Mexican destinations are in rapid recovery 3:51
(CNN) --
During the recent Easter holidays, social media was filled with photos of happy travelers, many of them taking their first trips abroad since the start of the pandemic.
Ski holidays in Switzerland.
Beach getaways in Thailand.
That promised family trip to Disney World.
In fact, so many travelers are departing that experts are already predicting a chaotic summer for travel ahead, as the industry struggles to cope with shrinking capacity and workforces.
A very uneven recovery
A review of the World Tourism Organization's list of destinations reveals that most places that rely on tourism dollars have lifted quarantine restrictions and are welcoming travelers, though some still have some measures in place, such as mandatory covid-19 tests on arrival, pre-flight testing, mandatory quarantines if tests come back positive, etc.
But while most of the world's most popular destinations have reopened, there are a few favorite tourist destinations that remain off-limits for leisure travel, regardless of their willingness to undergo testing, vaccination and quarantine.
And most of them are in the Asia-Pacific region.
advertising
Asia is facing three major economic shocks: the war in Ukraine, China and the Fed
"We are starting to see the first signs of recovery with markets like Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam, Australia and Cambodia relaxing their restrictions and starting to recover," said Liz Ortiguera, CEO of the Asia Travel Association. -Pacific (PATA), made up of 650 member organizations, including government tourism agencies, travel agencies and airports.
"However, there remain a number of major markets in the region that are virtually closed from an international capacity standpoint. The region as a whole is experiencing a very uneven recovery."
Leisure tourists are still not allowed in Japan.
Japan eases entry restrictions, but tourists are still left out
Tourists who want to visit Tokyo's fish markets will have to wait a bit longer to get their sushi fix.
Japan continues to relax its strict entry measures, the limit on the number of new arrivals per day has been raised to 10,000 people from April 10, 2022, but this does not include tourists.
At the moment, citizens, residents, researchers, students, family members of residents and business travelers can enter with prior authorization.
Some face quarantine, depending on where they arrive.
When will Japan reopen to tourists?
The issue was raised at a press conference held by Prime Minister Fumio Kishida on April 8;
however, no specific plan was announced.
"We will have to continue making the right decisions based on the situation of the infection and the international movements of each country," he said.
"It has not yet been determined."
At least 27 cities in China are subject to full or partial lockdowns due to covid-19
China struggles to contain outbreaks
Much has been made of the fact that the global tourism economy will not really recover until China's citizens are able to travel abroad again.
In 2019, the number of outbound tourists from China reached 155 million, according to the China Academy of Tourism, making it the world's largest market for overseas travel.
For now, Chinese citizens are strongly discouraged from traveling abroad and those who do face a minimum of two weeks of quarantine upon return, or more.
But what about foreign tourists willing to quarantine in exchange for a vacation?
Those who wish to fulfill their lifelong dream of walking the Great Wall will have to wait to take those steps.
Foreign tourists are not allowed to enter for leisure purposes at this time.
As for a reopening schedule, as early as October 2021, the director of China's Center for Disease Control and Prevention said the country could open its borders after vaccinating more than 85% of its population "by early 2022." ".
Although that vaccination goal has now been met, the country remains committed to its "zero-Covid" strategy as it struggles to contain outbreaks in several cities, making it highly unlikely that global tourists will be welcomed anytime soon. next.
Macau is not ready to bet on reopening, Hong Kong opens the door a little
Macau casinos are still off-limits to most international travelers.
Credit: Adobe Stock
Bad news for travelers who want to place their bets in Asia's most famous gaming destination and enjoy Macanese cuisine.
There are no signs that Macau will open its borders to the world anytime soon.
Tourists are prohibited from entering the special administrative region, with the exception of visitors from mainland China, Hong Kong and Taiwan.
And even those who can enter have to quarantine for two weeks, with the exception of those arriving from certain Chinese cities.
ANALYSIS |
Hong Kong and Shanghai lose their international shine as covid-19 restrictions tighten
According to a government press release published in mid-April, business travelers and students from outside mainland China, Taiwan and Hong Kong will also be able to enter in the near future.
But few details have been released.
Meanwhile, Hong Kong authorities announced that the city will allow non-residents to enter for the first time in more than two years from May 1.
Although technically it will be possible to visit it as a tourist, you will have to spend a 7-day quarantine and it is common for flights to be canceled.
Taiwan has not set a reopening date.
Leisure tourists who want to visit Taiwan's capital, Taipei, will have to wait a bit longer.
Credit: Adobe Stock
Taiwan, one of Asia's favorite food destinations, has relaxed its travel restrictions in the past two months.
Foreign business travelers can visit the island from March 7.
As of April 12, foreign relatives and residents of Taiwan with a valid foreign resident certificate have also been able to apply for entry.
Other travelers who are now welcome include those with a work/study visa, those coming for investment or business purposes, or visitors entering on humanitarian grounds.
And all of them are subject to 10 days of quarantine at the hotel or at home.
However, leisure tourists are still unable to enter.
As more destinations reopen their borders, Chen Shih-chung, Taiwan's Minister of Health and Welfare, said in February that the island had to consider relaxing travel restrictions so as not to fall behind in terms of economic development.
Without offering a concrete reopening date, Chen also said current restrictions would be further lifted and non-professional travelers would be allowed in if the spread of the virus is kept under control.
Several Pacific islands remain banned
Samoa has not yet announced when it will reopen its doors to international tourists.
Credit: Martin Valigursky/Adobe Stock
According to a report titled "Asia's Travel-Ready Index 2022," released by the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) last week, island nations including Vanuatu and Fiji are among the most tourism-dependent in the region.
Fiji, where tourism accounts for 40% of the economy, reopened at the end of 2021. It tops the EIU's Travel Preparedness Index, which looks at three factors that can affect international tourist sentiment: coverage of vaccination at the destination, the ease of traveling to the destination and the quarantine requirements when they return to their place of residence.
Other Pacific island destinations that have already reopened their doors to tourists are Tahiti, Palau and the Cook Islands.
But several places in this region, including Samoa, Vanuatu, the Federated States of Micronesia, the Marshall Islands, Tonga, and the Solomon Islands remain closed to tourists.
These are the best destinations to travel in 2022
Ortiguera, CEO of PATA, points out that circumstances are unique and that each destination must judge its level of preparation and the opportune moment to reconnect with the outside world while managing the difficult balance between life and livelihood.
"And to borrow an analogy used during a recent WHO briefing, each nation must navigate its unique path down the mountain of this pandemic shock," he says.
"If I look at Singapore as an example, the nation aggressively managed the Covid-19 infections and is now navigating a successful exit to reopen the market. I am confident that these measures have laid a solid foundation for a sustained recovery."
-- Junko Ogura, Maggie Hiufu Wong and the CNN Beijing Bureau contributed to this report.
Destinations
