I REGION I ASIA I UNESCO
I REGION I ASIA I UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE SITE OF SUKHOTHAI IN THAILAND REMAINED EMPTY OF INTERNATIONAL TRAVELLERS IN 2020- LIKE MOST OF ASIA ASIA ARMENIA AZERBAIJAN BANGLADESH BHUTAN CAMBODIA CHINA GEORGIA HONG KONG INDIA INDONESIA JAPAN KOREA (REPUBLIC OF KOREA) LAOS MACAO MALAYSIA MALDIVES MONGOLIA MYANMAR NEPAL PHILIPPINES SINGAPORE SRI LANKA TAIWAN TAJIKISTAN THAILAND UZBEKISTAN VIETNAM Asia set to bounce back from 2022 While the continent registered the highest drop in tourist arrivals in 2020, provisional UNWTO figures indicate recovery should begin in the next year NEWS Domestic tourism helped some Asian countries to survive last year. For example, hotels in Indian leisure destinations recorded average occupancy of 65% to 70% in destinations such as Kerala, Goa or Rajasthan. City hotels suffered more with occupancy hanging around 30% to 35% due to a weak business travel market, according to the Federation of Associations of Indian Tourism and Hospitality. Of all the continents in the world, Asia reacted to the Covid crisis in 2020 by adopting the most radical measures, with many countries shutting down their borders to all foreign movements. For a year now, few if no visitors have been allowed in most countries of the continent. According to UNWTO figures, total arrivals reached last year 53.6 million arrivals compared to 342.9 million a year earlier. This represented a drop of 84.3%. Tourism in countries such as China, India, Indonesia, Japan, Singapore, South Korea or Vietnam only survived from domestic movements. Only a handful of Asian countries continued to welcome foreign travellers. Cambodia and Thailand allowed some travellers under certain conditions assorted with a compulsory two-week quarantine. The Maldives reopened already last July; Nepal did the same at the end of last year, and Sri Lanka opened in January. The Maldives consequently managed to keep the drop in tourist arrivals to 67.5%. NORTHEAST ASIA RELIED ONLY ON DOMESTIC TOURISM Last year, all countries in Northeast Asia restricted access to foreign travellers by limiting international flights. China closed all its borders to foreign travellers and relied only on the generally huge volume of domestic travellers. Other countries or regions such as Japan, South Korea or Taiwan adopted similar policies. In Southeast Asia, flagship countries in international tourism such as Vietnam, Indonesia, Singapore or Malaysia have not been open to foreign travellers since April 2020. Others such as Thailand and Cambodia tried to reopen to wealthier travellers. However, the situation is due to improve this year. Thailand is looking at ways to ease restrictions on quarantine conditions and potentially prepare itself to reopen for travellers who have been vaccinated. Bali looks like reopening to certain countries under a "green corridor" agreement. Singapore is mulling over similar solutions. Southern Asia recorded a slightly better performance according to UNWTO, with total international arrivals in 2020 representing 23.5% of the numbers recorded in 2019. While India completely closed its borders to international travellers, the tourism sector relied on the huge number of domestic travellers. However, in February, the government spoke of a “calibrated resumption of tourist visas on a countryspecific basis following strict protocols for those able to enter the country" PATA earlier this year published forecasts for 2021 and 2022 under three scenarios: mild, medium and severe. In 2021, the association estimates that total international visitor arrivals could represent between 3% and 20% of 2019 volume. 2022 should see a sharp bounce back, with numbers between 23% and 56.4%. China recorded a total volume of 2.88 billion domestic trips made by tourists in 2020, representing a slump of 52.1% year on year, according to the Ministry of Culture and Tourism. The situation improved during the year as the pandemic in the country receded. While the first quarter recorded only 295 million trips, total trips reached 946 million in the fourth quarter SRI LANKA DECIDED TO REOPEN THE COUNTRY TO INTERNATIONAL TOURISM THIS JANUARY 18 ITB BERLIN NEWS • WEDNESDAY 10 TH MARCH 2021 www.itb-berlin-news.com
I REGION I ASIA I ADVERTORIAL Fort Siloso, Sentosa Island, Singapore ADVERTORIAL Rediscovering Sentosa, Singapore's Holiday Island Sentosa Island has consistently rolled out limited-time novel experiences to attract locals back to the island, adding a new spin to the current island offerings. One of these experiences is the Fort Siloso Rediscovery Tour (Battle of Singapore Edition), which allows tour participants to explore the grounds of Fort Siloso, Singapore’s only preserved coastal fort, alongside history experts to journey through Singapore’s wartime past. Participants are given the opportunity to visit areas that are not otherwise accessible to the public, such as Siloso Pier, a coastal mine defence casement and the Coastal Search Light station. Appeal to foodies and adventurous couples, Gourmet Island Escapade was launched on 30 December 2020, which entitles participants to enjoy an intimate island tour as they indulge in a four-course gourmet menu savoured across four amazing scenic locations – Trapizza, Fort Siloso, Sentosa Golf Club and Arbora – from an idyllic beach to a panoramic fort, a sprawling golf course to a towering hill. Sentosa is home to an exciting array of themed attractions, award-winning spa retreats and resort accommodation, alongside lush greenery, golden sandy beaches, world-renowned championship golf courses and even a deep-water yachting marina and luxury residences - making it the perfect island-in-the-city for holiday makers and business travelers. Sentosa has been certified with the SG Clean quality mark, a nation-wide campaign to raise standards of cleanliness and public hygiene in Singapore. Thorough health and safety measures are in place to ensure your time on the island is both safe and enjoyable VISIT BR AND CARD ASIANA AIRLINES THE FIVE-STAR SKYWAY TO SOUTH KOREA Founded in South Korea in 1988, Asiana Airlines has, for years, been a synonym of service and quality. Awarded a 5-star airline ranking, Asiana Airlines has also been nominated as the world's best airline. The airline's route network includes 21 countries and 64 cities worldwide. The fleet currently consists of 83 aircraft, six of which are A380s. Asiana Airlines currently connects Germany and Korea several times a week with the ultramodern Airbus A350. The airline has been a member of the Star Alliance since 2003, the world's largest aviation group. Members of the frequent flyer program “Asiana Club” can thus collect miles not only on Asiana Airlines flights but with all Star Alliance members. Travellers are able to book a real 5-star flight experience to explore Asia, for example with an offer to South Korea's most famed island. Jeju is in fact Korea's biggest island with subtropical nature and the highest mountain in the country. It has UNESCO World Heritage Sites, exciting hiking tours and festivals, as well as the world renowned tasty Jeju cuisine. The addition of all these experiences turns a stay on Jeju island into something unique and memorable. Korea, the "Country of the Morning Calm" is rich in culture and the perfect blend of traditional and modern. For a long time Asia's best keptsecret, Korea has turned over years into one of the hottest holiday destinations worldwide. Find out more about Jeju and many other sights in Korea at STOPOVERKOREA: https:// stopover-korea.com/jeju Book your flight on: https:// flyasiana.com/C/DE/EN/event/ detail/CM202102100001331745. Early bird ticket holders will be given the opportunity to receive a special K-Box as a gift. More details will be released soon. (The offer is however reserved for German-speaking markets only) * 5-Star status continuously awarded since 2007 by Skytrax VISIT BR AND CARD ITB BERLIN NEWS • WEDNESDAY 10 TH MARCH 2021 19
