Category: Asia

About 70% of OYO’s hotels in China have reopened. The Indian hospitality firm is witnessing a slow rise in bookings in China, which is its second largest global market after India. OYO is present right across China in most of its prominent locations. It has 500,000 rooms in China, contributing 32% of OYO’s global revenue. The company said: “We have seen a consistent rise in occupancy in the last five weeks. We are witnessing over 50% occupancy rates in South China in comparison to North China.” OYO currently has plans in place to open the remaining hotels over the next ... Read more

China’s COVID-19 lockdown has ended, and travel is tentatively restarting. In this article, McKinsey looks at how the country has recovered so far, what Chinese travellers think about their future travel, and how industry players are responding to these trends. Countries and regions around the globe are gradually moving past the peak of the pandemic. We hope that China’s experience can shed light on what other countries can—and cannot—expect for their own travel recoveries. How tourism in China is restarting Mainland China’s lockdown is over; new domestic reported cases of COVID-19 are practically zero. Businesses remain cautious, but almost all offices, ... Read more

The number of foreign tourists in Thailand may plunge by almost two-thirds to 14 million this year. This will be the lowest level in 14 years, as the coronavirus pandemic hits global travel, according to estimates from the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT), a Reuters report said. The TAT now predicts only 14 million to 16 million foreign visitors this year, sharply down from 33.8 million projected in March. Last year’s foreign arrivals were a record 39.8 million. Tourism is crucial to Thailand as spending from foreign tourists amounted to 1.93 trillion baht ($59.98 billion), or 11% of GDP last ... Read more

Sri Lanka has further extended the validity period of all visas for foreigners until June 11, and has advised getting it endorsed before the period lapses. The previous extension granted on April 1 will lapse on May 12. “Applicants shall pay the relevant visa fee and get the visa endorsed in the passport by securing an appointment via https://eservices.immigration.gov.lk/vs/home.php on or before June 11,” the immigration department said. Foreigners experiencing difficulties in booking their appointments online have been advised to contact +94070710050 between 9 am and 4 pm. Reports suggest that there are more than 10,000 tourists in Sri Lanka, ... Read more

China appears to be leading hospitality major Marriott’s recovery. Occupancy rates in China have gone from single-digit lows in February to just over 30% currently, “China does appear to be recovering and holding. I know there is lots of debate on if there’s a resurgence of the virus in China,” Marriott President and CEO Arne Sorenson said on Monday during the first quarter earnings call. “By and large, what we hear there is reassuring.” Coronavirus first impacted Marriott’s China portfolio in January before ramping up elsewhere in March. Marriott properties in Chinese resort markets saw close to 70% occupancy rates ... Read more

Georgia is setting the goal of becoming the first country to open its doors to foreign tourists starting July 1 after months of lockdown due to the coronavirus pandemic. It’s welcoming international travellers with a new slogan – ‘Georgia – Safe Destination!’. Georgia will resume domestic tourism starting June 15 and will receive international tourists starting July 1. “We will do this by creating a safe corridor on land borders with our neighbouring countries, as well as by bilateral negotiations with countries that are interesting for us in terms of tourism”, said Georgian Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia when presented a ... Read more

The Shanghai Disneyland has decided to open again, for the benefit of tourists. During the initial reopening phase, the park will operate with additional procedures and limited attendance. The Shanghai Disney Resort (SDR) has announced that the Shanghai Disneyland theme park will officially reopen to the public on May 11. The initial park reopening will demonstrate a deliberate approach, drawing on the experience from the successful reopening of Disneytown, Wishing Star Park and Shanghai Disneyland Hotel in early March, implemented with enhanced health and safety measures. During this initial reopening phase, the park will institute new measures and procedures, including ... Read more

China’s tourism sector showed great signs of recovery over the May Day holiday with 115 million trips made, mostly by younger people emerging from weeks of coronavirus lockdown, according to government data and operators. The five-day holiday period from May 1 was an important test for the country’s tourism industry, one of the sectors hardest hit by the coronavirus. News agency Reuters said the total of 115 million trips over the holiday was down 41% from the 195 million over the same period last year. But the figure beat expectations of about 90 million trips and was a hopeful sign, ... Read more

Virtual guided tours are picking up steam this year. As no one can really go out and experience a real vacation due to the epidemic, many online tour companies are creating virtual tourism experiences. One such company is the online tour company Walks, which has put together a selection of `Tours from Home’ offered by expert guides, chefs and storytellers. But while Stephen Oddo, the CEO and founder of Walks, was happy to find a way to provide small income source to some of the company’s tour guides as well as a way to keep brand awareness high, he also ... Read more

German firm TUI AG, the world’s largest tourism group, has restarted its travel business in China, offering trips and flights within the country to local customers. The business is resuming after the government lifted a three-month sales ban, and operations will gradually be expanded amid a backlog of demand by Chinese customers, Chief Executive Officer Fritz Joussen said. Besides offering holiday packages in China, TUI has urged the European Union (EU) to lift travel restrictions in place to curb the coronavirus. The resumption of business in China, three months after TUI halted operations there, is focused on short breaks in ... Read more

In the first half of April, a New York Times article wrote on a couple stranded in Maldives on a “never-ending honeymoon”. They are still stuck there along with hundreds of other tourists, as flights have been cancelled. “There is nowhere to go. The couple reign like benign yet captive sovereigns over their islet. The days are long and lazy. They sleep in, snorkel, lounge by the pool, repeat,” the NYT wrote. It may sound like fun to get stranded in a tropical paradise like Maldives, but the tourists are running short of funds. In an interview to CNN, Ali ... Read more

Chinese tourism is back in action and ready to welcome tourists from all over the world. About 70% of China’s tourist attractions reopened on Thursday itself, according to China’s Ministry of Culture and Tourism. More sites including the Forbidden City in Beijing, reopened on Friday, news agency Reuters has reported. Staff at the entrance to the Gubei Water Town checked visitors’ temperatures and health tracking codes. And inside, they directed tourists to stand one metre apart and stores used ropes to keep large crowds from forming. Everyone wore masks. Room bookings also picked up since Thursday after Beijing and nearby ... Read more

Persatuan Agensi Pelacongan Malaysia (MATA) has urged the International Air Transport Association (IATA) to waive all fees for the benefit of its members. Since the World Health Organisation (WHO) has declared COVID-19 a pandemic, travel restrictions have been imposed throughout the world. Major events have been cancelled and thousands of business are at halt. The financial impact to our members from the COVID-19 can be cushioned by waiving the following: a) IATA to waive 2021 membership fees b) IATA to waive 2020 monthly fees (January – December 2020) c) To extend 2019 audited account submission to December 2020 This move ... Read more

There are around 1,000 tourists staying in 27 resorts across Maldives, the country’s minister of tourism Ali Waheed has said. To contain the spread of COVID-19, the Maldivian government on March 28 had stopped issuing on-arrival-visas and closed its borders to incoming tourists. However, tourists who had entered the country before the order came into effect were allowed to remain in the country until the end of their stay. Government estimates show that the country will see a dramatic drop in tourist arrivals due to the global pandemic, and experience a shortfall of approximately $450 million (MVR 6.9 billion) in ... Read more

The Asia Pacific Travel Retail Association (APTRA) is calling on governments in over 45 countries across the region to support 320,000 local and front-line employees working in the duty free and travel retail industry. APTRA has said the various national governments in the Asia Pacific region should look to include the duty free and travel retail industry in the same financial support packages as airlines, airports and maritime industries. This $36bn industry is at risk of being overlooked by politicians as they devise financial rescue measures to cope with the COVID-19 crisis, APTRA said. Airport Retail and commercial services, including ... Read more