ day, compared to the weekend’s daily average of 80 and weekdays of 70. The airport has had a 48% drop YoY in the number of flights, around 9 million pax >>
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NEW 9 Oct: The American being sued over negative hotel reviews will issue an apology to the hotel, tourism board and explain to TripAdvisor his defamation complaint. The hotel will then withdraw the defamation complaint >>
NEW 9 Oct: The Joint Standing Committee on Commerce, Industry and Banking (JSCCIB) now predict that the Thai economy will shrink by -8 to -10% this year, vs its previous forecast of -12% >>
NEW 8 Oct: The Centre for Economic Situation Administration (Cesa) approved the proposal to give taxpayers income tax deductions of up to 30,000 THB for products and services with 7% VAT, to boost consumption. This will run from 23 Oct – 31 Dec. Accommodation and air tickets will be exclude from the program. They also approved a change to the domestic tourism stimulus package, which will allow them to use e-vouchers to pay for food, entrance fees at tourist attractions. More health workers will also be included in the health workers tourism program >>
NEW 8 Oct: Phuket International Airport now has COVID-19 mobile testing units stationed at the airport >>
NEW 8 Oct: TAT have won the bid to hold the Travel Blog Exchange (TBEX) 2021 from 20-22 Oct 2021, in Phuket >>
NEW 8 Oct: The government is still considering whether to limit international tourists to particular beaches or closed off areas >>
NEW 8 Oct: The Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau (TCEB) are planning future international events whilst it waits for restrictions to be loosened, aiming to secure 40 billion THB in 2020. Around 360 Chinese companies have enquired about MICE groups in Thailand from Apr 2021 onwards. International MICE visitors would be allowed to travel in groups of maximum 10 pax, and would be monitored by liaisons. TCEB is also planning for 2022-2025, considering at least 15 events. MICE tourism has dropped by 60% YoY in 2020 >>
NEW 8 Oct: Thailand will face a steep economic decline if it does not improve tourism, Fitch Ratings has said >>
NEW 7 Oct: Thai Smile will connect to Sabre’s GDS platform to use the latter’s travel marketplace and reach more worldwide partners >>
NEW 7 Oct: The TAT has launched a Workation Thailand project, which will encourage the government and private sector to have staff work, meet and party in a new place. The aim is to stimulate domestic tourism >>
NEW 7 Oct: Bangkok’s central train station opening has been delayed until 31 Jul 2021 >>
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NEW 7 Oct: Chonburi has had more bookings through the domestic tourism stimulus than any other province, with Bangkok coming in 2nd >>
NEW 7 Oct: Thai Vietjet inaugurated its first Bangkok – Ubon Ratchathani flight on 6 Oct >>
NEW 6 Oct: Agoda has shown that the top destinations for Thais are Bangkok, Pattaya, Chiang Mai, Hua Hin and Phuket. Secondary tier cities such as Nakhon Si Thammarat, Nakhon Nayok, Khon Kaen, Udon Thani and Chanthaburi are becoming more popular, too >>
NEW 5 Oct: A special travel fair aimed at expats will be held from 10-11 Oct in Bangkok, to encourage the expat community to book travel >>
NEW 5 Oct: Bangkok Airways has resumed its Bangkok – Trat flight >>
3 Oct: A plan to assist micro enterprises with an SME fund is unlikely to come to fruition, as there is not enough liquidity in place >>
3 Oct: The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) have launched a “new normal” tour on a special train from Bangkok to Hua Hin >>
2 Oct: Airlines are still waiting for a decision on the soft loans which were requested over 6 months ago after the deputy PM hinted that they might not receive support. Thai AirAsia has said that payroll is tough to manage alone, but that they will not let go of employees until they know the financial situation. The Deputy PM has said that airlines should try to negotiate with creditors and not use soft loans to repay debt. Thai Lion Air has also stated that if the government does not approve the soft loans, then they will have to reduce costs as “domestic demand is growing too slowly” >>
2 Oct: A YouGov poll has found that 24% of Thais felt insecure about their employment, vs just 4% pre-COVID >>
2 Oct: Bangkok Airways is offering 10-20% off its standard fares for senior citizens, disabled travellers, undergrads, travel-related professionals and government officials >>
2 Oct: Thai Airways is considering franchising its stalls selling dough fritters, as it has earned the company nearly 10 million THB/ month >>
2 Oct: Thailand is testing its first seaplane, hoping to be able to commercially produce it >>
2 Oct: Airports in Thailand will be enhanced for when travel comes back in 2025. The deputy transport minister said that aviation accounts for 15.5% of GDP and
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employs 4.3 million in Thailand. Unemployment rate of pilots is currently at 15% >>
2 Oct: 10% of Thailand’s tourism business are closed, with 540,000 workers made redundant, according to the Tourism Council of Thailand (TCT). Operators in the southern and central regions are the worst affected, relying the most on foreigners. 400,000 of those were in Q3, and even those companies which are open have reduced staff by 30%. They predict the number to rise to 1 million by the year end, and hope that the government will extend repayment suspensions, as tourism companies collectively owe 100 billion THB >>
1 Oct: The Similan Island National Park will reopen from 15 Oct. It will not allow overnight visits yet, but staying on a tour boat overnight is possible >>
1 Oct: The PM has promised to protect the biodiversity of Thailand, encouraging sustainability >>
1 Oct: The head of the Pattaya Business & Tourism Association welcomes the introduction of the STV, but says that it won’t have any significant impact on the tourism industry >>
1 Oct: A private equity trust which will target the acquisition of hotels and resorts in Thailand has been launched >>
1 Oct: Chonburi’s annual water buffalo racing went ahead >>
1 Oct: The Bank of Thailand expects positive growth in Q2, assuming that government spending and the STV scheme will stimulate the economy >>
1 Oct: The hotel on Koh Chang Trat who was pursuing a defamation suit against an American who wrote a negative review on TripAdvisor is now negotiating a settlement >>
1 Oct: Khao San Road will reopen at the end of Oct, with more vendors and events to attract local visitors >>
30 Sep: The government is looking at more stimulus measures to encourage spending amongst the middle and high income earners, and also plans to extend the We Travel Together scheme until the end of the year. As of 29 Sep, the scheme has generated 1.5 million rooms registered out of a targeted 5 million >>
30 Sep: The Tourism Council of Thailand (TCT) expects the government to limit the number of foreigners to beaches and national parks, whilst they do not expect a full reopening of the country to happen until vaccines are accessible >>
30 Sep: 23 hotels in Koh Samui have been proposed as alternative local state quarantines (ALSQ), with the majority expected to be accepted. Many of the
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properties are pool villas, and will be a distance away from main streets. The Thai Hotel Association – Southern Chapter East Coast said that 1,000 CCTV cameras will be installed around the island >>
30 Sep: The Tourism Council of Thailand expects Thailand to have 50,000 international tourists in Q4, down 99.5% YoY, whilst tourism receipts would be 4.5 billion THB, down 99%. Its FY forecast is 6.74 million tourists, down 83% YoY. Its 2021 forecast is 20 million foreign tourists, but if 14-day quarantines remain with no vaccine, that could be in the hundreds of thousands only >>
30 Sep: The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT), its Trang office and local network are preparing for high-season for marine tourism in Oct. They will launch a new kayak route. Hotel operators in the region have already recorded forward bookings at 70% from Oct to Dec >>
30 Sep: Phuket must rebrand itself away from its expensive image to attract tourism. Siam Commercial Bank has launched a 3-day bootcamp to train local entrepreneurs to rebrand Phuket’s tourism business. It will encourage business owners to lower costs, as well as target digital platforms >>
30 Sep: The Zoological Park Organization will fully reopen its zoos from 1 Oct >>
30 Sep: The Thai Hotels Association has reminded its members that it must accept feedback and urged for proactive communication between hoteliers and review platforms >>
29 Sep: Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport from Oct 2019-Aug 2020 has seen a drop of 42.18% in flights, and a 50% drop in passengers >>
28 Sep: Phuket is planning to hold a travel festival targeting domestic travellers, including a food festival >>
28 Sep: Oxford Economics don’t envisage tourism spending in Thailand to recover to 2019 levels until 2024, creating a THB4.8 trillion loss in spending >>
28 Sep: Thai Vietjet is launching a “Deluxe” product, which will include 7kg carry- on and 20kh of checked in baggage, as well as priority check-in and seat selection >>
28 Sep: Thailand’s Emergency Decree has been extended from 1-31 Oct >>
28 Sep: Phitsanulok province is undergoing a process to become a MICE city by the Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau (TCEB), and use business events to stimulate the economy. The government is also looking at upgrading Phitsanulok Airport into an international airport, and position it as a wellness destination >>
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27 Sep: Thai AirAsia has inaugurated its first flights to 4 domestic destinations from Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport >>
27 Sep: Phuket has set up a 5T scheme for foreign tourists: target, testing, tracing, treating and trusting. A lab has been installed at Phuket airport, and will initially be capable of handling 96 people at a time for testing, with results within 6 hours >>
27 Sep: The Job Expo 2020 opened on 26 Sep, promising more than a million job vacancies. The government has also created a recruitment platform, expecting 200,000 private positions and 400,000 government ones to be posted >>
27 Sep: Anti-government protests may escalate next month, as the charter rewrite vote had been delayed by the government >>
26 Sep: An American is being sued by a Thai resort over a negative review on TripAdvisor – if found guilty, he could face jail for up to 2 years >>
26 Sep: Many visitors have rushed to Khao Nor mountain in Nakhon Sawan province, hoping to spot the giant “monkey king” >>
26 Sep: The Thai Chamber of Commerce is urging the government to grant amnesty for 400,000 tourists whose visas are set to expire, as it causing chaos >>
26 Sep: Thai Airways are going through planning approval for flights to nowhere, under the “Thai Flying Experience & Beyond”. They would sell 3 packages and it would cost approx. 5,000 THB pax >>
26 Sep: The Chonburi Buffalo racing festival will go ahead from 28 Sep – 4 Oct >>
25 Sep: PTT, the national oil and gas conglomerate, will give 18 million THB to its staff in 5,000 THB travel subsidies, to boost tourism during Q4. Conditions would include staying at destinations at least 300km away from employees’ homes >>
25 Sep: The government expects Thailand’s economy to return to normal within 2 years >>
25 Sep: The Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau is testing hybrid models for events, with a pilot full-day event with 1,240 delegates attending physically, 4,778 virtually >>
25 Sep: The Movenpick BDMS Wellness Resort Bangkok and Bangkok Hospital have launched exclusive quarantine facilities in the hotel’s Presidential Suite or Royal Suite >>
25 Sep: Airports of Thailand are extending their exemption of fees, including office rental, terminal service fees and fixed monthly concession fees until 31 Mar 2022.
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The current exemption was due to expire on 31 Dec. airlines will also qualify for a 50% reduction in landing charges and a 50% reduction in parking is they are still operating flights on their domestic and international routes >>
25 Sep: The number of new businesses has continued to fall in Aug, down 7% YoY >>
25 Sep: The Tourism Council of Thailand estimate that Thailand could hit 60 million arrivals by 2023, contributing 25% of GDP, once global tourism returns to normal >>
24 Sep: The Phuket vegetarian festival will go ahead on 17-25 Oct >>
24 Sep: Pattaya tourism businesses applauded the introduction of 2 new public holidays, saying that the Songkran holiday weekend on 4-7 Sep had given them a big boost >>
24 Sep: Dusit Thani are preserving cash flow to deal with uncertainties, with the best-case scenario that leisure tourists will be allowed into Thailand by YE. They estimate the most likely is that leisure tourists will increase by mid-2021 >>
24 Sep: AirAsia has said that their flights in Malaysia and Thailand are reaching 60% and 80% pre-COVID capacity respectively. Tony Fernandes forecasts that business, intercontinental and first-class travel will take longer to bounce back, but that short-haul travel is “proven already” >>
24 Sep: Only 30.4% of Phuket’s businesses are open as usual, with 66.8% of tourism businesses “closed temporarily” and 2.8% closed permanently. The Phuket governor expects that this number will increase to 70% by the end of the month >>
24 Sep: The MICHELIN Guide Thailand will be expanded with 2 new awards, the MICHELIN Guide Young Chef Award, and the MICHELIN Guide Service Award, as well as a new distinction, the MICHELIN Green Star. It is scheduled to be released at the end of 2020 >>
23 Sep: Two new long weekend holidays have been approved by the Thai cabinet, from 19-22 Nov, and 13 Nov-1 Dec >>
23 Sep: Thai Airways will offer a course to the general public to become a Thai Airways flight attendant for the day for 2,900 THB. They will also offer a 4-day pilot training simulator course, a 1.5 day emergency similar course and the chance to spend a day in the kitchen with a Thai Airways chef >>
23 Sep: Sala Hospitality Group are partnering with boat rental company True Leasing to provide private cruise stay and dine packages along the Chao Phraya river in Bangkok >>
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22 Sep: The Thai cabinet has approved stimulus measures worth 70 billion THB to boost economic consumption and jobs >>
22 Sep: The Government Savings Bank is planning to offer soft loans with an annual interest of 2%, for 60 months, to airlines. The proposal will need to be approved by the government. The Excise Department has also cut the jet-fuel tax for low cost airlines for another 6 months from the end of Sep >>
22 Sep: Surat Thani is aiming to attract MICE travellers, especially as they usually spend twice the usual visitor’s spend and stay at least 3D2N per trip >>
22 Sep: According to the Amadeus Travel Insights Bulletin, Thai travellers’ lead time for booking domestic flights has decreased by 53% compared to pre- pandemic >>
21 Sep: The Thai Hotels Association, Upper North Chapter, has said that the push for domestic tourism is not benefiting Chiang Mai, with average occupancy rates of 15%, far below break-even. Around 70% of hotels remain closed. During the Songkran holiday, hotels reached just 40% occupancy levels >>
21 Sep: Tourists entering national parks who litter will be blacklisted from entering again. Alcoholic drinks will also be banned at national parks >>
21 Sep: The Thai Baht reached a 3-week high on 21 Sep, after the relief of peaceful government protests >>
21 Sep: A new panel has been formed to ensure that Betong Airport in Yala province can open as scheduled in Dec. Nok Air is looking into operating flights between the airport and Bangkok’s Don Mueang >>
20 Sep: Tens of thousands of protestors joined peaceful pro-democracy rallies in Bangkok over the weekend. The protestors have given a list of 10 demands to the government, and are calling for a general strike on 14 Oct >>
19 Sep: Business investors are becoming concerned about Thailand’s political stability, with confidence also being affected by the economy’s slowdown >>
19 Sep: Phuket’s residents are suffering as the budget for food aid has been depleted, with thousands of people lining up daily for donated food >>
18 Sep: A new stimulus plan to support tour packages from tour operators will be issued >>
17 Sep: Bangkok is reopening the walking streets on Khao San Road and Klong Ong Ang, to promote tourism. They will open on the last weekend of each month >>
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17 Sep: The PM has warned protestors from taking part in pro-democracy rallies due to the possibility of spreading COVID >>
17 Sep: Airlines are still awaiting details of the soft loans the PM has promised them. Thai AirAsia expect to get more details by next week, and see a “real threat” if the country is unable to open by Q4. They have also said that the plan for what happens once the STV is approved is the most important, as “tourism operators don’t have a clue how to start.” >>
17 Sep: A Myanmar baby has tested positive after returning from Thailand to Myanmar. The Thai government is undertaking contact tracing to see whether they were infected in Thailand >>
17 Sep: The Phuket Travel Agents Association has said just 10% of its 60 members are open for business, with customers largely coming from the domestic tourism stimulus package aimed at health workers >>
16 Sep: The government has approved a 3,000 THB handout to 10 million people, who will be able to spend the money in 100 THB increments per day to buy food, beverage and general goods from small vendors between 23 Oct-31 Dec >>
16 Sep: The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) agrees with the plan to extend holidays and stimulate possibly 10 billion THB. 2.2 million domestic trips were made during the 4-7 Sep Songkran holidays >>
16 Sep: Minor Hotels will launch the RAKxa Fully Integrative Wellness and Medical Retreat, on conjunction with Bumrungrad International Hospital, in Bangkok. It will launch in Dec 2020 >>
16 Sep: The Asian Development Bank (ADB) now predicts that the Thai GDP will contract by 8% in 2020 in its Sep update. It forecasts a growth of GDP by 4.5% in 2021 >>
15 Sep: Unemployment in Q2 increased to 1.95%, a record high since 2009. Unemployment in the hotels and restaurants sector was the highest, at 2.9% >>
15 Sep: 12 Thai insurance companies have teamed together to offer inbound tourists travel insurance that covers medical treatment and repatriation >>
15 Sep: The Association of Domestic Travel (ADT) is aiming for 200 million domestic trips next year. They have said that 30% of tour operators nationwide have closed permanently, whilst 50% are still temporarily closed. ADT say that an ambitious target is needed to stimulate the market, and urges the government to amend the domestic tourism program so that tour packages can be bought via travel agents and a subsidy of up to 8,000 THB >>
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15 Sep: The Thai cabinet is considering adding another long 4-day public holiday to stimulate domestic tourism, possibly in Nov >>
14 Sep: One million hotel workers in Thailand have been made redundant. The Thai Hotels Association (THA) has asked the government for 100 billion THB in rescue funds and soft loans >>
13 Sep: Krungthai Bank estimates that Thailand’s tourism revenue will drop by 70% this year, with just 900 billion THB expected. They expect revenue of 1.2 trillion THB in 2021, still a drop of 59% vs pre-pandemic. Their estimate for the number of international visitors ranged from 900,000 to 14 million, depending on government policies >>
13 Sep: The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) expects the worst of the crisis to be over by 2021 YE, and that under a best-case scenario, there could be 20.8 million international tourists, with primary source markets ASEAN and NE Asia. The TAT have formed a 3D plan:
• Domestic tourism • Digitalisation of business processes • Dynamics – to seek a better balance of creating efficiency and managing risk >>
12 Sep: The domestic tourism stimulus We Travel Together needs to be reworked, according to the TAT, as only 17% of the 5.05 million registrants have actually used the benefits. They estimate that 388 million THB has been distributed to local operators through the usage of the vouchers. The airline subsidies in particular have a low redemption rate, which they suspect is down to the mechanism of only receiving the 40% subsidy after booking – they are now looking at a less complicated way to redeem the discounts. The distribution of hotel bookings is also concentrated into certain players, with 4,016 being booked out of 7,130. They will also extend the deadline to 31 Dec. They also have said that borders should reopen to foreign tourists this year >>
11 Sep: AirAsia will launch 3 direct flights daily between Phuket and Bangkok Suvarnabhumi airport from 25 Sep >>
11 Sep: The 5,000 THB relief money for temporary workers, contract employees and self-employed affected by COVID-19 will stop at the end of the month, despite 56,000 subscribers not yet receiving their money >>
11 Sep: Work to renovate Pattaya beach to the tune of 160 million THB should begin at the end of the year, which will include adding green zones to attract more Thai tourists >>
11 Sep: A 2nd locally transmitted case has been detected in Thailand >>
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11 Sep: The Pattaya Travel Mart attracted 160 tour operators and corporate buyers, as opposed to the 60 expected due to its focus on domestic tourism >>
10 Sep: The TAT has downgraded its estimate of 80 million domestic trips to 70 million, with 418 billion THB revenue >>
10 Sep: The TAT sees 2.5 million jobs out of 4 million being lost in the tourism sector if international visitors do not arrive by Q4, so it must prepare for “limited exposure” to foreign tourists >>
10 Sep: Phuket International Airport held a dress rehearsal for international arrivals under the new normal, from temperature taking to transfers to quarantine facilities >>
9 Sep: Phuket International Airport has revealed that in Aug, 6,000 domestic pax arrived each day, and over the long weekend from 4-7 Sep, they had over 10,000 pax arrive daily >>
9 Sep: The Naga cave in Phu Langka national park has been closed after visitors damaged the rock formations hoping to find lottery numbers >>
9 Sep: Thailand was the 4th most searched holiday destination in the world, according to an analysis by Official-esta.com >>
9 Sep: The PM plans to move the focus from exports and tourism to large-scale projects to boost income >>
9 Sep: The Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau launched a “Thailand MICE United” campaign, with a MICE Mart including 120 suppliers and 300 buyers from the public and private sectors >>
9 Sep: The PM is looking to add another long holiday to encourage domestic trips >>
9 Sep: Revenue generated by travel insurance premiums are likely to drop 90% this year, according to Cigna Thailand >>
9 Sep: Some Thai airport workers are suing a security company hired by the Airports of Thailand, saying that they were tricked into accepting unfavourable terms >>
9 Sep: The Chao Phraya Sky Park is hoped to become to a tourist attraction after opening in Jun >>
8 Sep: C9 Hotelworks have revealed that there has been a substantial impact on the hotel development pipeline, with 69% of new hotels being delayed or put on hold >>
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8 Sep: The TAT has said that the long holiday weekend from 4-7 Sep generated 8.8 billion THB, an outcome with which they are “pleased”. The TAT are also looking into promoting weekday travel. The Transport Ministry reported 7,968,080 trips over the weekend >>
5 Sep: Phang-Nga Province has re-imposed strict health measures, stating that anyone entering the province from areas considered COVID-19 outbreak zones will need to undergo a 14-day home quarantine. Residents will need to face masks when outdoors at all times >>
6 Sep: Pattaya seems to have benefited from the long weekend in Thailand, with some hotels at 100% occupancy and busy beaches >>
6 Sep: The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) stated that domestic tourism during the last 4-day weekend only had hotel occupancy levels of 30%, and spend of 8.8 billion THB >>
5 Sep: The health authorities have still not been able to trace the origins of the latest locally transmitted case >>
5 Sep: Foreign tourists who are stranded in Thailand face a visa amnesty by 26 Sep, but have been given reprieve by additional concessions in case they are unable to return to their home countries due to sickness or a lack of flights >>
5 Sep: The owners of businesses on Pattaya’s Walking Street have warned of a “total collapse” of the tourism industry if foreign tourists are not allowed to enter Thailand >>
5 Sep: TAT has partnered with Alipay and Fliggy to launch a tourism campaign encouraging Chinese expats living in Thailand to travel domestically. These expats would receive exclusive deals when booking via Fliggy and rewarded with 1,739 THB worth of coupons to redeem >>
5 Sep: A new app called “Treasure Trip” has been launched to explore cultural highlights of Bangkok >>
5 Sep: The ban on food and drinks on domestic flights has been lifted by the Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand (CAAT), but pax are still required to wear masks on board >>
4 Sep: 60 flights are arriving daily into Phuket with 7,000 domestic tourists at the moment, with increasing numbers on the weekends. About 60 hotels have applied to be quarantine hotels, but only 6 have made the cut so far >>
4 Sep: Civil servants and state employees will be given an additional 2 days of leave, if they apply for the We Travel Together package on a normal weekday >>
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4 Sep: TCEB has launched a convention fair to stimulate the economy, developing a system to guarantee hygienic MICE events, as well as give “MICE City” health certificates to Pattaya, Bangkok, Khon Kaen, Chiang Mai, Nakhon Ratchasima, Phuket and Songkhla >>
4 Sep: Bumrungrad International Hospital will partner with real estate developers to create luxury wellness centres in Samut Prakan, an area which is easily reached from Bangkok >>
4 Sep: Thailand will close its national parks for several months each year to allow for regeneration >>
4 Sep: An inmate has tested positive for COVID-19, the first locally transmitted case in 100 days. The man had not had any recent overseas travel history, and had worked as a DJ up until recently >>
4 Sep: The TAT has pledged to end dual pricing for expats, to allow expats to save money and boost the economy. They are mooting an identity card to verify their expat status. They estimate 2 million expats are from Asia, with 150,000 from China >>
3 Sep: Tourists have cancelled their plans to visit the Thong Pha Phum border district over the long weekend after fears that local students had contracted COVID-19 from Myanmar illegal migrants and schools were shut. Surat Thani was also expecting 27,000 visitors and 124 million THB in revenue over the break >>
3 Sep: The Phuket Tourist Association (PTA) has said that Phuket tourism businesses have lost $5.72 million USD in H1 2020 >>
3 Sep: More economic stimulus measures have been approved, with a 50% subsidy for products purchased from street vendors and retailers of 3,000 THB per person. Food coupons used for travel between Mon-Thu worth 900 THB and on Fri-Sun worth 600 THB have also been approved. Graduates will also have 50% of their salaries covered by the government, at a maximum of 7,500 THB/ month from 1 Oct to 30 Sep 2021 >>
3 Sep: The Tourism Council of Thailand has proposed that loan requirement restrictions should be eased, as 90% of tourism operators have had trouble servicing debt, and the bad repayment records then make it impossible to access government soft loans >>
3 Sep: Airbnb has partnered with the Ministry of Interior’s Community Development Department to showcase local communities in a “Beyond Big Cities” initiative run by the company and as an Airbnb Online Experience >>
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2 Sep: Nok Airlines have had losses of 3,751 million THB during H1. Flight movements reduced by 44.26% YoY >>
2 Sep: Thai Airways have launched a restaurant fitted with plane seats, an airstair entrance and mini airplane models. Visitors also get a special boarding pass entrance ticket at the Thai Airways HQ >>
2 Sep: Bangkok’s Don Mueang Airport expects to see 13.6 million pax this year, short of its earlier 15 million target. Previously, it served 41 million pax >>
2 Sep: Muay Thai fights will be allowed to be held in any venue across Thailand, not just organised fights at standard stadiums >>
2 Sep: Only around 10,000 people per day are using the tourism stimulus scheme, far below the initial target >>
1 Sep: Employers’ contributions to the Social Security Fund will be reduced from 5% to 2% from Sep to Nov, adding 24 billion THB to circulation with the easing >>
1 Sep: The Economic Intelligence Center of Siam Commercial Bank has stated that whilst the domestic sector is improving, business is far from pre-pandemic levels, and that it would remain sluggish >>
1 Sep: Electric passenger boats are being planned to help ease traffic congestion in Bangkok, as well as a cruise for tourists along the Chao Phraya river >>
1 Sep: The Bank of Thailand has warned that the tourism industry will face greater risks next year if foreign tourists are still restricted. The Tourism Ministry has downgraded their forecast for 2020 tourism arrivals to 6.7 million, down from 8 million. That 1.3 million difference alone will cost a 0.5% decline in Thailand’s GDP >>
1 Sep: Expats will be given a 500 THB discount for domestic travel in Thailand, with a budget of 2 million THB in total, to be registered for at the Expat Travel Deal 2020 fair in Bangkok >>
1 Sep: The recently appointed Finance Minister has resigned after just one month in office, a move that worries the TCT who now thinks that there may be no help coming for soft loans for tourism operators >>
31 Aug: A 32km motorway connecting Thailand’s East Economic Corridor will increase access to tourism destinations such as Chon Buri, enable cross-border trips to Cambodia, and better access from Suvarnabhumi Airport to U-tapao >>
31 Aug: Chiang Mai tourism officials have asked for help to promote tourism packages and allow the Minister of the Interior to allow local administrative organisations to hold field trips and inter-provincial travel >>
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31 Aug: Thailand’s economy improved in Jul, with private consumption growing from Jun by 2.7%. However, the Bank of Thailand says that their forecast for a 8.1% economic contraction could be “optimistic” this year >>
31 Aug: The project to connect Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport, Don Mueang and U-Tapao airport by rail has been delayed, with the budget not approved >>
30 Aug: The Ministry of Tourism has predicted that the Pattaya economy will become more sustainable without foreign tourists, with more domestic flights to the region and Bangkok residents choosing to buy second homes in Pattaya with falling property prices >>
29 Aug: Thonburi Healthcare Group, which runs hospitals and retirement homes, has had queries from European retirement communities that could add up to 50,000 older people who would want to stay in Thailand over the winter as part of the Phuket scheme – but it is unclear whether the government would allow so many foreigners into the country >>
29 Aug: Pattaya is joining the Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau (TCEB) to promote Pattaya as its First MICE City. Their new push will focus on their facilities as well as the new normal measures it follows >>
29 Aug: The TAT is launching a “White Vest” program, where after intensive training on safety and customer service, recipients will be awarded with a white vest and certified ID badge. It will target individual tourism businesses and workers, such as vendors, beach chair renters and parking attendants >>
29 Aug: TAT will organise an “Expat Travel Deal 2020” event for expatriate residents to enjoy promotions on domestic travel from 11-13 Sep >>
28 Aug: The PM has agreed to give 24 billion THB in soft loans to Thai airlines, which will be available from Oct and keep the airlines afloat for another year. This was after a meeting with Thai AirAsia, Thai AirAsia X, Thai Smile, Thai Lion Air, Thai Viet Jet, Bangkok Airways and Nok Air. The government asked them to maintain staff and have also confirmed that the waivers and reductions of surcharges and aviation fees has been extended until Mar 2022 >>
28 Aug: The Tourism Council of Thailand has said that 4 million people were already unemployed, and the number of formal and informal workers could balloon to 10-14 million if the policy of keeping the borders shut continues. However, doctors disagree with opening the borders, as the debate continues over whether to reopen >>
28 Aug: Thailand expects the economy will grow by 4-5% next year, and that the economy had already hit rock bottom >>
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28 Aug: The TAT has said that high-value tourists with good health will be the priority, and they aim to use the pandemic as an opportunity to pursue tourism in a safe and more sustainable way. PK Exhibition, the organiser of the Thai Tiew Thai tourism fair has said that just 10% of exhibition operators will survive, with 50% of around 10,000 operators already leaving the business >>
28 Aug: A former tourism minister has called for more financial help for tourism operators, by alleviating their debt burden for 3 years >>
27 Aug: The Thai Hotel Association’s southern chapter has said that since the Phuket Model has been introduced vaguely, hotels have seen cancellations from domestic tourists from Oct, as they are concerned about their safety. They say that the main issue is lack of coordination with the private sector’s proposals >>
26 Aug: The Ministry of Health has warned the general public to be cautious whilst travelling over the upcoming long 4-7 Sep weekend >>
26 Aug: The PM has issued a warning to student protesters that they were causing deep divisions within the country, after nearly daily rallies calling for his resignation and the reformation of the monarchy >>
26 Aug: Floods in the northern provinces has dampened the outlook for Sukhothai, as more than 30% of domestic travellers have cancelled their trips. Operators feel that the domestic stimulus scheme has not benefited 2nd tier provinces, and want special privileges to boost visitors >>
26 Aug: Thai AirAsia believes that the industry will see more consolidation, whilst Dusit International suggested that hoteliers look for collaborations beyond the industry >>
26 Aug: TCEB will add two new MICE cities, Nakhon Ratchasima and Songkhla at its Thailand MICE United event on 2 Sep, giving them greater access to support >>
25 Aug: Thailand’s Jan-Jul arrivals have fallen 70% YoY, at just 6.69 million, and spending down 70.4% to 332 billion THB >>
25 Aug: Hotels are continuing to implement cost cutting strategies, with the Centel, Minor International and Erawan groups reporting that they have had stringent financial measures, including reducing payroll >>
25 Aug: Rayong tour operators are asking the government to extend the domestic stimulus until year-end to stimulate its weak domestic demand. The president of the Tourism Association of Koh Samet also said that the government should provide more soft loans for operators. Weekday demand in Rayong and Ko Samet is weak compared to the weekend >>
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25 Aug: 72 of Thailand’s prisons could become tourist attractions, with a pilot developing the scheme already ongoing at 5 prisons. Activities would include “chefs behind bars”, amongst others, and would provide opportunities for the inmates once they leave prison >>
24 Aug: The Thai Hotel Association backs the new “safe and sealed” Phuket plan, saying that “no matter what the restrictions will be, we have to start somewhere.” >>
23 Aug: A survey has shown that Thailand is a dream destination for golfers from India, with a key influencing factor being the country’s proximity >>
23 Aug: The Association of Domestic Travel and the Thai Travel Agents Association are urging the government to provide assistance to small tourism operators with soft loans >>
23 Aug: Betong airport in Yala province is being actively developed by the government, and is slated to open by YE. The provincial government believes that it will increase the number of visitors from 600,000 to 1 million a year >>
23 Aug: Pattaya businesses must realign themselves to Thai tourists’ tastes if they want to survive, especially as there is more supply than demand >>
22 Aug: A new plan will see the TAT focusing on group domestic tours in Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Chonburi and Phuket >>
22 Aug: The new cabinet will meet in Rayong in late Aug, where they will also meet tourism-related operators >>
21 Aug: The emergency decree, due to expire on 31 Aug, has been extended until 30 Sep >>
21 Aug: Airports of Thailand is being encouraged to add four more local airports to its portfolio by YE, including Udon Thani, Khon Kaen, Buri Ram and Krabi >>
21 Aug: SMEs are being supported to supply parts for aircraft maintenance, and the Thai Aviation Industries Co (TAI) say that soon parts from SMEs would form about 30% of the whole aircraft that they maintain >>
21 Aug: The TAT will partner with Mastercard and rewards app UTU for the Amazing Thailand Grand Sale, expected to create 100 million THB in revenue for local businesses >>
21 Aug: There has been an increase in endangered hawksbill and green turtle nests on Koh Samui in 2020, possibly due to the lack of tourists >>
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21 Aug: Business sentiment grew in Jul, up to 31.8 from Jun’s 31.5, due to the easing of lockdown restrictions. However, the majority of businesses still think that the overall future is not bright >>
20 Aug: The new National Economic and Social Development Council announced subsidies for local tourists, and plan to make jobs for 400,000 new graduates. They will extend their 40% subsidy from five to 10 nights, as only 660,000 of 5 million nights have been booked already. Air ticket subsidies will also be extended to 2,000 THB, and corporate companies will also be able to register to use them as incentives for employees or other business purposes >>
20 Aug: The Thai tourism subsidies will not be extended beyond 31 Oct, with ministers saying that they want to speed up tourism expenditure during low season. The Thai Hotels Association northern chapter president says that even with corporate companies now allowed to redeem, it will be impossible use up the 5 million room nights in 2.5 months. She said only hotels within 300km of Bangkok will benefit from the campaign, and urged the government to extend it until Mar 2021. The Tourism Council of Thailand agreed with the ending of the campaign by 31 Oct, saying it should help tour operators during low season >>
19 Aug: 2 women tested for new COVID infections after completing a 14-day quarantine after returning from overseas >>
20 Aug: SMEs want the government to extend its debt moratorium for another 6 months, according to a poll >>
19 Aug: SiteMinder has shown that for all bookings for Thai hotels in the last 2 weeks, 38% are for stays in Aug, and 35% for Sep, whilst less than 30% are for 2021, showing that Thais are becoming more last-minute in planning trips >>
19 Aug: The Thai Hotels Association has asked that expats be included under the tourism stimulus plan, as they are playing tax. They also asked Krungthai Bank to share the data from the room booking under the We Travel Together campaign, to allow more effective tourism stimulus for each destination >>
19 Aug: Airbnb is lobbying the Thai government for clearer regulations to allow short-term rentals. It has also provided $5,000 USD grants to its superhosts. In a recent study, the company say that they contributed 43.7 billion THB to Thailand’s GDP in terms of their gross tourism spending >>
18 Aug: Even if Thais spend all of their 2019 outbound spend in Thailand, it would still be three quarters short of its inbound spend, according to OCBC Bank, with the relative value of outbound tourism vs inbound spend, with outbound at $14.3 billion USD, and inbound at $06.5 million USD inbound >>
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18 Aug: 114 billion THB in soft loans and credit guarantees has been earmarked for SMEs. Of this, 9.6 billion THB in extra cash credits will be allocated for SMEs in tourism, with a maximum of 3 million THB in cash credit at an interest rate of 3% for the first 2 years >>
18 Aug: The TAT is coming up with a new tourism campaign for the 4-7 Sep long weekend >>
17 Aug: Deputy Phuket Governor is planning more activities in the province under the “Thai Thiew Thai” (Thais Travel Thailand) campaign, for health visitors to visit Phuket, as well as an event called Phuket Tastival Seafood & Gastronomy, which will have 6 installments and include local producers, restaurants and hotels with outdoor seating on the beach >>
17 Aug: Phuket tourism drivers are petitioning Toyota to delay repayments for at least 3 months, but hopefully up to one year, as they have no income >>
17 Aug: Protests on 17 Aug grew to around 20,000-25,000, the largest gathering since 2014 and Thailand’s military coup >>
17 Aug: The Tourism Council of Thailand (TCT) worries that the political protests may dampen domestic travel appetite, and hopes that the government can come to a peaceful compromise >>
17 Aug: 8,000 people queued for 300 jobs for the opening of the Asawin Grand Convention Hotel at the start of 2021 >>
17 Aug: Thailand has suffered its biggest GDP fall, with a contraction of 12.2% YoY in Q2 >>
16 Aug: Thailand’s labour minister has said that there are 2-3 million unemployed people in Thailand, less than half of the forecast 7-8 million >>
16 Aug: Pattaya is planning a 160 million THB facelift to improve the city’s beaches to attract local tourists. The renovations will begin in Oct and are expected to be completed by year end >>
15 Aug: The TAT expects tourism revenue in Sep to grow by 20% YoY due to the replacement Songkran holidays. The TAT also plans to organise a tourism fair in Aug to stimulate bookings >>
15 Aug: The TAT has launched social media pages targeted at Bangladeshi outbound travellers >>
15 Aug: Ecotourism attractions across Thailand are being promoted by the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT), with 300 bloggers and KOLs’ help, under the “Missing
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Nature” discount campaign with Traveloka. They hope this campaign will attract 20,000 tourists and boost income by 70 million THB >>
15 Aug: The Tourism Council of Thailand (TCT) has warned tourism stakeholders to “accept there's no chance for operators to grab the international market this year and there are doubts about next year as well.". They predict that arrivals could fall below 7 million, and that lay-offs will continue to grow, with workers not receiving compensation from the Social Security Fund (SSF), and companies not wanting to risk reopening with low demand. The Labour Minister has rejected the tourism sector’s proposal that the SSF suspension is extended beyond 90 days >>
15 Aug: Thailand is the first destination for travellers from Hong Kong, Singapore, Philippines, Indonesia and India when borders reopen, according to the survey “Fear & Possibilities in a Post Coronavirus World”. The survey also found 82% of Thais confident that Thailand is well-prepared to reopen tourism, yet 90% don’t want tourists to return until a vaccine or cure for COVID-19 is found >>
15 Aug: According to the mayor of Patong, Phuket, 80-90% of Patong’s economy depends on foreign tourism spend, and only 20-30% of local hotels, entertainment places and restaurants have reopened >>
14 Aug: The Thailand PM has announced that the priority for Thailand is boosting the economy, urging unity and staying “above politics” >>
14 Aug: Thai AirAsia announced its H1 pax numbers to be just 4.8 million, down 58% YoY, with a net loss of 1.81 billion THB. Meanwhile, Thai Lion Air’s H1 pax numbers fell to 2.3 million, nearly 60% down YoY. Thai Lion Air said it was unlikely to reopen international flights in the next 3 months, but that routes in SE Asian were likely to be the first considered >>
14 Aug: AIS, Thailand’s largest mobile operator, and U-Tapao airport near Pattaya have partnered to turn it into a smart airport, with 5G tech deployment and digital solutions >>
13 Aug: Sep 4 and Sep 7 have been approved as replacement Songkran holidays, creating a 4 day weekend >>
13 Aug: Thailand was ranked the safest destination in the world to visit during the pandemic by Germany-based startup Tourlane >>
13 Aug: The economic situation administration centre will be created to work in the same way as the Centre for COVID-19 Situation Administration (CCSA). It will focus on rehabilitating the economy, with 22 committees made up of government and private sector representatives >>
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12 Aug: Student protests continue to grow in Bangkok, with students calling for government changes and monarchy reform, an extremely sensitive topic in Thailand. The protests on 10 Aug were one of the largest since 2014 >>
12 Aug: Further COVID-19 restrictions have been lifted from 13 Aug, including schools allowed to teach as normal, public transport can operate at normal capacity and outdoor or indoor sporting events can increase numbers of spectators, but must still limit them to control the crowds >>
12 Aug: Airports of Thailand made a loss of $94.1 million USD in its fiscal Q3 ending Jun, with revenue from sales and services dropping 91% YoY >>
12 Aug: Thai Air Asia will begin its services at Suvarnabhumi Airport from 25 Sep, with 4 routes to Chiang Mai, Phuket, Krabi and Surat Thani >>
17 Jun: The domestic tourism stimulus packages worth 22.4 billion THB has been approved, including:
1. 2.4 billion THB fund for 1.2 million health volunteers and hospital officials which will subsidise 2,000 THB for a trip of at least 2D1N and must be booked via tour firms, expected to help 13,000 tour firms 2. 18 billion THB fund for 5 million nights at hotel accommodation at 40% of normal room rates (subsidy limited to 3,000 THB/ night up to 5 nights). Other services, such as food, are capped at 600 THB/ room/ night, and must be outside of the traveller’s home province 3. 2 billion THB fund to subsidise domestic flight fares, inter-provincial bus fares and car rental fees for 2 million people. It will pay up to 40% of expenses, limited to 1,000 THB/ tourist >>
31 May: Parliament approved a close to $60 billion USD stimulus package, some of which will be used to boost purchasing power, healthcare readiness and aid to farmers and informal workers >>
27 May: Parliament was urged to approve the biggest stimulus package yet, worth $59.6 billion USD >>
12 May: A plan to spend $12.45 billion USD to create jobs and stimulate the economy has been approved by Thailand’s cabinet >>
07 Apr: A 3rd phase of economic stimulus has been approved, valued at 1.9 trillion THB, including cash handouts and economic recovery measures. The Bank of Thailand will also allocate 500 billion THB in soft loans to SMEs, and allow interest payments to be postponed for 6 months >>
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OUTBOUND
NEW 9 Oct: The Thai Airways International workers’ union is protesting against the appointment of the chairman’s wife to a higher position, saying that it undermines trust >>
NEW 7 Oct: Qatar Airways will now carry pax on inbound flights to Bangkok until 31 Oct >>
3 Oct: Thai Airways will launch an economy plus class for passengers from Bangkok to London and Frankfurt from 25 Oct. This class would leave the middle seats empty and have special services like express check-in, extra weight allowance and the same in-flight meal as business class >>
30 Sep: Thai Airways will fly special flights to London, Copenhagen, Stockholm, Taipei and Hong Kong in Oct >>
28 Sep: Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Satellite Terminal 1 is now 95% complete, and its transport link to the main terminal should be completed by Apr 2021. It will be able to handle 15 million pax/ year >>
28 Sep: All Nippon Airways will start flights to Singapore and Bangkok in November >>
24 Sep: Thai Airways creditors have been given a deadline of 2 Nov to submit their application for debt repayment. As of 22 Sep, 922 creditors have already applied, with Thai Airways owing them 1.2 billion THB >>
18 Sep: The rehabilitation process of Thai Airways was approved on 14 Sep by the court. A Thai Airways union is urging the board to allow them to have a say in the upcoming rehabilitation plan to ensure that workers’ rights are protected >>
18 Sep: The government is being urged to provide financial assistance for 2,600 workers made redundant by Wingspan Services, a Thai Airways subsidiary >>
11 Sep: Bangkok Airways may reopen international flights by Jan, according to the schedule posted on GDS >>
2 Sep: Emirates have restarted their flight from Dubai to Bangkok, but it caused some controversy, with the Consulate-General in Bangkok initially seeming to suggest that they had not got the relevant permissions to operate the route, only to later confirm that the airline did have the permissions, but could only carry non- Thai passengers >>
31 Aug: Thai travellers to Israel will no longer have to undergo a 14-day quarantine upon arrival, as it is on their “green list” of countries >>
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29 Aug: Tour operators have suggested selling COVID-19 vaccination outbound tours for those who want to combine a vaccination with a holiday. The idea was especially popular with elderly people who want to travel, but are worried about the virus. They would prefer to get vaccinations in Europe, but it would depend on the policies of both Thailand and the overseas country – the likeliest to start are Thailand and Russia >>
29 Aug: Mismanagement and corruption was to blame for Thai Airways’ failure, according to the deputy transport minister >>
28 Aug: Emirates will reopen its route from Dubai to Bangkok from 1 Sep with daily flights >>
25 Aug: Thai Airways’ rehabilitation process will be decided by the courts on 14 Sep >>
21 Aug: A police-led investigation has found that some employees of Thai Airways became “unusually rich” from a plane procurement deal between 2003 to 2004 >>
18 Aug: The Thai Airways rehabilitation plan hearing at the Central Bankruptcy Court started, with criticisms questioning EY Corporate Advisory’s experience in rehabilitating companies of this size >>
18 Aug: Thai AirAsia X has delayed its services from 1 Sep to Oct at the earliest >>
17 Aug: Thai AirAsia made a net loss of 1,210.6 million THB in Q2, with total revenue for the quarter falling by 78%. They flew at just 8% of Q2 2019’s capacity >>
15 Aug: Thai Airways’ unused air tickets will remain valid until the end of 2021, or can become travel vouchers valid until the end of 2022, in an act to assure customers >>
14 Aug: Thai Airways has posted a net loss for H1 of $900 million USD, in newly released financial reports. The airline’s auditor did not choose to express an opinion on the news due to ongoing material uncertainty, and trading in the company’s shares was suspended on the Stock Exchange of Thailand on 14 Aug >>
12 Aug: Thai Airways will have to pay employee pensions worth 5.4 billion THB over the next 13 years to more than 1,600 employees, but these funds have been reserved in a bank account especially for this purpose >>
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VIETNAM $7 billion USD damage done so far to Vietnam’s tourism industry; potential 80% drop in international visitors
TRAVEL Tourists will not be permitted to enter Vietnam. Selected international flights RESTRICTIONS reopened from 15 Sep to Japan and South Korea. Experts, business managers or highly skilled workers can enter with relevant permissions. Domestic flights are permitted (IATA).
LOCKDOWN Businesses, including non-essential ones, reopened. Schools are opened. Face STATUS masks should be worn in public places.
Consumer sentiment Vietnam tourism arrivals % change YoY
32.80%
21.80%
-
68.10% -
98%
-
94.80%
99.30% 98.90% 98.90% 99.00%
-
- - - Source: YouGOV - Source: Vietnam National Administration of Tourism
Flight searches and booking volume for travel to Vietnam
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Future flight search for % change in scheduled travel to Vietnam departures YoY
Source: Sojern COVID-19 dashboard
Source: The Airline Flight Demand Tracker, Lufthansa Innovation Hub
TRAVEL BUBBLES & INTERNATIONAL BORDERS
NEW 9 Oct: The Ministry of Transport is planning to open 9 more international flights at Hanoi and HCMC, conducted by Vietnam Airlines and VietJet Air. The Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam (CAAV) will consider and license flights based on the cities’ suggestions >>
NEW 9 Oct: Foreigners entering Vietnam who want to travel further afield to provinces will be taken there to their quarantine facilities once they land at HCMC >>
NEW 7 Oct: Japan will lift its travel advisories for citizens to travel to Singapore, Thailand, South Korea, China, Hong Kong, Macao, Australia, New Zealand, Brunei, Vietnam, Malaysia, and Taiwan >>
2 Oct: Singapore has removed quarantine restrictions on travellers arriving from Vietnam, allowing them to make short-term visits. The Singapore Transport Minister has said that their counterparts in Vietnam are considering reciprocating the restrictions for Singaporeans arriving into their countries, but currently they would face quarantine on arrival >>
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1 Oct: Foreigners who entered Vietnam from 1 Mar will have their temporary stay permits renewed automatically until 31 Oct >>
30 Sep: The Vietnam National Administration of Tourism (VNAT) is making plans for inbound tourists in its 2nd stimulus program, which will focus on year-end festivals, and MICE travellers >>
29 Sep: Direct flights between Vietnam and Taiwan may restart by mid-Oct, the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office said on 28 Sep >>
28 Sep: Foreigners who are entering HCMC for less than 14 days and are not quarantined are being tested for COVID-19 upon arrival, and then every 2 days after. They are only permitted out from their accommodation to attend meetings and field trips >>
25 Sep: The first commercial international flight into Vietnam arrived in Hanoi from Seoul on 25 Sep after months of hiatus. The flight was a trial to test procedures for receiving international passengers, with around 100 arriving. Flights between the 2 countries will reopen this month, with 2 flights/ week >>
22 Sep: The Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam (CAAV) has submitted its plans for airlines to bring international pax into the country. There will be 9 inbound flights a week landing at Hanoi and HCMC airports, split between Vietnam Airlines and Vietjet Air. International carriers allowed to return include Japan Airlines, All Nippon Airways, China Airline and EVA Air. Airlines must only process bookings for customers who have the details of their quarantine facility, and the host organisation who will receive them. On check-in, they will need to show a negative test result within 3 days of boarding, which must be certified by the local embassy. They must wear face masks, install the contact tracing app Bluezone, and fill out health forms. Entrants are still limited to foreign investors, business executives, experts, highly skilled workers, diplomats, international students – and their family – along with returning Vietnamese and their relatives >>
19 Sep: Vietnam Airlines’ first international commercial flight in 6 months flew from Hanoi to Tokyo on 19 Sep. They will fly 2 more flights from Hanoi to Tokyo on 25 & 30 Sep, and from HCMC to Tokyo on 30 Sep >>
19 Sep: The Vietnamese PM has approved the recommendation to reopen commercial flights to Thailand >>
18 Sep: Foreigners and Vietnamese returning to Vietnam who want to stay in government quarantine facilities would need to pay a minimum of $5.16 USD per day >>
17 Sep: The Ministry of Transport has ordered the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam (CAAV) to work with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and airlines to work
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out entry procedures for commercial flights. Air tickets will only be allowed to be purchased if the pax have a visa and accommodation already booked >>
17 Sep: HCMC has proposed allowing 7,000 foreign experts entry into the city >>
17 Sep: Air tickets will only be allowed to be sold to foreign passengers who have entry visas and pre-booked accommodation, the Transportation Ministry has stated >>
15 Sep: The government has permitted the Transport Ministry to restart commercial international flights to mainland China, Japan, South Korea and Taiwan from September 15, followed by Laos, Cambodia from September 22. They have also extended the categories of foreigners allowed entry to include international students and family of Vietnamese citizens >>
11 Sep: Vietnam Airlines will resume international one-way flights between Vietnam and Japan from 18 Sep. The airline has said it is building a plan to resume flights to South Korea, China, Taiwan (China), Laos and Cambodia >>
11 Sep: Foreigners entering Vietnam on commercial flights will need to undergo centralised quarantine from 5-7 days, and then self-isolate for another 14 days should they test negative. The country expects to reopen commercial flights to Guangzhou, Japan, South Korea and Taiwan from 15 Sep, and Laos and Cambodia from 22 Sep. 20,000 passengers are expected to arrive on these flights each month, including Vietnamese citizens, foreign experts, and investors. Tourists will not be permitted yet. They will need to have a negative certificate prior to departure, and will be tested on arrival twice. Foreign passengers will need to pay for all quarantine and testing, as well as install the app Bluezone >>
10 Sep: Vietnam is looking at proposals allowing foreigners (experts, managers, high-skilled workers, investors, diplomats, etc) to quarantine in hotel-type lodgings >>
10 Sep: Vietnam is urging ASEAN to look into “tourism travel bubbles” within the region >>
8 Sep: Hong Kong has said that they are in talks with 6 nations to establish travel bubbles – including Vietnam, who had reciprocated interest >>
3 Sep: The Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam (CAAV) has submitted plans for international flights to be reinstated to Guangzhou, Seoul, Tokyo, Taipei, Cambodia and Laos on 15 Sep. All pax would be quarantined on arrival (at their own cost), with around 5,000 expected to enter a week. Transit passengers would not be allowed into the country. Pax would also need to provide a negative test prior to departure, and be tested on arrival. The CAAV has also asked the Ministry
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of Health to publish a place of real-time PCR labs, as travellers may also need tests to be able to leave Vietnam >>
3 Sep: Japan and South Korea have agreed to the reopening of international flights in terms of the destination, frequency and the protocols to be followed. The routes include Seoul to Hanoi/ HCMC, and Tokyo to Hanoi/ HCMC. The flights would be shared between Vietnamese and Korean/ Japanese airlines >>
3 Sep: Foreigners who enter Vietnam on a short business trip of less than 14 days (foreign investors, experts, highly skilled workers, business managers and their families) may not have to undergo 14 days of quarantine – but there will be stringent procedures for them to follow. All expenses should be covered by the host. For those foreigners entering to sign contracts or participate in meetings, the venue should be close to the border gates to minimise contact. They would also need to stay in their designated accommodation facility, and follow the scheduled itinerary >>
27 Aug: The PM has asked ministries to accelerate the approval of visas for investors and foreign experts to enter the country, and asked the Ministry of Finance and Ministry of Health to devise a plan for COVID19 treatment fee collection. He also proposed resuming international commercial flights to certain countries >>
19 Aug: More passengers will be allowed to transit at Changi Airport, including Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand, on Singapore Airlines Group’s flights, in addition to last week’s approval for Cambodia and Vietnam. Routes include from Bangkok, Jakarta, Medan, Surabaya, Ipoh, Kuching, Kuala Lumpur and Penang >>
INBOUND
NEW 9 Oct: Vietnam National Administration of Vietnam (VNAT) will launch a new app on 10 Oct to help visitors to check the safety of destinations. It will include information on tourism businesses, transport providers, etc who have submitted their safety status >>
NEW 9 Oct: A survey by Indochina Capital and Wink Hotels has shown that 68% of Vietnamese plan to resume domestic travels by Q4 2020. 64% of travellers use OTAs to book, and 91% rely on digital adverts for hotel browsing >>
NEW 9 Oct: A National Council for Cultural Heritage has been established by the PM to help safeguard national relics and treasures >>
NEW 8 Oct: Vietnam will reduce 4,000 workers from its civil service, and frozen new hiring. The General Statistics Office has shown that 14% of the labour force had
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lost their jobs from Jan-Sep, with 99% of jobs in the aviation sector lost, followed by tourism at 43% and hospitality at 28% >>
NEW 7 Oct: Vietjet has now restored its domestic network and increased frequency to 250 flights/ day, with certain routes maximised for year-end travel >>
NEW 7 Oct: Booking.com has revealed that the average distance which Vietnamese travelled from Jun-Aug has shrunk by 33% YoY, but in general, Vietnamese still travelled more than the global average. Top booked domestic travel destinations include: HCMC, Hanoi, Vung Tau, Danang, Dalat, Nha Trang, Phu Quoc, Hoi An, Quy Nhon and Halong >>
NEW 7 Oct: The cost of the Long Thanh Airport in Dong Nai has been cut by 103.5 million USD. The council has said that it will be difficult to reach its 2025 completion target date >>
NEW 7 Oct: Short training courses for 1,000 workers affected by COVID-19, including those form the tourism industry, will be run by the German development agency and the Department of Labours, Invalids and Social Affairs in 8 cities and provinces >>
NEW 7 Oct: Experts are concerned about a second airport for Hanoi, saying that demand could fall short of expectations, especially with the expansion of Hanoi’s Noi Bai Airport already >>
NEW 6 Oct: Vietnamese hotels being used for quarantine purposes must have ‘buffer rooms’, one room empty in between quarantine rooms. HCMC currently has 10 designated hotels for quarantine, 2 of which are designated for cabin crew use. The HCMC tourism department has recommended adding 16 hotels, including budget hotels to offer travellers more choice >>
NEW 6 Oct: 1,300 tourism businesses have been affected in HCMC >>
NEW 6 Oct: Hai Phong city have locked down a hotel after a Japanese business traveller tested positive upon arrival to Japan after departing from Vietnam >>
NEW 5 Oct: Vietnam Airlines is now operating 200 flights/ day, with 40,000 pax, compared to Aug’s 17,500 pax. Bamboo Airways is now serving 12,000-15,000 pax/ day, and the load factor on its Hanoi – Con Dao route is at 100%. Passenger traffic at Hanoi’s Noi Bai International Airport increased 15% per week since Sep, and on weekends it handles 32,000 pax/ day on 250 flights >>
NEW 5 Oct: The Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam (CAAV) is proposing a domestic airport in Quang Tri province, located 7km away from Dong Ha city >>
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NEW 5 Oct: Tourism agents will reduce their prices by 50% to the Ba Ria – Vung Tau province during the 2nd phase of its stimulus program. Many tour operators are reporting that sales are only at 30% of the Jun and Jul’s numbers >>
NEW 5 Oct: A rail link between Phnom Penh to Bavet, on the border with Vietnam, is being considered. Vietnam would then build a rail link from Bavet to HCMC >>
NEW 4 Oct: Fitch Ratings estimates that Vietnamese air carriers will rebound quicker than their ASEAN peers, with its RPK reaching 55% of last year’s. It also forecasts that in 2021 this will reach 90% of 2019’s levels, compared to ASEAN’s 60% >>
4 Oct: The CAAV has asked the Ministry of Transport to shorten the closure of the Hanoi’s Noi Bai airport for upgrading and repairing runways >>
3 Oct: Russian travel companies in Khanh Hoa are proposing opening up the region to Russian tourists from Nov on chartered flights. The country is the second largest source market for Khanh Hoa >>
3 Oct: A tourism stimulus program in the SE region has been launched, with 7 localities, including HCMC, Vung Tau, Binh Duong, Binh Phuoc, Binh Thuan, Dong Nai and Tay Ninh. The locations will work together to promote the SE region as a safe one with a digital regional travel map designed to make it easy for tourists to find safe destinations and tourism products >>
3 Oct: Businesses affected by the pandemic will have more opportunities to get funding if a government proposal of a 2.6 billion USD package is agreed >>
2 Oct: HCMC authorities have announced quarantine fees to avoid further disagreements from tourists about fees >>
2 Oct: The Department of Tourism for Danang, with Vietnam Airlines, will host the first tourists back to Danang from 4-6 Oct. Its Aug tourist arrivals dropped 95.5% YoY due to the 2nd wave outbreak originating from the city >>
2 Oct: If Hanoi were to build a 2nd airport, the location for it is not yet agreed, with possible contenders being the Ung Hoa district, Thanh Mien/ Binh Giang districts, or Tien Lang district in Hai Phong city >>
2 Oct: HCMC is aiming to become a regional healthcare hub to attract tourists to visit, using traditional medicine as a highlight >>
2 Oct: Consumer confidence is at the lowest level for 20 years according to a poll >>
2 Oct: Hotels in Yen Bai province are seeing a large number of domestic tourists as part of the Mu Cang Chai terraced field festival. Activities in the festival include a marathon, helicopter cruise and a camping festival. Sapa in Lao Cai province has
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also launched a “I love Sapa” campaign on 30 Sep, with a varied cultural program to attract tourists. Lao Cai’s visitors from Jan-Sep have declined 67% YoY to 1.3 million, and revenue -70% YoY. Lao Cai are hoping to attract 2.5 million visitors by YE 2020 >>
2 Oct: A 30% corporate income tax cut for selected businesses for the 2020 financial year has been approved >>
2 Oct: HCMC has launched a 2nd stimulus worth $517 million USD for SMEs. It includes preferential loans to allow workers to retain workers and maintain production. Around 100,000-120,000 tourism workers have lost their jobs, with 4,400 tourism businesses affected >>
1 Oct: 100 Vietnamese passengers who returned to HCMC from Seoul refused to be quarantined, saying the charges were unaffordable and were different to what had been mentioned prior to arrival. The passengers were later taken to a centralised quarantine facility >>
1 Oct: HCMC have launched a new campaign to promote the city, called “Hello Ho Chi Minh City”. It has 2 phases – the 1st focuses on promoting the city as a safe, friendly place, including the Ao Dai Fstival and interprovincial cooperation. The 2nd phase is to promote the official identity of HCMC, with conferences linked to events such as the International Marathon, and also boost promotion through international channels >>
1 Oct: Hanoi is targeting 35-39 million tourists by 2025, with 8-9 million international arrivals. By 2030, that would increase to 48-49 million total tourists, 13-14 million of which international arrivals. The city will focus on boosting tourism infrastructure and conservation projects >>
30 Sep: Vietnam’s Jan-Sep international arrivals fell 70% YoY to just 3.78 million. Sep alone dropped 99% to 13,800, mainly foreign experts, highly-skilled workers and students. Tourism revenue Jan-Sep is down 56.3% YoY, with the biggest impacts on Khanh Hoa province, HCMC and Quang Nam >>
30 Sep: The Ministry of Culture, Sports & Tourism have launched their 2nd domestic stimulus program, “Safe and Attractive Vietnam” >>
30 Sep: The Vietnam Tourism Association (VITA) forecasts that international visitors to Vietnam will decline by at least 70% YoY, and domestic tourists will be reduced by 50%. They are encouraging tourism businesses to transform digitally, to reach more consumers and reduce costs >>
30 Sep: Vietnam is targeting a 7% GDP growth rate, and a $5,000 USD per capita income from 2021 to 2025. 2020’s per capita income stands at $2,750 USD >>
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30 Sep: Vietnamese pilots and flight attendants have seen their salaries drop as their flight hours have reduced >>
30 Sep: Saigon Railways have started to sell their group Tet tickets for 2021 >>
30 Sep: Bamboo Airways is planning to add more Embraer E-195s to their fleet, after just receiving 2. They form part of the airline’s strategy to connect untapped potential holiday destinations with smaller aircraft >>
29 Sep: HCMC is considering opening more walking zones on weekends, to encourage residents and tourists to visit >>
28 Sep: Many hotels in Hanoi’s Old Quarter are being sold after incurring big losses. VNAT have said that occupancy in Hanoi is less than 10% >>
26 Sep: Hanoi will hold the Dragon Dance Festival on 3 Oct, as part of its Thang Long celebrations >>
25 Sep: Danang has returned to normal from the 25 Sep, after the 2nd wave was controlled >>
25 Sep: A conference held by Vietnam National Administration (VNAT) and VNExpress agreed that “safety and attraction” should be the motto for the developing tourism industry >>
25 Sep: Vietnam is boosting the production of test kits, with over 20,000 pax expected to arrive in Vietnam per month. The country’s largest producer of the kits is now making 100,000 per day, which can be increased by 5 times if necessary >>
25 Sep: Hanoi Theatre Festival will open on 26 Sep, with 14 productions and forms part of the Thang Long festival >>
25 Sep: HCMC is looking to build more public parks and greenery over the next decade and to plant 50,000 trees by 2030 >>
24 Sep: Danang will reopen bars, clubs and karaoke parlours on 25 Sep >>
24 Sep: More airlines are reopening their domestic routes, such as Bamboo Airways’ Hai Phong - Quy Nhon route >>
24 Sep: Vietnamese airlines reached an on-time performance of 96% in Sep, with Bamboo Airways leading the pack at 97.8% >>
24 Sep: A survey conducted by VNExpress and Vietnam’s Tourism Advisory Board (TAB) revealed that:
• 41% of respondents said they had made plans to travel between Sep-Nov 2020, whilst 20% plan to travel in Dec
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• 47% preferred trips of 2-3 days, and Lam Dong Province came out as the most popular destination (23.6%) • 56% said that COVID-19 safety would be the leading decision factor for choosing a destination • 63% planned to book hotels and tours on online platforms • 57% worried about visiting tourists hotspots which were centres of the pandemic >>
24 Sep: Vietnam was ranked 13th best holiday destination to visit in 2021 by CNTraveller >>
22 Sep: The traditional festival in An Sinh Temple in Quang Ninh will be cancelled to stop the spread of the pandemic >>
22 Sep: The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism has asked the PM for urgent support for tourism businesses, such as delaying repayments of loan interest, as 95% of businesses have stopped operations. They reported just 10% occupancy during the 2nd wave. They are also asking for a cut to VAT levels from 10% to 5%, and more favourable conditions for businesses to be able to qualify for support >>
21 Sep: Hanoi is proposing a 39km long metro line worth $2.8 billion USD, to ease traffic congestion. Construction would start in 2022, with completion estimated for 2026 >>
21 Sep: Hanoi is preparing for a surge in domestic tourists once more, with the Thang Long festival, celebrating 1,010 years since the city was established as the capital of the country. Its overall arrival numbers for Aug YTD are down 67.3% YoY. The Hanoi Tourism Department is working to diversify products and introduce new stimulus programs >>
21 Sep: Vietnam Airlines has increased its domestic passengers to 40,000, an increase of 12% YoY, despite the pandemic >>
21 Sep: Property Consultant CBRE has said that hotel occupancy rates remain low in Vietnam, with many of them cutting their rates sharply to attract visitors >>
21 Sep: Ang Giang province plans to cooperate with HCMC City and the Mekong Delta provinces to revive tourism. They will work together to launch new tours. Overall arrivals Aug YTD were 4.8 million, a drop of 40% YoY >>
20 Sep: Sun World Ba Na Hills has reopened on 20 Sep. Each visitor to the complex until the year-end will be entitled to a free buffet >>
19 Sep: ESTA, the US visa service company, has revealed that Vietnam was the 31st most searched for place for a holiday post-pandemic >>
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18 Sep: The Ministry of Culture, Sports & Tourism have asked tourism associations, tourism departments and businesses to continue domestic tourism stimulus measures in 2020. They should develop high-quality products with flexible refunding and change policies >>
18 Sep: Vietjet has introduced new fares, SkyBoss and Deluxe across its network. SkyBoss offers more value-adds to pax, e.g. freeflow of welcome drinks and hot, fresh meals on flights >>
17 Sep: Hanoi will hold the twice-postponed Vietnam International Travel Mart from 18-21 Nov, under a new theme: Digital transformation boosts Vietnamese tourism’s development >>
17 Sep: A forum was held on Vietnam-India tourism cooperation post-pandemic >>
16 Sep: The Ministry of Labor has proposed 2 options for a 7-day break over Tet 2021, either 10-16 Feb or 11-17 Feb. An official proposal will be submitted soon >>
16 Sep: Quang Ninh has extended its sightseeing discount programme between 9 Sep – 31 Dec, allowing 50% off for Ha Long Bay, Quang Ninh Museum and the Yen Tu relic, whilst on certain days, entrance will be free. Passengers who arrived into Van Don International Airport will also receive free round-trip bus journeys to Halong Bay and Uong Bi cities. Tourism arrivals into the province by Aug YTD were more than 5.7 million, around a 50% decrease YoY >>
15 Sep: HCMC is ready to receive foreign arrivals, the city has confirmed >>
15 Sep: The ADB expects Vietnam’s economy to grow by just 1.8% in 2020 in its latest forecast, whilst 2021’s growth would be 6.3%. The growth will be backed by macroeconomic stability and increased public spending >>
15 Sep: Vietjet have resumed flights to Danang >>
15 Sep: Hanoi will allow bars, karaoke clubs and clubs to reopen from 15 Sep, and Hoan Kiem district’s pedestrian street around the lake will reopen on 18 Sep >>
15 Sep: 2.4 million workers have lost their jobs in H1 across all sectors >>
15 Sep: Ha Thinh province has suggested building an international airport which would operate flights to Taiwan and South Korea >>
15 Sep: Can Gio district will become an ecological urban area, preserving its mangrove forests, whilst urbanising it >>
14 Sep: Vinpearl, a major hospitality company in Vietnam, has had losses of $220 million USD in H1 >>
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14 Sep: Vietnam Airlines will increase its domestic flight frequencies >>
14 Sep: Social distancing on public transportation from Danang has been lifted >>
14 Sep: All tourism activities will be allowed once more in Thua Thien-Hue (Hue) >>
13 Sep: Travellers arriving to HCMC from Danang will no longer be tested for COVID-19, but will still need to visit medical centres to make declarations >>
13 Sep: Hanoi’s tour companies are launching special discounted packages again, focusing on the autumn season >>
12 Sep: Hanoi is preparing to reopen certain activities to help recover the economic activity of the city >>
12 Sep: Vietnam recorded 10 consecutive days without any local transmission >>
12 Sep: Many train routes resumed trips on 11 Sep to tourism destinations >>
12 Sep: Vietnamese air carriers are looking to the Tet national holidays in Feb 2021 to provide them with an increase in air bookings, with all 5 carriers now offering flights. The most popular routes recorded so far are between Hanoi/ HCMC, and HCMC/ Hai Phong City. The Vietnam Aviation Business Association (VABA) has also expressed confidence that domestic travel will pick up in Oct >>
11 Sep: The Cu Chi Tunnels are looking to be recognised as a UNESCO World Heritage Site >>
10 Sep: The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism is proposing a stimulus package of 5 trillion VND, with 10 million vouchers for tourists to receive 10% off a full package tour. The program is expected to attract 10 million domestic tourists, boosting the number of domestic travellers to 30 million and generating 800 billion VND >>
10 Sep: Bamboo Airways will launch 3 domestic routes to Con Dao from Hanoi, Vinh and Hai Phong in Oct >>
10 Sep: Hanoi is looking at a pilot scheme to allow catering, entertainment and shopping to operate in Hoan Kiem overnight, with outdoor activities and heritage sites open until midnight. A new pedestrian area would also be developed >>
10 Sep: Beaches in Danang will be allowed to reopen and restaurants offer dine-in services from 11 Sep. Non-essential businesses like bars and gyms will still remain closed. Students from 6th-12th grade will return to school from 14 Sep >>
10 Sep: Vietnamese airlines will increase flight frequencies to Danang from Hanoi and HCMC from 11 Sep >>
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10 Sep: The National Steering Committee for COVID-19 prevention and control have said that Vietnam must now "live safely with the pandemic", and will hire firms to test passengers at airports to be able to handle more arrivals >>
10 Sep: The first surf pool in Vietnam will open under a Surf the Wave real estate project, as part of a lifestyle hub in HCMC >>
10 Sep: Tinh Tam Lake in Hue City has reopened to visitors after being closed for one year of restoration >>
10 Sep: Khanh Hoa is planning to revive its tourism in Q4 with a domestic tourism stimulus, as well as new MICE and leisure packages. They aim to have 350,000 visitors in Q4, including 10,000 foreigners >>
9 Sep: Flights restarted to Vietnam’s Central Highlands: Buon Ma Thuot, Pleiku and Lien Khuong airports >>
9 Sep: The Civil Aviation Administration of Vietnam has still warned about aviation accidents in the county, with 36 incidents from Jan-Aug, down 45% YoY. 2 of these were “serious” >>
9 Sep: HCMC will continue to test travellers arriving from Danang, whilst Hanoi still requires passengers arriving from Danang to self-isolate for 14 days >>
8 Sep: All passenger transportation will be resumed to Danang from 7 Sep >>
8 Sep: Ba Thuoc district has been upgrading infrastructure facilities and organising training for tourism service providers, to improve the potential of tourism in the area >>
7 Sep: Domestic flights resumed to Danang on 7 Sep, after being suspended for one month. All carriers must have social distancing, and passengers must wear face masks >>
7 Sep: Bars, clubs, festivals, fairs and conferences will be permitted in HCMC once more, although locals are encouraged to wear masks >>
7 Sep: A survey has shown that 42.7% of Vietnamese millennial travellers regularly use their mobile phones to find travel information >>
7 Sep: The government has revised its economic growth target to 2% from 2.5% for 2020. They have also proposed not to raise the minimum wage in 2021, the first time in 25 years >>
6 Sep: Quang Nam has allowed the reopening of non-essential businesses and gatherings of more than 20 pax are permitted. Travel companies can organise tours and receive visitors from Danang City as well as other areas affected by the
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2nd wave, However, certain restrictions such as wearing face masks in public are still in place >>
6 Sep: The Danang vice-chairman has suggested restarting interprovincial transportation links between Danang and the rest of Vietnam >>
6 Sep: Vietnamese tourism companies do not see much benefit for the start of international flights to 6 Asian destinations, as they feel it is mainly for business travellers rather than tourists >>
5 Sep: 950 hotels in Hanoi closed by the end of Aug, affecting 16,000 workers, the Hanoi Department of Tourism revealed. It also noted that high-end hotels were particularly affected, due to the large share international customers have. The average occupancy rate from Jan-Aug was 10.6%, a decrease of 53.4% YoY >>
5 Sep: Vietnam still predicts a growth of 2-2.5% in 2020, with 6.7% predicted for next year >>
5 Sep: Fees for takeoff, landing and aircraft operating services for domestic flights will continue to be cut by 50% for the next 6 months, until Mar 2021 >>
5 Sep: A $51 million USD golf course will be built in Danang by VinaCapital >>
4 Sep: Danang will loosen its lockdown from 5 Sep. Now, eateries are allowed to open for online services and public transport can carry 50% capacity. Events are still limited to 20 pax in public places, and non-essential services remain suspended >>
4 Sep: Foreign tourists will no longer need a travel permit to visit Phu Quy Island in Binh Thuan Province, a process which previously could take up to 4 days. By 2030, the island expects to have 42,000 tourists, 6,000 of which would be international >>
4 Sep: Vietjet has become the first private airline in Vietnam to set up its own ground handling arm, starting its own ground-handling services at Hanoi on 4 Sep. Through this move, the airline aims to be able to manage its operations and costs more flexibly >>
3 Sep: HCMC has suggested financial assistance of $43 USD be given to more employees who have lost their jobs due to COVID-19, including those at tourist sites >>
3 Sep: Vietnam Airlines is planning to resume more domestic flights from 3 Sep, including Hanoi - Chu Lai, Hanoi - Tuy Hoa, Hai Phong - Dien Bien, Vinh - Buon Ma Thuot, Vinh - Da Lat, and Hue - Da Lat >>
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2 Sep: Vietjet Aviation Joint Stock Company has posted its H1 consolidated revenues, with a loss of $62 million USD, lower than expected >>
1 Sep: HCMC has seen over 327,000 people lose jobs across all sectors in H1, with another 180,000 expected by year-end, the “worst-case scenario”. The municipal government is urging the labor ministry to support companies with a $2.67 billion USD support package, as well as calling for employees to be more understanding of a lower salary. The city has also proposed its own support package to support workers in industries heavily impacted, such as tourism >>
1 Sep: Bus tickets for the National Day holiday in HCMC have dropped by 55% vs 2019, with just 14,000 sold on 1 Sep. Since the Jul outbreak, the numbers of pax through the Mien Dong Bus Station, the largest in Vietnam, has dropped by 21,000 each day >>
1 Sep: HCMC’s domestic travel stimulus program restarted on 31 Aug, with discounted travel and attractions for the public holiday on National Day (2 Sep) >>
1 Sep: The biggest declines in tourism revenue from Jan – Aug were seen in Khanh Hoa Province (-76.6%), HCMC (-72.1%) and Ba Ria-Vung Tau (-67.2%) >>
1 Sep: The PM has been asked not to approve the application for Canh Dieu (Kite Air) to launch as a new airline. The Ministry of Transport wants it to be approved only in 2022 >>
31 Aug: Many tourism workers have turned to setting up their own ecommerce stores to generate income >>
31 Aug: Vietnam has increased the liability limitations for airlines from 15 Oct >>
30 Aug: Jan – Aug saw 3.8 million international visitors to Vietnam, a drop of 66.6% YoY. Aug saw 163,000 foreigners to Vietnam, increasing 16.9% vs Jul, but down 98.9% YoY >>
30 Aug: The upgrade on one of the runways at HCMC’s airport is 41% complete and should be complete by Nov, ahead of schedule. The recent decrease in air traffic has allowed faster work on the taxiways >>
28 Aug: Vietjet Air is looking to raise $112.19 million USD through the issue of domestic bonds in 2020. The airline had net losses of $3.18 million USD in H1, - 96% YoY >>
28 Aug: A new “Green Travel” section on the national tourism board website has been launched, an initiative between the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism (VNAT), the Vietnam Tourism Advisory Board (TAB) and the Swiss Sustainable Tourism Programme (SSTP). It lists reputable businesses who follow sustainable principles >>
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28 Aug: Between 19 Jul – 18 Aug, Vietnam’s air carriers’ flights were down 45.7% YoY, in a period which is usually high season, due to the demand being tempered by the 2nd wave. Vietnam Airlines and Vietjet both saw a YoY drop of 48% in flights operated. Bamboo Airlines was the only airline to have an increase of 21%, due to it only starting operations in 2019. They also all saw a double digit decline in flights vs the 19 Jun-18 Jul period, with 490 flights cancelled >>
28 Aug: Vietravel have said that tourists are booking short-distance trips for the National Day holiday on 2 Sep, and that all of their group tours stopped after the 2nd wave. Luxury staycations are also another alternative for travellers >>
28 Aug: Quang Nam has ended social distancing on 28 Aug after no new cases for 9 days. However, festivals, religious events, sports and non-essential services like clubs and bars remain closed. Hotels are allowed to open but all employees must have protective suits issued to it >>
28 Aug: The new HCMC – Vung Tau ferry will be suspended until Oct, after being rescheduled to launch on 2 Sep >>
27 Aug: The government is proposing a $798 million USD budget for support for SMEs, where businesses can borrow up to 2 billion VND >>
26 Aug: The Danang outbreak has changed domestic tourism patterns once again, with older travellers staying at home, and younger travellers choosing to limit travel plans within a day’s drive of their home city, in case they need to suddenly return home >>
26 Aug: Mui Ne has been recognised as a national tourist site, and is expected to play an important role in the recovery of tourism in the south-central coastal region, becoming a leading APAC destination by 2030. By 2025, they aim to welcome 9 million tourists >>
26 Aug: CBRE Vietnam have predicted that the outlook for Vietnam’s tourism sector is still positive, but that for 2020-2021 it is expected to be in defensive mode >>
26 Aug: The HCMC Department of Tourism has said that it is very difficult for tourism businesses to be able to access aid under the government’s relief package, and just 7 businesses have managed to get interest rates on their bank loans reduced >>
24 Aug: Hanoi will provide free wifi at tourist attractions in four districts and one town >>
24 Aug: HCMC’s municipal Department of Tourism has come up with 2 scenarios to help revive tourism:
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1. If the outbreak is contained by Sep, they will launch domestic promotions to introduce new and safe products 2. If the outbreak lasts until the YE, they will focus on workforce restructuring and training and product building >>
24 Aug: Quang Ninh has been implementing smart city technology and smart tourism infrastructure, with an integrated tourism data portal. They are planning to launch their smart tourism administration centre by the end of the year >>
24 Aug: Many tour guides are unable to access the government’s relief packages, with complicated procedures >>
22 Aug: Hanoi’s walking streets have been closed from 21 Aug, to prevent crowds gathering >>
20 Aug: Hanoi’s West Lake Temple has been closed after 4,000 people visited on the first day of the seventh lunar month. Other stricter social distancing measures have been implemented in Hanoi, including 1-metre apart seating at F&B establishments, wearing of masks by staff at restaurants and cafes, citizens to stay home unless necessary, and the wearing of face masks outdoors >>
20 Aug: HCMC’s tourism businesses should ensure that they are following the health protocols, the Department of Tourism has reminded them >>
20 Aug: Developing Halong city’s night-time economy will be a priority for their developmental goals, the municipal People’s Committee has said. One of the central parts of this is to develop 12 pedestrian streets and squares to attract tourists >>
20 Aug: The government has said that they have decreasing numbers of cases in Danang and Quang Nam over the past few days, and that it is under control >>
20 Aug: Exploring Trang An Scenic Landscape Complex by kayak is now possible, as part of the campaign “Vietnamese People Travel Within Vietnam.” >>
19 Aug: Abercrombie & Kent Vietnam are launching private tours aimed at domestic corporate travellers, including team building and incentive tours for groups of 10 pax onwards >>
18 Aug: The Asian Development Bank’s new report shows that youth unemployment in Vietnam could reach 13.2% in 2020, a doubling of 2019’s 6.9% rate if it takes 6 months to get the COVID-19 situation under control. A 3-month containment could see youth unemployment rise to 10.8%. The hotels and restaurants sector accounts for 13.6% of youth job losses >>
18 Aug: The Vietnam Aviation Business Association (VABA) has urged the government to reopen international routes to safe countries. They also asked the
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government for credit packages worth $1.07 billion USD, to extend the air service fee reduction until the end of 2021, cut 70% of the environmental protection tax on fuel and speed up the repair of runways at Hanoi and HCMC >>
18 Aug: Schools will reopen for the new academic year on 1 Sep, with a shorter school holiday than usual >>
17 Aug: Vietnam Airlines has started its airline seat sale for Tet, with more than 2 million tickets available >>
16 Aug: Noi Bai International Airport in Hanoi has had its planning schemes adjusted, with the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam (CAAV) projecting it to handle 63 million pax per year by 2030, and 100 million by 2050. The new plans include a 4th runway, as well as plans for a terminal 4 and 5 >>
15 Aug: The Ministry of Health has said that the Danang outbreak is expected to be under control by the end of Aug. After another cluster was detected in Hai Duong Province, 15 days of social distancing has also been imposed >>
15 Aug: Agro-tourism has been becoming more popular, with farmers being able to earn additional revenue from tourism. Long Khanh City has seen more than 200 households take part in this model, with 100,000 visitors over the last 2 years, and an estimated revenue of $2.5 million USD >>
14 Aug: Further guidelines have been published regarding the 30% corporate tax cut – it would apply to companies who had a revenue of less than $8.62 million USD in 2020 >>
14 Aug: Vietjet will offer 15kg free checked in baggage for bookings from 12 Aug – 24 Oct >>
14 Aug: The Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum will reopen to visitors from 15 Aug >>
14 Aug: Hue has approved a new 4,000 sqm night market to be set up as a tourist destination, and will be open between 6pm – 5am every day >>
13 Aug: A new survey on changed Vietnamese travel habits has shown:
• Travellers plan to spend more days (10) and higher budget (15.4 million VND) travelling domestically in 2020 • Travellers tend to go with less people, and book onto packaged tours as they have great value • Destinations closer to home, and avoiding air travel are prioritised >>
13 Aug: Quang Nam has extended its social distancing, with all public transport and entertainment services banned >>
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13 Aug: Vietnam Railways have reported that passengers cancelled bookings of up to 25 billion VND in the first week of Aug >>
13 Aug: Vietjet Air have released 1.5 million air tickets for Tet, the Lunar New Year >>
13 Aug: The PM has urged Phu Tho, a northern midland province, to develop its tourism infrastructure and promote its local specialities through tourism >>
13 Aug: More festivals have been cancelled or postponed, including the Sapa Rose and Wine Festival planned for 21-23 Aug and the Buon Ma Thuoc coffee festival planned for 9-16 Mar 2021. HCMC’s annual Ao Dai festival may now be moved online >>
13 Aug: Cruise ship owners in Halong Bay have asked to suspend operations, due to financial constraints. 500 cruise ships in the area have serviced just 100-200 tourists per day. The ship owners have not been included in the government’s financial support package >>
12 Aug: HCMC’s Department of Tourism has said that they need help from the government with relief and credit packages for firms to survive. 70% of travel companies had restarted operations in May, but now 35,000 bookings have been cancelled, creating losses of $906,300 USD. 90% of travel agents have now temporarily closed, with many staff on unpaid leave, and 90% of hotel staff have been made redundant or put on unpaid leave. Only 10 tour guides have managed to obtain financial support from the government, out of 5,864, with many tourism businesses finding it extremely difficult to obtain funds from banks >>
12 Aug: Hanoi Redtours don’t see the domestic market rebounding until October, and expect revenue to fall 70% vs 2019, with likely losses. Other companies such as Saigontourist have seen 95% of customers cancel tours, 13,000 pax >>
12 Aug: The Ministry of Transport has ordered that flights to/ from Danang continue to be suspended >>
15 Jun: The Tourism Minister has encouraged Vietnamese people to travel within the country after 60 days of no community transmission. Four phases of Vietnam’s reopening will be:
1. Domestic tourism available and encouraged – current position 2. Cautious “tourism exchanges” with safe countries 3. Expanding the list of regional tourists who can visit Vietnam 4. International arrivals returning to the “pre-COVID-19 normal” >>
30 May: New economic measures have been taken by the government, including:
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• Reduction of 15% on rental fees for state-owned land and properties for businesses forced to stop operation by COVID-19 • Waiving fees for local airlines, reducing landing and take-off charges and air navigation services fees by 50% for domestic flights from Mar-Sep. • Airlines are also allowed to offer zero air fares for certain services • Mobile money scheme will also be allowed to pilot for low value transactions • MSMEs could also benefit from a proposed 30% cut in corporate tax this year >>
14 May: License fees for international and domestic tourism firms has been reduced by 50% from 6 May until 2020 year end. Fees for a tour guide card have also been reduced from $14 USD to $4 USD >>
29 Apr: The Vietnam Tourism Advisory Board has asked for a government guaranteed credit package of $6.4 billion to help tourism businesses with loans, valued at around 25% of total tourism revenue in 2019, provided they meet certain conditions >>
View older updates from February onwards on our dashboard at: https://www.pearanderson.com/coronavirus/vietnam/
OUTBOUND
1 Oct: Vietjet inaugurated 2 regular commercial flights between Vietnam and South Korea >>
17 Sep: Vietjet is planning to reopen one-way international flights to Japan, South Korea and Taiwan from 29 Sep >>
15 Sep: Bamboo Airways plans to reopen flights from Hanoi to Taipei from 29 Sep, and to Seoul from 7 Oct, with a weekly round trip. From 1 Nov, it will fly HCMC – Tokyo and Hanoi – Tokyo. It also plans a flight from Hai Phong to Singapore in Q4. It is still awaiting approval for international flights to London and Munich/ Frankfurt >>
8 Sep: Bamboo Airways is planning to launch a Hanoi – Melbourne route in 2021, with business, premium economy and economy classes on its Boeing 787-9 aircraft >>
View older updates from February onwards on our dashboard at: https://www.pearanderson.com/coronavirus/vietnam/
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ABOUT PEAR ANDERSON
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