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How tour operators are preparing for the recovery of tourism in Asia

2022-04-02T06:25:28.467Z


With the exception of China and Japan, most Asian destinations are welcoming travelers back. After almost two years of interruption, tour operators must check, if not rethink, each stage of their organized stays.


It's like an old bike stored in the back of the garage waiting for sunny days.

When we turn the key in the ignition, our old friend coughs a little.

It must go to the revision before running at full speed.

Sunny days are back for trips to Asia.

Most major destinations have eased the health restrictions that were hampering the recovery of tourism.

But we do not resume stays stopped for almost two years of stopping as if nothing had happened.

A new round of easing hit Asia on April 1.

Malaysia has reopened its borders, and quarantine is no longer imposed on vaccinated travelers arriving in South Korea and Singapore.

Thailand is repealing the PCR test to be carried out before departure.

Cambodia, India, Sri Lanka, Indonesia and Vietnam have been accessible since February or March.

Most of these destinations, however, require a negative PCR test to be carried out before departure or upon arrival.

Only Japan and China keep their borders closed.

However, the pandemic has left its mark.

On site, tourism players have not all waited wisely for two years for the return of foreign visitors.

In some destinations, they received no help from the authorities.

“Some hotels lack manpower because many staff members have left and some guides have retrained

,” says Yannick Barde, co-director of production at Asia.

We are not worried about the fact that if the tourists come back, the guides will resume service.

The problem is that we need guides to bring tourists back…”

Read alsoIn Cambodia, the timid return of tourists

A painstaking job

Tour operators have launched painstaking work to check each restaurant, hotel, excursionist, guide or other partner service providers.

"We control all the links in the chain upstream, much more than before the pandemic

," says Bernard Bonnet, production director at Maisons du Voyage (Figaro group).

Several people from my teams went on location scouting or accompanied the first trips to check that the services were still up to standard.

»

Faced with this situation, it was necessary to revise the copy.

“We have changed almost all of our trips.

What poses the most problems is the air.

Flight plans have changed, routes and schedules.

You have to juggle between air constraints, the few health constraints still in force and the state of health of the services

,” explains Yannick Barde.

But the situation is not so gloomy.

Despite a bit of damage here and there, many tourism players have held on.

"In Thailand, for example, the large structures of mass tourism have certainly been more impacted than the boutique hotels with which we work, which have fewer charges and which have been able to turn their backs"

, illustrates the co-director of production of Asia .

“Domestic tourism has taken over in several destinations

, adds that of Maisons du Voyage.

The inhabitants have rediscovered their country, like the French during the pandemic.

»

Despite the few remaining health restrictions and the negative impact of the war in Ukraine, interest in the Asian continent is growing.

Sign that tourists know that once it is restored, nothing beats a ride aboard an old bike.

Source: lefigaro

All news articles on 2022-04-02

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