Following up with Webinar #2, this February, we held Webinar #3 to update the latest news and extremely hot news at a time when Southeast Asia countries are gradually opening up travel back
1. Part 1: Introduce the presentation
In the first part, we will have updates on travel restrictions in Southeast Asia. And then, we will present about travel industry news, extremely good information from Southeast Asian countries, especially Vietnam that will be mentioned. Third, we will be some information for you to be able to update the best time to travel to these countries. And finally, we reintroduce the main information about our Metta Voyage.
2. Travel restriction update in South East Asia
Cambodia: Is the first country in South East Asia that has claimed that they are already fully open for travelers. The ministry of Tourism forecasts Cambodia to see an uptrend in international tourists from mid-2022. The number of weekly international flights increase by 20% from November until end-January, reaching 320 flights for month in Cambodia. The lockdown status or the inbound travel or the outbound travel is totally open here
Indonesia: Quarantine for boosted international travel reduced to 3 days only. They have some programs for Sandbox program in Bali or in some areas that you come promote for travelers. And they have the plan to remove quarantine altogether by 1 April, they want to speed up the progress of the opening up the country in upcoming time. For the travel status at this time, the lockdown status is partial, the inbound travel partial and outbound travel is totally open. Even though the coronavirus case is rasing because the fully vaccinated population nearly 80% of the population that the death or the serious case is going down.
Laos: Ministry of information, Culture and Tourism instructed to promote Lao Thiao Lao campaign more widely. They are still not open for the international country but they start promoting the first about the domestic frequency, about the flight inside Lao and some railway Lao Airlines. This is the positive news that in Laos they start with the domestic first and when everything is under control, they will start to step by step to open the country to the traveler. They also have a plan for the vaccinations for 6 – 11 year olds launched.
Malaysia: Health Minister estimates Malaysia could reopen by early Q2 2022, developing recommendations. At the moment they still have Sandbox program in Langkawi.
Myanmar: is one of the countries that totally close to the international border. Myanmar does not attend ASEAN Foreign Minister’s meeting, ASEAN continues “principled position”
Philippines: They have 10,676 foreign travelers already entering the Philippines from 10 – 15 February.
Singapore: As you know, for January, Singapore has stopped the VTL because of the Omicron but now VTL is restored again, 5 new VTL countries added and border measure is simplified, in major overhaul of the rule.
Thailand: Before January, they open the program Test & Go but in January because of the Omicron’s coming, they delay that program. But from the first February, they start to process again about the Test & Go scheme in the country. This time, the inbound travel is already open, the outbound travel is also open.
Vietnam: Vietnam is already agreed about the reopening of international tourists from 15 March, plans to be finalized. This is very good news in Vietnam, so we already have faster progress to open the country.
3. Travel industry news in February 2022
3.1. Thailand
Restarted its “Test & Go” program, allowing international travelers from all countries to enter without lengthy quarantine restrictions.
Some holders of US, Canada, UK and Australia passports are among those not required to obtain a visa when entering Thailand for tourism purposes and will be permitted to stay in Thailand for a period not exceeding 45 days on each visit.
The tourists from countries not on the visa exemption list can apply for a Special Tourist Visa (STV), which allows for 90-day stays, and can be renewed twice. For the detail of the progress, you can contact to Metta Voyage team, we can send you the guideline and the regulation
Test & Go scheme resumed from 1 February 2022.
3.2. Singapore
This is the second hup of the mainly a lot of international flights in Southeast Asia. Now Singapore extend vaccinated travel lanes with seven more destinations.
Vaccinated travelers will be able to fly into Singapore from Hong Kong, Qatar, Sandi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates without quarantine from 25 February.
Starting from 22 February, Singapore start relaxing measures, making it easier to visit via the Vaccinated Travel Lane (VTL) scheme:
- Travelers no longer need to take a PCR test on arrival and instead, can take a rapid antigen test within 24 hours of arrival.
- They will no longer require a rapid antigen test on days 2 and 7 anymore.
- While the departure test will still be required, it can be either a PCR test or a rapid antigen test administered professionally.
- Travelers are eligible to enter Singapore after only 7 days in a VTL country, rather than 14 days previously.
3.3. Cambodia
Fully reopening but still low international arrival due to different barriers. As you may know, Cambodia still doesn’t have mainly direct international flights to Cambodia, but still have to connect to other countries, so that is why the expense of coming to Cambodia is very high, most of the travelers still be concerned about the traveling to enter Cambodia.
The most recent report for the first 2 months, number of arrival to Cambodia only total of 25,276 tourists, or 12,86 percent in comparison with 2020. That is why Cambodia government has laid out many tourism development policies and roadmaps to establish the Kingdom as a safe place for sightseers.
3.4. Vietnam
Approve to recover all international Flights & Ministries agree to fully reopen international tourism from March 15.
The travelers in the first month of 2022. We apply for the non-quarantine program, the number of international travelers is coming to Vietnam already increasing with 17.000/month
They have different destinations like Asia: 13,847, Europe: 4,337, Americas: 1,226, Australia: 237, Africa: 80.
The government has agreed to reopen Vietnam for international tourism from March 15. A detailed reopening plan is expected to be released soon by the relevant government authorities.
Vietnam lifted restrictions on the frequency of regular international flights from February 15 as per the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam. Now we have daily flights from Vietnam to Japan, Korea, San Francisco, Bangkok, some Southeast countries.
For the first month of 2022, Vietnam already welcomes nearly 20 thousand international tourists.
3.5. Indonesia
Indonesia is eyes lifting all quarantine requirements in April.
They are considering lifting all quarantine requirements for inbound travelers in April, as Covid-19 hospitalizations and fatality rates remain under control despite a resurgence in cases.
In the meantime, the required quarantine period is reduced to three days from five for incoming travelers who have received the third dose of vaccines starting next week.
3.6. Laos
Laos begins reopening its borders for tourism. As of 1 January, 2022, Laos is officially open for tourism for citizens of 30 countries. The plan, labeled as the “Lao Travel Green Zone Plan” will be implemented in three phases and will require all visitors to be fully vaccinated. While some finer details will still need to be settled in the weeks ahead, below is an overview of the plan as it is currently laid out.
The Travel Green Zone includes 5 provinces: Oudomxay, Xayaburi, Xiengkhouang, Khamouane, and Champasak.
4. When can you travel to Asia?
Now, you can send the clients to Southeast Asia like Cambodia, Thailand, Laos.
February – March 2022, you can send to Vietnam and Malaysia
April – May 2022, you can start to promote the different other countries like Indonesia
June 2022 ONW, you can consider promoting in Myanmar
5. The booking recommendation
For Singapore, Thailand, Indonesia, you can start to recommend your traveler to start making the booking for March.
Cambodia, Laos from right now is a good time to travel here.
Vietnam, May gonna be to a good time to booking to travel. But you can start promoting right now.
Japan may be in May or June that you can travel
6. Talking about Metta Voyage
Metta Voyage is the Wellness Tour Operator that provides travel services handling throughout South East Asia country.
Following the concept of Wellness – The Holistic Health, our experts create and lead the travelers through the spiritual and ancient healing experiences, individual immersions, and internal balance for travelers to provide the profound change besides experiencing the beautiful landscape, historical and cultural elements of destinations in Southeast Aisa (Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, Thailand, Philippines, Malaysia, Indonesia, Myanmar, and Singapore).
7. Discussion
1. Do you think that for the European summer all SEA countries will be open and if so, do you have an estimate of how many visitors will arrive compared to 2019?
=> Like I mentioned about the booking recommendation. So for the very first country like Vietnam, Singapore, Cambodia, Thailand that will be the first country receiving the travelers coming to our area. It fact that for us, we already receive some new request for the booking from Germany, Spain coming to Vietnam in this some a time July and August.
2. When are airlines operating to Vietnam?
=> Currently, Vietnam has also gradually opened up to the world and flights are also operating more. We often update flight information at the fanpage of Metta Voyage every month, you can search there.
FOLLOW METTA VOYAGE FOR MORE INFORMATION!
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