The Impact of Covid-19 On The Southeast Asian Tourism Industry

THE IMPACT OF COVID-19 ON THE SOUTHEAST ASIAN TOURISM INDUSTRY
THE IMPACT
OF COVID-19
ON THE
SOUTHEAST
ASIAN WEEKLY SUMMARY
TOURISM 06 SEP 2020
INDUSTRY
Hannah Pearson
hannah@pearanderson.com
INTRODUCTION
As a market highly dependent on both Chinese outbound tourism and the Chinese
economy, Southeast Asia is a region which was heavily affected by COVID-19 even
in the early months of 2020.
With the declaration of a pandemic, as well as the closing of borders and

imposition of lockdowns, Southeast Asia’s tourism economy will continue to be
impacted for the foreseeable future.
View this information online and more on our frequently updated dashboard
at: https://www.pearanderson.com/coronavirus/
Sign up to be added to our weekly mailing list, with this report sent out every
Sunday: https://insights.pearanderson.com/sea-covid-summary
IMPACT SUMMARY
Week ending Sunday 6th September 2020
INBOUND TRAVEL OUTBOUND TRAVEL
COUNTRY LOCKDOWN RESTRICTIONS RESTRICTIONS CASES DEATHS
Cambodia Partial Visa restrictions Discouraged 274 0

Indonesia Partial Visa restrictions Restricted 194,109 8,025
Laos None Visa restrictions Discouraged 22 0
Malaysia Partial Visa restrictions Restricted 9,397 128
Myanmar Partial Visa restrictions Discouraged 1,319 8
Philippines Partial Not permitted Not permitted 237,365 3,875
Singapore Partial Visa restrictions Restricted 57,022 27
Thailand None Visa restrictions Flight restriction 3,444 58
Vietnam Partial Not permitted Not permitted 1,049 35
Data accurate as of 21:09 (UTC+8) on 06 Sep 2020

Partial lockdown = closure of schools or some non-essential services (e.g. entertainment), recommendation to work from home
Lockdown = closure of all non-essential businesses, restricted movement
COVID-19 case & death statuses from John Hopkins Coronavirus Resource Center
CAMBODIA Cambodia has lost $5 billion USD in tourism revenue.

On Page 4 • Travel trade doubts government’s claim that 30% • China will resume flights from Beijing to
of tourism businesses are now reopened Cambodia from 3 Sep
5 million international visitors expected in 2020, a drop

INDONESIA of 12 million vs 2019 (-60%).
On Page 16 • 38% growth across Indonesia’s airports in Aug • Bali has had the worst economic hit in Indonesia,
with a contraction of 10.98%
Laos could lose more than $500 million USD in tourism

LAOS revenue, equivalent to 2.7% GDP.
On Page 36 • Unemployment is set to increase to 20% in 2020 • Vietnam plans to reinstate international flights
to Laos in Sep
Pear Anderson Sign up for weekly updates 06 Sep 2020 Update

https://www.pearanderson.com/coronavirus/
Malaysia extends ban on citizens entering from

MALAYSIA countries with more than 150,000 cases from 7 Sep.
On Page 41 • International tourist spending declined 69.8% • AirAsia will introduce a fee for using check-in
YoY in H1 to RM12.58 billion counters instead of self-check in kiosks
Record daily case of 116 on 3 Sep, crosses 1,000 mark.

MYANMAR
On Page 66 • Fresh lockdowns for 7 Yangon townships • Myanmar should focus on sustainable tourism,
white paper finds
Baguio will open to tourists from the Ilocos region from

PHILIPPINES 21 Sep, in a “ridge to reef” tourism bubble strategy.
On Page 74 • Moody’s predicts that the economy could see a • PTAA estimate travel agents and consumers are
7% contraction in 2020 owed 940 million PHP in airline refunds
Fast Lane established with S. Korea for essential travel,

SINGAPORE Air Travel Pass & Reciprocal Green Lane with Brunei.
On Page 95 • Sentosa saw increase of 40% YoY for domestic • Innovative staycation packages being developed
tourists in Jul and first 3 weeks of Aug to entice Singaporean travellers
THAILAND First locally transmitted case in 100 days detected;

“Phuket model” launch likely delayed.
On Page 113 • Civil servants get 2 extra leave days if they use • Extra financial subsidies approved
the We Travel Together package on weekday
International flights may be reinstated to Guangzhou,

VIETNAM Seoul, Tokyo, Taipei, Cambodia and Laos on 15 Sep.
On Page 143 • 950 hotels in Hanoi closed by the end of Aug, • Quarantine for short-stay foreign expert visits to
affecting 16,000 workers be waived under strict conditions

CAMBODIA
Tourism industry already lost $5 billion USD
TRAVEL All visa exemptions, visas on arrival and e-visas are suspended. Travellers must
RESTRICTIONS
have valid medical certificates issued 72hrs prior to travel, proof of medical
insurance worth up to $50k USD, be tested for COVID-19 upon arrival and
undertake a 14-day quarantine with a re-test on the 14th day. They must deposit
$2,000 USD on arrival (IATA).
LOCKDOWN More schools to reopen nationwide from 7 Sep, while all karaoke parlours, spas
STATUS
and massage parlours are closed. Large religious gatherings are banned.
Flight searches and booking volume for travel Future flight search for travel to
to Cambodia Cambodia
Source: Sojern COVID-19 dashboard
TRAVEL BUBBLES & INTERNATIONAL

BORDERS
NEW 3 Sep: The Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam (CAAV) has submitted plans for
international flights to be reinstated to Cambodia. All pax would be quarantined
on arrival (at their own cost). Transit passengers would not be allowed into the
country. Pax would also need to provide a negative test prior to departure, and be
tested on arrival >>
NEW 3 Sep: China will resume flights from Beijing to Cambodia from 3 Sep, with
travellers subject to a 14-day quarantine on arrival and 2 COVID-19 tests >>

NEW 3 Sep: The charges for the COVID-19 tests for foreigners on arrival to Cambodia
will be reduced to $100 USD each, with the remainder of their $2,000 USD deposit
being paid back 3 days after the 2nd test has a negative result >>
26 Aug: The Cambodia-Thailand joint working group are discussing solutions to

boost tourism. The Ministry of Tourism is still studying travel bubbles and is
awaiting approval from other ministries >>
22 Aug: Japan and Cambodia have agreed to open borders for each other’s
expatriates, so long as they observe a 14-day quarantine from early Sep >>
19 Aug: More passengers will be allowed to transit at Changi Airport, including

Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand, on Singapore Airlines Group’s flights, in addition
to last week’s approval for Cambodia and Vietnam. Routes include from Bangkok,
Jakarta, Medan, Surabaya, Ipoh, Kuching, Kuala Lumpur and Penang >>
13 Aug: Cambodia will now extend a flight ban to the Philippines after more
returning Cambodians from the country tested positive >>
13 Aug: Cambodian students are facing issues when trying to return to Japan for
study – although Cambodians are permitted to re-enter Japan, the only flights
which will allow them to get there are via South Korea, which is considered high-
risk by the Japanese and therefore they would not be allowed to enter >>
5 Aug: Cambodia has lowered the cash deposit to $2,000 USD for foreign travellers
on arrival. Travellers must buy a local health insurance package which will cost
$90 USD and be valid for 20 days >>
4 Aug: Certified business travellers will now be able to buy COVID-19 insurance
policies from 10 Cambodian companies, and reservations of 2-night hotel
accommodation, meals, test and transportation fee must be paid in advance. The
business person’s sponsor would then be responsible to pay in full for the rest of
the expenses. The traveller will need to deposit $2,000 USD on arrival >>
4 Aug: The Ministry of Tourism is looking at a travel bubble plan which would be a
one-way, closed loop chartered plane journey in the country. It would be targeted
at rich and retired visitors, with the ASEAN and China, Japan and South Korea
being primary targets >>
31 Jul: The Director of Planning at Cambodia’s Ministry of Tourism said that the
$3,000 USD deposit for tourists on arrival may be scrapped, and that they had
recently held talks with the Ministry of Finance to do this, although there has been
no official announcement yet >>
30 Jul: South Korean business people returning from a trip to Cambodia of less
than 14 days will be exempted from mandatory quarantine in Korea >>

26 Jul: Cambodia will temporarily ban all flights from Malaysia and Indonesia from
1 Aug. It announced that this is due to a spike in detected cases from the 2
countries >>
25 Jul: The UK has added Cambodia to its list of countries exempt from advice
against “all but essential” international travel >>
23 Jul: The government is planning to change the deposit and insurance

requirements for entry to Cambodia for business people (including investors,
directors, general managers, technical staff and their family), allowing companies
to sponsor or guarantee them. It is expected this new procedure will be place next
week >>
23 Jul: Japan announced that it is looking at relaxing entry restrictions for business
travellers from 12 Asian territories, including Singapore, Cambodia, Brunei,
Malaysia, Myanmar and Laos from SE Asia. Travellers would still need to self-
quarantine for 14-days, pass a COVID test and not take public transportation >>
21 Jul: The government has declared that it will not ban Cambodian nationals from
returning home, despite being the highest source of COVID-19 cases >>
19 Jul: Authorities are on the alert after more than 1,000 Cambodian students
studying abroad have returned to the country, many of whom tested positive for
COVID-19 on arrival >>
14 Jul: The Aranyaprathey checkpoint between Thailand and Cambodia is allowed

to reopen for the transportation of goods >>
14 Jul: Cambodia is constructing new checkpoints along the Cambodia-Thailand-

Lao PDR border areas >>
14 Jul: A new border gate may be opened between Laos’ Attapeu Province and
Cambodia’s Ratanakiri Province, and officials say that this could strengthen
tourism as currently there is no road connecting the province with Laos >>
12 Jul: New procedures to enter Cambodia are expected soon, that are aimed at
current investors and professional and technical staff. This may allow a company
to guarantee the $3,000 USD deposit required on arrival >>
9 Jul: Japan is planning to start talks about restarting business flights in mid-Jul
with 10 more economies, including Cambodia >>

INBOUND
NEW 4 Sep: Prek Kampi may be added to a list to send to UNESCO as a Natural World
Heritage Site, as it is home to rare dolphins >>
NEW 4 Sep: The Tuol Seng Genocide Museum was awarded the Jikji Memory of the
World Prize from UNESCO >>
NEW 3 Sep: The Tourism Ministry revealed that Cambodia has lost $5 billion USD in
tourism revenues, but they expect the country to regain between $500k and $1
million between now and the end of the year. The recent long Khmer New Year
holidays generated $100 million USD in revenue. They have also devised a
“walking in the middle” method for tourism if COVID-19 continues for a long time,
accepting international tourists whilst ensuring control to minimize risks >>
NEW 3 Sep: The Tourism Ministry has announced that 30% of tourism businesses have
now reopened, and 100,000 workers returned to work. The Cambodia Hotel
Association, however, estimates that about 5,000 jobs were recovered, whilst the
Cambodia Tourism Workers Union Federation said that they do not estimate that
30% of businesses have reopened, reckoning it to be lower >>
NEW 3 Sep: 110,000 tourism workers have been affected by COVID-19, with 3,135
tourism businesses closed between Mar and Jul. The Tourism Ministry have said
that only 3-5 flights land in Cambodia daily, mainly from China and South Korea
>>
NEW 3 Sep: Unions are calling for the workers minimum wage to be raised to $11.59
USD, an increase of around 6.1% >>
NEW 2 Sep: The World Bank has released a report focusing on ecotourism opportunities
in Cambodia, particularly in the face of challenges from COVID-19. It will support
the Cambodian government to strengthen ecotourism planning, enabling the
private sector and strengthening regulatory frameworks >>
NEW 2 Sep: Casino developments will not be permitted near the Angkor Wat area, the
government has reconfirmed, after Hong Kong NagaCorp said that it was looking
for more integrated resort developments in the Siem Reap and Sihanoukville areas
>>
NEW 2 Sep: The UNDP has said that COVID-19 has been a catalyst for Cambodia to
develop large-scale social protection schemes, with the country able to reduce the
poverty rate to below 3%. The cash transfer programme implemented could
achieve significant poverty reduction and could pave the way for further
developments >>

NEW 31 Aug: A fire severely affected Battambang’s Central Market, a heritage site,
damaging many stalls >>
30 Aug: Cambodia has gone 16 consecutive days without any locally transmitted
cases >>
28 Aug: Visitors to Phnom Penh’s museums have dropped by 95% vs pre-pandemic,

affected by both a drop in international tourists, but also by school groups >>
27 Aug: The Royal Academy of Cambodia (RAC) and the Ministry of Tourism have
signed an MoU to boost the vocational training and HR research of the tourism
sector in the country. The Ministry of Tourism believes that upskilling workers is
essential at this time >>
27 Aug: APSARA has announced that the sunset view at Pre Roup Temple at
Angkor will be banned temporarily >>
27 Aug: Cambodia has had a letter of appreciation from the WTO for responsibly
resuming domestic tourism >>
27 Aug: Some public schools will reopen grades 9 – 12 across the country from 7
Sep, so long as they are in low-risk provinces. All levels are expected to reopen by
Dec >>
25 Aug: Employees of the Cambodian Cultural Village tourism park in Siem Reap
have resumed strike action, demanding that their salary and benefits be paid after
a cut from Apr >>
24 Aug: The Cambodia Association of Travel Agents (CATA) has said that the
substitute Khmer New Year holidays boosted the tourism sector, and that the good
cooperation between the state and private businesses allowed tourists to feel safe.
However, they said that they strongly rely on international visitors due to the
higher spend. The Cambodia Hotel Association (CHA) have said that hotels and
resorts in Ratanakiri were almost fully booked, whilst occupancy in Kratie was
below 50% over the holidays >>
22 Aug: 1.4 million tourists visited attractions around Cambodia during the 5-day
replacement Khmer New Year holidays. Most were family groups on inter-
provincial trips, and was made up of 1,445,238 locals and 14,148 foreigners >>
21 Aug: Cambodian tourists are said to feel safe whilst travelling for the Khmer
New Year replacement holidays >>
21 Aug: The Ministry of Tourism asked tourism related businesses to provide

customer information via a Telegram bot for contact tracing purposes >>

18 Aug: Hundreds of tourists visited the Chreav waterfalls in Kampong Speu

province >>
18 Aug: 557 tourism resorts opened for the 5-day long weekend >>
13 Aug: Mondulkiri’s tourism development master plan is underway, and will have
a focus on sustainable tourism, prioritising the cultural identities of indigenous
groups >>
13 Aug: The 3-day annual Phnom Penh Water Festival, due to take place from 30
Oct – 1 Nov, has been cancelled >>
13 Aug: Ahead of the holidays, key tourist destinations in the country will
implement precautionary measures, such as tables at restaurants being spaced
away from one another, and enhanced cleaning at hotels >>
13 Aug: The first international aviation training centre has now opened in
Cambodia, at the American University of Phnom Penh >>
13 Aug: Cambodia was ranked the 7th safest destination in the world to visit
during the pandemic by Germany-based startup Tourlane >>
13 Aug: The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has warned that the pandemic could
cause an additional 1.3 million Cambodians into poverty, around 8% of the
population >>
13 Aug: The President of the Cambodia Association of Travel Agents (CATA) have
said that the upcoming long holidays has already seen more bookings, especially
for Siem Reap. They say that tourism businesses do worry that the COVID-19
situation will worsen, but so long as everyone does their part, then the impact
would not grow >>
12 Aug: A sheep rearing farm is being transformed into a tourism product in

Kampong Chhnang province, in the first of its kind in the country >>
12 Aug: A Khmer Tourism for the Future incubator is being launched by the
government, designed to grow resilience and innovation in the tourism industry. It
is aimed at entrepreneurs with a sustainable prototype of business that could
apply to the domestic tourism sector >>
11 Aug: The governor of Siem Reap expects more domestic tourists to visit during
the long holidays, and have arranged religious events, floating markets, food
competitions, cycling, boat rides and golf days, to attract tourists. Siem Reap in H1
had 167,061 domestic tourists, down 87% YoY, and 387,839, a drop of 68% YoY >>
11 Aug: Hotels in Siem Reap are forecasting more than 90% occupancy for the
Khmer New Year holiday >>

10 Aug: The second stage repairs on the western Angkor Wat bridge will be
completed ahead of schedule, in 2022 at the latest. It was originally slated for
2024 >>
9 Aug: The labour department has warned the leaders of 2 trade unions who had
organised protests outside Le Meridien Angkor hotel of their organisations being
sued or dissolved if they do not stop their actions >>
9 Aug: The Ministry of Tourism and Swisscontact Cambodia will partner for a Skills
Development Program 2020 – 2024, aimed at providing tourism and hospitality
training to youths in Kratie, Stung Treng, Rattanaikri, Mondulkiri and Preah Vihear
>>
7 Aug: Cinemas will be reopened, but must follow SOPs >>
7 Aug: Cambodia has seen almost 740,028 domestic tourists in Jul, an increase of
15.2% vs Jun 2020. The most visited areas continue to be coastal areas of Kampot,
Kep, Koh Kang and Preah Sihanouk >>
7 Aug: Cambodian athletes gathered together to mark 1,000 days until the 2023
Southeast Asian Games, which will be hosted by Cambodia >>
6 Aug: Cambodia Airways hopes to increase the number of flights to China soon, as
their current demand is at a very low level >>
6 Aug: Hotel staff from Le Meridien Angkor in Siem Reap filed a complaint to have
3 fired unionists reinstated, whom they say were sacked unfairly after protesting
wage cuts >>
6 Aug: Kampot province is considering a new beach development in Teuk Chhou

district, 150km southwest of Phnom Penh. A new beach would be a priority to be
develop first >>
6 Aug: 3,135 tourism businesses have closed either permanently or temporarily,

whilst 110,000 people (around 20% of total workers) have lost their jobs. The
Ministry of Tourism has developed 3 scenarios for tourism arrivals in 2020, with
the 3rd the likeliest. In that case, it could take up to 7 years for the industry to
recover fully, whilst it predicts that in 2021 arrivals could increase by 25-35%,
generating around $2 billion USD. The 3 scenarios are:
1. International arrivals decline by 50-60%, receiving around 2.5 million

tourists
2. International arrivals decline by 60-70%, receiving around 2 million
tourists
3. International arrivals decline by 70-90%, receiving around 1.5 million
tourists, losing around $3 billion USD in revenues >>

5 Aug: The Garden City Water Park, about 15km north of Phnom Penh, will open on
17 Aug. It will be the biggest water park in Cambodia, and the opening is
welcomed by the Ministry of Tourism >>
5 Aug: H1 international arrivals to Cambodia declined by 65% YoY, with June’s

arrivals down 97.3% YoY >>
4 Aug: The Kulen Mountain Trek-Run will be held in Oct, the first event to be held
in Siem Reap, which hopes to revive the tourism industry >>
4 Aug: Room bookings are increasing ahead of the upcoming public holidays from
17-21 Aug. Ratanakkiri province is at 60% occupancy already, whilst Kampot was
at 30% as of 4 Aug >>
4 Aug: The government is strictly enforcing the ban on karaoke parlours and
nightclubs >>
2 Aug: Cambodia has asked for Japan’s support to build the tourist seaport in Preah
Sihanouk province >>
1 Aug: Angkor Archaeological Park had just 1,790 foreign visitors in Jul, down
98.8% YoY. From Jan – Jul, it had 389,630 visitors, a decrease of 72% YoY >>
1 Aug: Cambodia will delay reopening schools until the year end >>
1 Aug: Kep and Kampot have pledged to become smoke-free tourist destinations
by the end of 2021 >>
31 Jul: The Ministry of Tourism together with travel agents has launched package
tours to Siem Reap and other destinations, with Khmer speaking guides and stays
at luxury hotels >>
31 Jul: Tax breaks for aviation companies and tourism related businesses have
been extended for another 2 months to Sep, and unemployed workers in the
tourism industry will receive $40 USD/month for another 2 months >>
30 Jul: Cambodia’s remaining casino operators want the government to approve its
reopening >>
30 Jul: Kep province has had a tourism plan drawn up for 2020 – 2024 which will
transform it into a high-end leisure destination, and sell the potential of the
province beyond the domestic market >>
29 Jul: Banteay Srei province will be cleaned up, with classes on clean and
environmentally friendly living offered, homestays created and gardens built under
a “Beautiful Banteay Srei” campaign to attract more tourists to visit >>

28 Jul: Cambodia Angkor Air says it is optimistic and ready to strengthen domestic
flights and expand international flights. Cambodia Airports in the first 3 weeks of
Jul handled 410 outbound and inbound flights, nearly 85% of which flew into
Phnom Penh International Airport, a 95% decrease YoY. The international flights
arrived from China, Kuala Lumpur, Taipei and Seoul. Just 5 airlines are operating
routes, including Cambodia Angkor Air, Lanmei Airlines, JC Airlines, Cambodia
Airways and Sky Angkor Airlines >>
27 Jul: All incoming flights will face more scrutiny after many inbound pax to
Cambodia carried COVID-19 >>
27 Jul: Tourism businesses on Koh Rong and Koh Rong Samloen are expecting the
Khmer New Year holidays to boost their tourism after months of little business >>
27 Jul: The Secretariat for Civil Aviation has seen an increase of airline passengers
to around 1,000/ day, a significant increase vs. the 160 in Mar and May >>
24 Jul: The Ministry of Tourism will implement measures to ensure safe travel
during the Khmer New Year Holiday from 17-21 Aug, including working with
operators to strengthen hygiene, and disseminating information to all tour
operators >>
24 Jul: France will provide a grant of 1.5 million EUR to Cambodia for its hard-hit
tourism sector, and will be used for 24 development projects >>
23 Jul: Historical battlegrounds will be designated national monuments to help

educate about Cambodia’s history. The government is looking for “true” historical
sites >>
23 Jul: The Pacific Asia Travel Association Cambodia chairman has called on the
government to consider 7 measures, including reducing landing and parking fees
at airports, airport tax and entrance fees, allowing cruise ships to dock and
encouraging more international airlines to fly to Cambodia >>
22 Jul: 20 schools will be reopened in Phnom Penh, Siem Reap and Battambang.
Classes must not exceed 15 students >>
21 Jul: Passenger air traffic has decreased by 67.5% in H1 at Cambodia’s 3

international airports, with a total of 1.9 million pax >>
21 Jul: Training programmes for young workers in tourism are being developed by
the government to help refine skills from 5 target provinces, a move welcome by
the Cambodia Hotels Association >>
21 Jul: Khnong Phsar, in Kampong Speu province, is being cleaned up to attract

more tourists >>

20 Jul: The State Secretariat for Civil Aviation (SSCA) has launched a 6-point plan
for the civil aviation sector’s development from 2021 – 2025. It will focus on
safety, security, cooperation, services, infrastructure and HR >>
20 Jul: A Cambodian-American woman who was in quarantine after arrival to

Cambodia and later escaped from her room, was found in Kampong Cham. It was
reported that she was on the same flights as 2 US diplomatic officials who later
tested positive for COVID-19 >>
19 Jul: A new airport on Koh Rong is being planned as part of the Koh Rong Master
Plan >>
17 Jul: 40 ecotourism projects are set to be developed in Muldulkiri province >>
17 Jul: Cambodia had 313,300 domestic tourists in the first 2 weeks of July, an
increase of 1.67% vs the last 2 weeks in June 2020. The Minister of Tourism is
confident that the number will increase in Aug during the replacement Khmer New
Year holidays >>
16 Jul: Top standard schools will request permission to reopen in Aug in the first
stage, whilst later stages could take place in Nov >>
16 Jul: The land for the new airport in Muldulkiri province has been selected and
construction will start soon >>
16 Jul: Cambodia received just 20,000 airline pax in May and Jun, compared to the
previous daily average of 15,000-20,000. The State Secretariat of Civil Aviation
expects an increase to 25,000-30,000 pax in Jul >>
15 Jul: Cambodia has had 3.7 million domestic visitors from Jan-May. The most
visited parts of the country include coastal areas in the southwest of the country
and Preah Sihanouk received 266,917 domestic tourists from Jan-May >>
13 Jul: Angkor Wat vendors on the west side of the temple must remove their stalls
and be relocated, despite protests from vendors that the relocated area has not yet
set a date for opening >>
11 Jul: The Khmer New Year replacement holidays will take place on 17-21 Aug >>
10 Jul: Kampot has seen an increase in the number of tourists visiting from mid-
Apr >>
10 Jul: The Cambodia Hotels Association has said that most reopened hotels are
fighting to survive, and the majority of hotels in major tourism destinations are
still closed. The Ministry of Economy and Finance have said that Siem Reap is
suffering the worst, whereas Kep, Kampot and Sihanoukville are faring better. The
director of Kampot province’s tourism says in Jun the province received 160,000

visitors, compared to 80,000 in 2019. Statistics for Sihanoukville have seen an

increase from May’s 11,241 visitors to June’s 25,247 >>
9 Jul: The government has revealed its tourism development plans for Siem Reap
from 2020 – 2035, with an emphasis on developing “Siem Reap beyond the
Temple”, transforming the destination into a multifaceted one to which travellers
return. New marketing strategies and improving connectivity via waterways, road,
rail and air are also on the cards >>
9 Jul: The Japan Business Association of Cambodia (JBAC) is looking at increasing

its investment into Cambodia’s tourism industry, as they believe it is still a safe
investment >>
7 Jul: The airport train between Phnom Penh and the airport may be shut down
due to lack of passengers >>
7 Jul: As of June, more than 20,000 Chinese nationals arrived in to Preah Sihanouk
province, with an estimated 250 arriving per day. H1 saw 473,257 visitors, a
decline from 1,347,013 in H1 2019 >>
26 May: A 4th round of economic stimulus has been rolled out, with key measures
including:
• Registered hotels, guesthouses, restaurants and tour agencies in Phnom Penh,

Siem Reap, Preah Sihanouk, Kep, Kampot, Bavet and Poipet to be exempted
from all taxes in June & July
• Tourism businesses also permitted to not pay into the National Social Security
Fund during business suspension
• Tourism businesses exempted from renewal fees for tourism licenses in 2021
• Airline companies to benefit from exemption of minimum tax payment until
July
• A “Credit Guarantee Fund” of $200 million USD to ease working capital issues
• Social assistance programme with cash transfers to poor families
• Withholding tax rates to be reduced
• Additional $300 million USD to boost key sectors (no details yet) >>
31 Mar: The Cambodian government has issued fiscal measures to support the
tourism industry, including:
• Minimum 3-month 10% tax exemption for aviation sector (until May), plus
debt repayment plan can be paid in installments following suspension of
operations
• Tourism operators such as hotels, restaurants and aviation agencies in
Phnom Penh, Siem Reap, Sihanoukville, Kep and Kampot are exempted
from monthly tax

• For employees: 20% of salary to be sponsored by the government, but must

attend a 1 - 2 weeks short skills course organised by the Ministry of
Tourism >>’
View older updates from February onwards on our dashboard at:

https://www.pearanderson.com/coronavirus/cambodia/
OUTBOUND
NEW 4 Sep: More airlines have restored flights to Cambodia, including SilkAir from
Singapore to Phnom Penh, Cambodia Airways from Phnom Penh to Fuzhou and JC
Airlines between Kunming and Phnom Penh >>
NEW 24 Aug: Japan will start flights to Cambodia once more for business travellers from
Sep >>
24 Aug: Flights between Cambodia and Laos will resume in Sep for business
travellers and long-stay residents >>
20 Aug: Cambodia has been approved for transit flights through Singapore when
flying on Singapore Airlines Group’s 3 carriers. This would only allow for outbound
travel from Cambodia, and pax are not allowed to transit Singapore for travel into
Cambodia >>
29 Jul: Thai AirAsia announced plans to resume the following routes in Aug from
Bangkok Don Mueang Airport to Phnom Penh, Singapore and Yangon >>
10 Jul: The Vietnamese PM has asked for increasing numbers of repatriation and
commercial flights to being back Vietnamese citizens and foreign experts to
Vietnam. In particular, he has asked a committee to look into resuming key air
routes to Tokyo, Seoul, Guangzhou, Taiwan, Vientiane and Phnom Penh >>

https://www.pearanderson.com/coronavirus/cambodia/

INDONESIA
Losses of $11.3 billion USD so far
TRAVEL Passengers are not allowed to transit or enter Indonesia (IATA). Domestic flights
RESTRICTIONS
permitted with certification. Travel corridors with South Korea, China and U.A.E.
for essential business and diplomatic travel open.
LOCKDOWN Jakarta extends its transition period until 10 Sep. Some economic activities
STATUS
allowed to restart. Offices reopened 8 Jun, shopping malls from 15 Jun, places of
worship opened at 50% capacity from 5 Jun. Schools remain closed, religious and
socio-cultural events are restricted.
Consumer sentiment Indonesia tourism arrivals

% change YoY
5.90%
-28.90%
-64.10%
-86.90%
-87.40%
-89.12%
Source: YouGOV -87%
Source: Statistics Indonesia

Flight searches and booking volume for travel to Indonesia
Future flight search for travel to Indonesia % change in scheduled departures YoY

Source: The Airline Flight Demand Tracker, Lufthansa Innovation Hub

BORDERS
NEW 3 Sep: Malaysia will extend a ban on citizens from countries with more than
150,000 cases of COVID-19 from 7 Sep, including Indonesia >>
26 Aug: Indonesia has started talks with Singapore for a Travel Corridor
Arrangement (TCA) for essential business >>

24 Aug: Bali’s governor has announced that Bali will not reopen to international
tourists on 11 Sep and may reopen only in 2021, saying that "The Indonesian
government still enforces a policy that prohibits its citizens from travelling abroad,
at least until the end of 2020. In line with that, the Indonesian government has not
been able to open the door of entry for foreign tourists to Indonesia until the end
of 2020, because Indonesia is still in the red zone category." >>
21 Aug: Indonesia has signed a travel corridor deal with China for essential
business arrangements, effective immediately >>

16 Aug: The Tourism and Creative Economy Ministry said that the plan to allow
foreigners to work from Bali would “impossible at the moment as the borders are
still closed”. However, the Maritime Minister has said that “We won’t be welcoming
foreign tourists until the end of this year” >>
15 Aug: The national economic and COVID-19 recovery committee said on 15 Aug
that reopening to foreign tourists is still “under evaluation”, but that it would be
“positive” >>
13 Aug: Indonesia and South Korea have established a travel corridor for essential
business and diplomatic travel between the 2 countries, which will open on 17
Aug >>
13 Aug: The Minister for Maritime Affairs has stated that opening Indonesian
borders for tourism may be delayed until the year-end, as they want to focus on
encouraging the 8 million Indonesians who usually travel overseas to travel
domestically, so that the $9 billion USD could benefit the local economy >>
13 Aug: Regulations to support the creation of Bali as a digital nomad hub are
being formulated >>
12 Aug: The Minister for Maritime Affairs has confirmed that Indonesia is looking
at Australia, New Zealand, China, South Korea and Japan for travel bubbles >>
8 Jul: Indonesia plans to develop a travel bubble scheme which will target certain
locations. Whilst which Indonesian locations and which foreign countries are front
of mind has not been revealed, the tourism ministry did reveal that it will involve
countries with low cases, including South Korea, Taiwan and China >>
6 Aug: Indonesia and Colombia intend to enhance bilateral ties with a visa
exemption after COVID-19 >>

31 Jul: Indonesia has established a travel corridor with the UAE for essential
business, official and diplomatic trips, effective immediately. Travellers would be
exempted for a 2-week quarantine, but they would need to undergo a COVID-19
test prior to travel. The Indonesian Foreign Minister said more agreements, such as
with South Korea and China, are also being negotiated >>
countries >>
24 Jul: The Bali governor has announced that Bali will reopen to international
visitors on 11 Sep, and will start phase 2 on 31 Jul with the reopening for domestic
visitors. International tourists will need to have a negative test prior to departure
>>
INBOUND
NEW 5 Sep: Lion Air will open a new route from Balikpapan to Berau from 9 Sep >>
NEW 4 Sep: The WHO Indonesia has warned against using COVID-19 rapid antibody
tests as a requirement for travel, as they have a low accuracy level (sometimes less
than 50%) and false negatives could instil a sense of security. Instead, face mask
covering and physical distancing is more effective for air travellers. Garuda
Indonesia have shared that whilst 74% of pax were confident to fly, only 12% had
actually purchased tickets >>
NEW 4 Sep: The government may continue the wage subsidy program (600,000
IDR/month for those earning less than 5 million IDR) into 2021 if it stimulates the
economy and consumer spending >>
NEW 4 Sep: Indonesia had 3 consecutive days of more than 3,000 new cases detected,
with a record high on 3 Sep of 3,269 >>
NEW 3 Sep: Angkasa Pura II airport operator noted a 38% growth across Indonesia’s
airports in Aug, with 2.1 million pax carried vs Jul’s 1.52 million. Flight traffic has
also increased 17%to 25,041 flights. The most significant increase was at Jakarta’s
Soekarno-Hatta airport, with an increase of 17% in flight frequencies and 36% in
pax traffic >>
NEW 2 Sep: Curfews have been imposed in Bogor and Depok, with supermarkets and
malls to close at 6pm and outdoor activities forbidden from 8pm >>
NEW 2 Sep: Wings Air is opening a new route between Makassar City and Tana Toraja
regency >>

NEW 2 Sep: Bali Dwipa Tourism Industry will hold a “We Love Bali” gathering, with 150
travel agents to visit the island on a fam trip from 4-6 Sep >>
NEW 1 Sep: Jokowi has said that Bali has had the worst economic hit in Indonesia, with a
contraction of 10.98%, due to its dependence on tourism. Jakarta saw a slowdown
of 8.22%, and Yogyakarta 6.74% >>
NEW 1 Sep: Indonesia is expected to only have 5 million international visitors in 2020, a
drop of 12 million (-60%). If normality is not resumed by Dec 20, the Tourism
Ministry expects that it could drop by 80% >>
NEW 1 Sep: Indonesia’s arrivals for Jul dropped 89.12% YoY to 159,760 pax, an
improvement of 0.95% from Jun >>
NEW 1 Sep: Jakarta’s governor has signed a decree that allows the transition PSBB
lockdown period to be automatically renewed every 14-days if there is an increase
in new COVID-19 cases. If it is a substantial increase, then stricter conditions
would be reimposed >>
NEW 31 Aug: Bali recorded its highest spike in daily cases on 31 Aug, one month after
domestic tourism was reopened, at 129. There has been no official link made
between reopening destinations to tourists and the spike >>
NEW 31 Aug: The Jakarta governor claimed that the COVID-19 situation in Jakarta is
under control, despite cases rising >>
NEW 31 Aug: Reports that a Batik Air plane flew at 100% capacity, breaking the 70%
rule is being seriously by the Transportation Ministry >>
30 Aug: The Bali Hotel General Managers Association has said that they are not
sure how the Bali tourism industry can survive another 4-5 months of closure, with
the reopening to domestic tourists having little significant impact on increasing
hotel occupancy levels >>
29 Aug: The Indonesian Hotels and Restaurants Association (PHRI) and the
Indonesia National Air Carriers Association (INACA) agree that affordable, safe tour
packages will boost tourism recovery, and have signed an agreement between the
2 organisations >>
29 Aug: Mount Bromo has reopened to tourists, with limitations on the number of
visitors per day allowed, at just 739, 20% of its normal capacity. Travellers will
need to register in advance online >>
NEW 28 Aug: Bali’s governor has reported that the airport is receiving 35 flights per day
and received over 5,000 pax daily over the public holiday long weekends >>

28 Aug: The new Yogyakarta International Airport is hoped to attract more

domestic and international tourists, being able to serve 20 million pax per year >>
28 Aug: There are still low tourism numbers to Lombok, despite the recreational
areas of Rinjani, Senggigi, Mandalika and the Gili Islands being reopened since 27
Jun. The NTB Tourism Agency said that this was down to travel requirements, as
well as general fear >>
27 Aug: The Riau Islands are preparing strict health and safety protocols, in case
the border discussions with Singapore lead to reopening to Singaporean travellers.
Last year, 47% of the islands visitors were from Singapore >>
27 Aug: Indonesia had a record one-day high of 2,719 new cases >>
27 Aug: Live music performances will be allowed once more in Jakarta under strict
conditions >>
26 Aug: Jakarta has extended its transition period (PSBB) to 10 Sep, the 5th
extension since mid-Jun, due to the high transmission rates which continue >>
26 Aug: OYO Indonesia had a 70% increase in hotel occupancy from May, and are
almost at the same level as pre-pandemic >>
26 Aug: Citilink will reopen 7 flights daily to Bali >>
26 Aug: The wage subsidy assistance for workers will be launched on 27 Aug >>
25 Aug: Malioboro had 18,375 visitors over the long weekend from 20-23 Aug,
with visitors arriving from Bandung, Jakarta, Surabaya, Pekalongan >>
25 Aug: The Jakarta Tourism Agency had punished 76 businesses for failing to
follow protocols >>
25 Aug: AirAsia will open four new domestic routes to Denpasar-Bali, including
from Labuan Bajo, Lombok, Yogyakarta and Solo from 1 Sep >>
25 Aug: Infrastructure development has continued in Labuan Bajo, including new

roads and an extension to the airport runway at Komodo Airport. They are also
developing the marina area, to be able to accommodate 125 yachts or cruise ships
by 2020 year-end >>
25 Aug: Komodo National Park and Labuan Bajo have opened for domestic tourists,
with a maximum of 25 per day and advanced registration required. Komodo Island
will have a future cap of 50,000 annually. Agents have started to receive overseas
bookings for 2021 >>
25 Aug: The Ubud Writers and Readers Festival and the Ubud Food Festival will
now be held virtually from 29 Oct to 8 Nov >>

24 Aug: The kecak dance at Uluwatu Temple in Bali is implementing more safety
protocols, and even a digital payment service, to minimise contact for spectators
>>
24 Aug: A petition calling for Indonesia to reopen Bali for international tourists has
been launched by the travel trade, aiming to get 5,000 signatures. By 23 Aug, it
had 2,300 signatures. The Indonesia Inbound Tour Operators Association is also
due to have a hearing with the Parliament in Jakarta soon >>
23 Aug: The National Development Planning Minister believes that there will be no
more mass tourism, but it will be quality-based. The Tourism Minister will focus on
5 priority destinations, including Lake Tobam Borobudur, Mandalika, Labuan Bajo
and Likupang >>
23 Aug: Citilink has reopened selected domestic routes, including Jakarta –

Yogyakarta, Jakarta – Surakarta, Jakarta – Labuan Bajo, Medan – Nias and Jakarta
– Denpasar >>
22 Aug: Semarang Old Town has been declared a national cultural heritage site, as
part of a plan to eventually submit the area to the UNESCO World Heritage list >>
21 Aug: Raja Ampat opened its doors to domestic tourists on 22 Aug, with new
protocols for diving operators in place >>
21 Aug: As of 19 Aug, more than 151,000 Jakarta tourism workers have faced pay
cuts, furloughs and layoffs, according to Jakarta Tourism and Creative Economy
Agency >>
21 Aug: Batam City Tourism Office is planning to attract more foreign tourists,
including European ones, but the challenge exists that many of the island’s resorts
cater for Asian tastes, rather than European ones >>
21 Aug: Ahead of the long weekend (the government declared Fri 21 Aug to be an
additional public holiday, creating a 4-day weekend), the government has
reminded tourist attractions to implement strict health protocols, limiting capacity
to 50% to ensure physical distancing. The weekend before, also a long weekend,
had seen overwhelming crowds >>
21 Aug: Central Java has revealed a new integrated tourist destination, called
Jateng Valley, a 400 hectare tourist area which will be built in Semarang. The
construction was launched on 15 Aug, at a cost of more than $134 million USD >>
20 Aug: Jakarta’s Governor is still assessing whether to implement stricter social

distancing measures, an “emergency brake policy”, and urged residents to wear
masks >>

20 Aug: Garuda Indonesia has had 50% load factor during the long holiday
weekend from 19 – 23 Aug, with more than 50% of those pax departing for Bali >>
20 Aug: Pekanbaru has banned its city residents from travelling to other cities
during the long weekend in an attempt to limit the spread of COVID-19 >>
19 Aug: Indonesia is looking at developing medical tourism in the country, saying

this would boost the country’s medical independence and take advantage of the
lucrative sector >>
19 Aug: The Mandalika Circuit for MotoGP motorcycle racing is slated to be

complete by Jun 2021, with its finish only slightly delayed by COVID-19 >>
19 Aug: A survey by Traveloka has shown that the public’s confidence in travelling
and enjoying outdoor activities has increased by 16% to 45%. A Kantar survey in
Jul also showed that 72% of travellers had an improvement of awareness of health
and safety precautions at travel destinations, and cleanliness was their main
concern. Traveloka has also seen an uplift in the number of partner businesses
who have signed up for their Traveloka Clean campaigns, across hotels, attractions
and flights >>
19 Aug: Mt Rinjani is reopening for hikers on 22 Aug. Pre-registration is required,

with visitors limited to 30% of the usual capacity and a maximum of 2D1N trips.
Hikers from outside West Nusa Tenggara will also need to bring a health
certificate stating that they are safe from COVID-19 >>
19 Aug: The Indonesian government will take a “storynomics” approach to tourism,

using narration, creative and cultural content to encourage people to stay longer
and spend more in destinations. It will use online influencers, provide training for
locals to become interpreters and guides, and also build up infrastructure to tell
the location’s stories >>
18 Aug: Angksara Pura II, the airport operator, predict that the Indonesian aviation
industry will recover by mid-2023, a more optimistic outlook than IATA. The long
weekend of Aug 14 saw 524 flight to and from Jakarta Soekarno-Hatta airport, a
high since Mar, with 45,700 pax on that one day >>
17 Aug: Garuda Indonesia reduced airfares up to 45% from selected air routes from
Jakarta for August travel only >>
17 Aug: The Indonesian government plans to hold a mega fam trip for UAE KOLs,
according to the Indonesian Ambassador for the UAE >>
14 Aug: Jakarta has extended the transitional phase of PSBB for another 2 weeks,
as well as impose stricter controls on crowded activities, such as Car Free Day and
celebrations for Indonesia’s Independence Day. This comes amidst an increase in

the city’s positive case rate, rising from 7.4 to 8.7, above the WHO recommended
limit of 5 or below >>
14 Aug: Garuda Indonesia have urged the government to rethink their plan of
creating ‘10 new Balis’ and focus instead on recovery, with all efforts on one or
two spots to attract domestic and international tourists. However, they fully
support Jokowi’s plan to establish a state-owned enterprise holding for tourism
and aviation >>
14 Aug: Hotel searches for domestic trips to Bali have increased by 400% since
May, according to Sojern. Even international hotel searches have almost returned
to pre-COVID levels >>
14 Aug: Jokowi in his state of the nation speech urged Indonesians to see COVID-
19 as an opportunity for a reboot, urging fast social assistance for laid off workers,
as well as the importance of loans and capital assistance for SMEs >>
13 Aug: Garuda Indonesia has experienced kite related accidents on flights near
Soekarno-Hatta International Airport, causing disruption and damage to the planes
>>
13 Aug: Citibank Indonesia predicts that Indonesia’s economy will return to growth
of between 5.5-6%, with economic activities normalising >>
13 Aug: The Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment has urged
other regional destinations to reopen for tourism, following Bali’s example. He
also noted that Bali’s cases have been declining since the opening on 31 Jul >>
13 Aug: 3.8 trillion IDR has been allocated to support the tourism sector and
creative economy through a number of initiatives, including subsidy and income
tax allowance. Indonesia’s foreign tourists is expected to drop to 5 million vs.
2019’s 16 million, and 120 million domestic tourists vs 2019’s 303 million >>
13 Aug: There in major in-fighting between the Indonesian Association of Travel

Agents (ASITA) HQ and Bali Chapter, with the latter accusing the former of
mismanagement, and filing a motion of “no confidence” against the central team
>>
12 Aug: Indonesia has hit out at other countries’ COVID-19 response, saying that
Singapore and the USA have problems, and that each country’s way to handle the
pandemic is unique >>
12 Aug: The 5* Bintan Lagoon Resort, a favourite with Singaporeans, has closed
down, citing COVID-19. 14,000 tourism employees in Bintan have been told to
stop work, with hotels scaling back services >>

12 Aug: Ujung Kulon National Park in Banten province will reopen on 17 Aug.
Visitors must have a negative PCR test, a health certificate and a written statement
that they will act responsibly throughout the trip. They will also need to pay an
insurance fee, wear face masks and maintain social distancing >>
12 Aug: Yogyakarta is launching bike tours around the town, following the increase
in popularity of cycling in the country >>
12 Aug: Discussions have started about building an autonomous rail rapid transit
to connect Ngurah Rai International Airport and Sanur in Bali >>
11 Aug: The number of workers in the government’s wage subsidy programme will
be increased to cover 15.7 million workers, including those that have been
furloughed or received pay cuts >>
11 Aug: The Minister of Transportation has said that the pandemic is threatening
to drive the aviation industry to bankruptcy >>
11 Aug: Traveloka has cleared 90% of its 1 million flight ticket refunds, worth an
estimated $94.5 million USD >>
10 Aug: The government will look at improving infrastructure and attracting long-
term investments for tourism destinations in 2020. They will develop “creative
hubs” at their super priority destinations (Lake Toba, Borobudur, Labuan Bajo,
Mandalika and Likupang), which would house art and local products. Other
infrastructure projects underway include building facilities for the 2023 G20 and
ASEAN summits in Labuan Bajo, better road infrastructure around Lake Toba, but
the proposed negotiations with the Walt Disney Company to build a theme park on
Mandalika have stalled. The Tourism Ministry does not expect foreign arrivals to
recover until 2025 >>
10 Aug: Bali’s governor plans to lessen the dependency of the island on tourism,
and will diversify its economic activities >>
8 Aug: An Agoda survey has shown:
• 78% of Indonesians are ready to travel

• Most popular destination for their next trip is Bali
• 39% chose beach as their most popular destination type, followed by
nature at 28% >>
8 Aug: The Indonesian Hotel and Restaurant Association (PHRI) has said that whilst
there was a brief spike for hotels of 20-40% occupancy rates after the PSBB was
lifted, this has now declined to between 15-1%. They have also noted an interest
in places where people from Jakarta can travel to by car, rather than by flying >>

8 Aug: The Preemployment Card Program has been reopened, prioritising those
who have been affected by the pandemic. It hopes to cover 5.6 million people by
Oct >>
7 Aug: The President is considering creating a holding company for aviation and
tourism state-owned enterprises (SOEs), as well as developing international hub
airports. He plans to integrate SOEs to consolidate and boost tourism, including
airlines, airports, destination operators and hotels. He would also like to reduce
the number of international airports, which is currently at 30, but consolidate to 8,
as 90% of traffic is received into Jakarta, Bali, Surabaya and Kualanamu Airport.
The other 4 airport which would be included would be Kulonprogo International
Airport in Yogyakarta, Sepinggan International Airport in Balikpapan, Manado and
Makassar airports >>
7 Aug: Jakarta recorded 658 new cases on 7 Aug, the highest spike since first
infections in Mar, following an upward trend of positive cases after the easing of
the PSBB. However, the authorities claim they come from aggressive contact
tracing >>
7 Aug: Staycations will see a surge in demand, according to a consultancy firm

Inventure. Searches on Google Trends for “staycation” have increased since the
PSBB has been eased in Jun, with Jun and Jul’s average search popularity higher
than that of Dec. OTA Pegipegi.com has also reported an upward trend for hotel
bookings since Jun >>
7 Aug: Yogyakarta Airport (YIA) is set to reopen flights to Malaysia and Singapore,
with flights to Malaysia starting on 16 Aug and to Singapore in Sep. Both flights
would be operated by AirAsia >>
6 Aug: Millions of MSMEs are struggling to survive in Indonesia, with economists

criticising some of the incentives already implemented such as tax breaks, saying
that they are not relevant. Instead, they see increasing people’s purchasing power
as the element which can support them >>
6 Aug: The Central Statistics Agency (BPS) have announced that Indonesia’s
economy contracted by 5.32% in Q2 >>
6 Aug: Tourists from Singapore, India, Philippines, Australia and New Zealand are
all aiming to visit Indonesia as the first destination to travel to once borders
reopen, according to the “Unravel Travel: Fear & Possibilities in a Post-Coronavirus
World”. 71% of Indonesians believe that their country is well-prepared to reopen
to tourist activities, the 2nd highest level in SE Asia. 73% of Indonesians want to
travel domestically in the next 12 months >>

6 Aug: The government will launch a financial stimulus for civil servant and SOE
employees on less than $344 USD/ month, which will give them payments of
600,000 IDR monthly for 4 months >>
6 Aug: Indonesia’s planned transfer of state-owned forests to local communities

has been cut by 50% this year because of COVID-19. The plan to hand over the
land to rural communities was intended to fight poverty by establishing forest
enterprises, including eco-tourism >>
5 Aug: Ministers have urged travellers to Bali to enjoy it responsibly. I Gusti Ngurah
Rai International Airport in Bali has seen an increase of 15-17% in arrivals on 3
Aug, with arrivals on 2,128 on the 31 Jul, 1,847 on 1 Aug and 2,419 on 2 Aug >>
5 Aug: The Indonesian government is relentlessly promoting air travel for domestic
tourism, with a gradual growth. The Transportation Ministry has said that
compared to the previous 10 daily average flights to Bali, there are now 60.
However, the Indonesia National Air Carriers Association (INACA) has said that
domestic travel is far from the levels of 2018 and 2019 >>
5 Aug: The Komodo National Park will only allow 50,000 travellers to the islands
annually, as well as require a membership to visit. The membership is set to cost
$1,000 USD per pax/ year >>
5 Aug: Bangka Belitung saw 3,953 visitors in Jun 2020, a rise of 45.33% vs May
2020, according to the BPS >>
5 Aug: West Sumatra wants to further boost tourism with the development of a
port in Padang. The Marina Centre would be a port as well as a culinary centre,
and would offer sea transportation to the Mentawai Islands, a budding surf
destination. Jun’s occupancy of the province’s hotels increased to 21.14%, a pick up
of 9.9% from May 2020 >>
4 Aug: The National Development Planning Minister has said that changes after
COVID-19 would lead tourism to be more quality-based, rather than mass tourism.
The minister has said that they want Indonesians to not be “overly fearful, though
remain alert." >>
4 Aug: AirAsia Indonesia has seen an increase of 60-90% in ticket bookings in Jul,
with Bali-Denpasar being the top route >>
4 Aug: Indonesia is pushing digital connectivity to enhance contact tracing under

the PeduliLindungi app, but the Indonesia Hotel and Restaurant Association says
that many people are still unaware of the app >>

4 Aug: Tourists to North Sumatra have started to increase since Jun 2020,
according to the Central Statistics Agency (BPS), with 99 foreign tourists vs 1 in
May 2020. 75 of these were from Malaysia >>
4 Aug: Bali won the top spot in the TripAdvisor 2020 Travellers’ Choice Awards Top
25 Popular Destinations in Asia category, whilst Lombok came in 16th place >>
4 Aug: East Nusa Tenggara has seen interest from abroad for tour packages for
2020 YE, according to the local chapter of the Indonesia Travel Association >>
3 Aug: The Tourism Ministry sees Indonesians being drawn to low-risk nature-
based tourism in destinations such as Bali, Lake Toba and Labuan Bajo. They have
allocated $1.6 million USD in financial assistance to 6 tourism and creative sub-
sectors, including an incentive of 200 million IDR to each hotel and homestay in
tourism villages >>
3 Aug: Foreign visitors in Jun to Indonesia were down 88.8% YoY to 160,300 >>
1 Aug: Around 4,000 pax arrived at I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport on the
first day of reopening. The airports authority said that they have seen an increase
in the number of flights >>
31 Jul: Bali reopened to domestic tourists on 31 Jul, which will be in strict

accordance with health protocols include physical distancing at tourist sites and
wearing of masks, as well as contactless payments. The governor has asked the
central government to revise its policy on international flight restrictions for mid-
Sep >>
31 Jul: Jokowi fully supports Bali reopening to domestic tourists from 31 Jul >>
31 Jul: AirAsia Indonesia will reopen 3 more domestic routes in Aug, including
Yogyakarta – Medan, Surabaya – Denpasar (Bali) and Jakarta – Semarang. They are
operating 8 domestic routes so far >>
31 Jul: Mt Sumbing in Central Java has reopened to visitors from 1 Aug, with hikers
limited to 250 pax/ day, and hiking permits to be obtained prior to arrival >>
30 Jul: Jakarta has extended its transitional PSBB once more for another 2 weeks
until 13 Aug, as the city’s positivity rate from tests hit 6.5%, with clusters detected
at offices >>
30 Jul: Traveloka is offering a drive-through COVID-19 testing at Jakarta’s

Soekarno-Hatta International Airport. The test is provided for $10.33 USD, and can
be booked via the Traveloka Xperience feature, in accordance with passenger
flight dates. Results are provided in 15 minutes as a printed letter. This is in
addition to AirAsia, who is also offering drive-through testing for $6.51 USD >>

30 Jul: The Indonesian government is encouraging people to come out and spend
to support the local economy >>
30 Jul: Komodo National Park will reopen on 15 Aug to domestic tourists to both
local and foreigners residing in Indonesia >>
30 Jul: Indonesia is planning to hold the bike race the Tour de Singkarak in 2021 in
West Sumatra and Jambi provinces >>
30 Jul: The government is to provide cash transfers of $165 USD to 10-12 million
MSMEs and working capital loans of 2 million IDR >>
30 Jul: Banyuwangi, which imposed new regulations on limiting tour guiding

services to those from the regency, has come under fire from Indonesian tour
operators >>
30 Jul: The Minister of Tourism has announced that he will support tourism in
Banyuwangi, including welcoming the World Surf League on Tabuhan Island in
2021 >>
29 Jul: Dyandra Promosindo, an exhibition organiser, will organise a massive event

in October with 3 events in one: The Indonesia International Furniture Expo, the
Indonesia International Motor Show and the Property Weekend Fiesta, as well as a
concert, called Dyandra New Adventure (DNA) >>
29 Jul: Bali’s domestic tourists will have to fulfil 5 criteria before entry: present a
COVID-19 test, failing that undergo a test upon arrival, use the Lovebali app,
comply with health protocols and have their GPS activated >>
28 Jul: Traveloka, Indonesia’s travel unicorn OTA, has raised $250 million USD in a
new funding round. It will use the new capital to boost its travel and lifestyle
portal, as well as its financial services solutions. The OTA has said that it has seen
an “encouraging recovery” in Vietnam, which is approaching pre-pandemic levels,
as well as Thailand which is at 50% of previous levels. The markets are said to be
improving in Indonesia and Malaysia >>
28 Jul: Tourism players are not satisfied with the government’s partial tax
obligations, calling for more financial incentives and help. The Indonesia Hotel
and Restaurant Association says that its members have run out of working capital
to resume operations, and asked the government for a working capital fund. The
Indonesia National Air Carriers Association has also asked the government to
absorb the cost of COVID-19 testing for air passengers and restore full operational
capacity from its current 70% restriction >>
28 Jul: The government’s focus for tourism will be on the local market for the next
year or so >>

28 Jul: The Bali provincial government is working on a “Work from Bali” campaign,
targeted at digital nomads and remote workers, which could work on a similar way
to the Barbados scheme with a digital nomad visa >>
28 Jul: The government is considering opening schools outside of COVID-19 green

zones >>
28 Jul: Indonesia’s stimulus packages are not enough for households to survive,
with a survey showing the majority of Indonesians need greater help. Economists
have called on the government to be more creative to stimulate the economy >>
28 Jul: The majority of Indonesians are in favour of reopening schools, a new

survey has revealed, with 80.2% in favour >>
27 Jul: Hundreds rallied in Bali on 26 Jul to protest the requirement for rapid and
swab tests for administrative and travel purposes. The swabs are compulsory for
those staying a tourist accommodation, as well as tourism workers >>
27 Jul: Indonesia surpassed 100,000 cases on 27 Jul, with Jakarta having its highest
one-day spike in cases since March, with 467 >>
24 Jul: Indonesia has seen a demand in Russian travellers’ inbound travel, with one
agent even accepting groups to Bali on Oct, but the lack of clarity over borders
reopening is dampening demand >>
24 Jul: Nusa Dua Beach Hotel in Bali has now received approval from the Badung
regency for its New Tourism Habits Adaption Phase under the pilot scheme for
reopening >>
24 Jul: Indonesia has received approval from the World Travel & Tourism Council
(WTTC) to use their “Safe Travels” global safety and hygiene stamp >>
24 Jul: Halal hotels in Indonesia are still not seeing recovery, according to the
Indonesia Halal Tourism Association. Occupancy levels are 10-30% of pre-COVID
levels >>
23 Jul: Tourism revenue dropped 97% YoY to just USD 31 million in May, and
international arrivals dropped by 86.9% >>
23 Jul: More than 2,000 hotels and hostels have temporarily stopped operating,
according to the government and had affected over 180,000 workers. They are
planning to push for a gradual increase of domestic tourists to 70%, and 3.8
trillion IDR has been allocated to add value for tourists at attractions >>
23 Jul: The Tourism Minister has proposed that tourism businesses be fully exempt
from corporate income tax, as well as increase the limit for working capital loans.
The Indonesian Hotel and Restaurant Association estimates that Indonesia’s

tourism revenue has lost 85 trillion IDR as of mid-July. The Coordinating Maritime
Affairs and Investment Ministry has also instructed its related agencies to spend
their 4.1 trillion IDR business trip budget in 8 designated tourist areas:
Banyuwangi, Bali, Borobudur Temple, Lake Toba, Riau Islands, Labuan Bajo,
Likupang and Mandalika >>
22 Jul: 2 of 3 citizens oppose the strict social distancing measures (PSBB) from
being extended, and should instead focus on the economy, according to an
independent survey >>
22 Jul: Air passengers no longer have to present their exit and entry permits (SIKM)
as of 17 Jul, to simplify the procedure. They will just need to fill in a health alert
card prior to travel, as well as present their PCR or RDT test >>
21 Jul: Indonesian tour operators are questioning if the implementation of a new

online booking system at Komodo National Park is fair. It lists 197 tour operators,
giving the impression that the park is receiving a cut from the listed operators. The
3 park sites would allow just 25 visitors each per day in the 1st phase of reopening
>>
20 Jul: The Indonesian MICE sector is starting to pick up thanks to government

meetings as the ministries are encouraged to organise events in hotels >>
20 Jul: Muslim tourism is being further developed in Indonesia by the Association

of Indonesia Hajj and Umrah Organizers (Amphuri), in a move to diversify away
from its outbound and umrah tour packages. The association has been working
with local governments to educate them on targeting the Muslim friendly sector
>>
18 Jul: Bali has seen its 2nd highest number of daily cases on 17 Jul of 112 – but
the governor has said this is not a result of the “new normal” which started on 9
Jul >>
18 Jul: Jakarta has decided to extend its transition period for its social restriction
(PSBB) for another 2 weeks, from 17 Jul – 30 Jul. This means that further
relaxations, e.g. opening of cinemas, will also be delayed >>
17 Jul: Booking.com has seen an increase in domestic bookings, with the share of
bookings rising to 70% in April from its usual 45%. Top destinations included
Yogyakarta, Jakarta, Ubud, Bandung and Seminyak. They have also seen a shift in
travel patterns to more flexible dates and off-the-beaten-track destinations >>
16 Jul: Epidemiologists are criticising the government’s actions in handling the

situation, saying that strict restrictions should be imposed once more until Aug or
Sep >>

16 Jul: Travellers to and from Jakarta by train no longer need to obtain an Exit and
Entry Permit (SIKM), and instead must enter details into an app >>
16 Jul: Batam and Bintan islands have now implemented safety and hygiene
protocols and are just waiting for the resumption of international tourism >>
15 Jul: 400 Garuda Indonesia employees have now accepted early retirement >>
15 Jul: Immigration is preparing a QR code system to track foreigners in Indonesia

>>
14 Jul: Garuda Indonesia is trying to delay delivery of four Airbus aircraft this year
>>
14 Jul: The Indonesian Hotel and Restaurant Association estimate that leisure
travel has lost nearly 85 trillion IDR, with 70 trillion IDR from hotels and
restaurants, 15 trillion IDR from aviation and tour operators. More than 95% of
tourism workers are furloughed with no pay, and 2,000 hotels and 8,000
restaurants closed in the 3 months from March. Many employees are unable to
access the benefits of the pre-employment card scheme. The Indonesian Chamber
of Commerce and Industry said that most tourism-related businesses will be
bankrupt by the year-end without cash injections >>
14 Jul: The Ministry of Tourism has released a guide covering the new regulations
for the hotel and restaurant sectors as part of its Cleanliness, Health, Safety and
Environmental Sustainability (CHSE) program >>
14 Jul: The new campaign for health and safety procedures has been named
InDOnesia CARE as a key communication strategy for tourism >>
13 Jul: Face masks will become compulsory in Indonesia in a new regulation that is
being drafted >>
13 July: Some Indonesian hotel chains, such as Artotel, Tauzia and Santika, are
starting to see a climb in hotel occupancy rates. Santika’s Jakarta properties have
seen levels rise up to 30%, with many guests government workers >>
12 Jul: Lake Toba has been granted UNESCO Global Geopark status, and is
continuing its tourism development despite the pandemic >>
11 Jul: The Indonesian government has changed its phrase “new normal” to
“adapting to new habits” with the worry that locals interpreted the old phase to
mean “normal” >>
10 Jul: The Toba Caldera in North Sumatra province has been declared a UNESCO
global geopark >>

10 Jul: Bali has reopened to locals, with beaches reopening with a maximum of 75
visitors at a time and a select number of tourist attractions reopening such as Bali
safari park >>
9 Jul: IATA has warned that 2,096,800 jobs could be lost in the Indonesian aviation
sector in its latest assessment. Passenger demand is expected to fall by 50%, with
an estimated loss of $8.32 billion USD >>
9 Jul: The Tourism Ministry has reached 300,000 tourism workers via its food
assistance program. It also reported that it has suffered 162 trillion IDR in losses
from the tourism sector. The tax incentive scheme which it implemented earlier
has reached just 200,000 of 2.4 million registered, and the government is
investigating where the reason for the gap lies >>
9 Jul: Epidemiologists are warning the public against travelling to green zone
tourist areas, as the designation simply means there is less chance of transmission
>>
9 Jul: Bekasi city has now been declared a green zone, and schools will reopen on
13 Jul >>
9 Jul: The Baduy, an isolated ethnic group in Banten, have asked to be removed
from Indonesia’s list of tourist destinations as tourists visiting the community have
caused pollution and uneasiness >>
8 Jul: Cinemas will be allowed to reopen on 29 Jul >>
8 Jul: The national board of the Association of the Indonesian Tours and Travel
Agencies (ASITA) has been accused of poor leadership and accountability by ASITA
members >>
8 Jul: Monthly household spending has decreased in Indonesia by 7% YoY in Q1,

according to the latest Nielsen report. Consumers also remain anxious about
leaving the home, according to a Kantar survey >>
8 Jul: Jakarta tourism agency is planning to issue a regulation allowing MICE

events to proceed in the capital at 50% capacity. They also plan to allow events
and golf tournaments. The head said that Jakarta has lost trillions of IDR in tax
revenue from the tourism industry shutdown. Bali is also planning to encourage
government agency MICE events with a “Bali MICE Exchange” in early Dec with
international and domestic event organisers to showcase Bali MICE products >>
8 Jul: Lion Air outsourced workers are planning to stage a rally to protest the
layoffs which they say have not fulfilled workers’ rights >>
7 Jul: Traveloka is fundraising a new round, likely at a valuation of 17% less than
its last round. It is looking to secure around $250 million USD >>

7 Jul: Indonesia is trying to attract from Russians to visit the country and position
itself as a competitor to Thailand >>
7 Jul: 300 Garuda Indonesia employees have taken early retirement as of 7 Jul, with
the airline encouraging staff to consider the measure as a way of cost cutting >>
7 Jul: Tourism destinations in low-risk areas of Indonesia have started to reopen,

according to the Tourism and Creative Economy Ministry, despite cases continuing
to rise >>
4 Jun: Indonesia unveiled a stimulus package of $47.6 billion USD, with an aim to
strengthen the healthcare system, support businesses from bankruptcy and boost
consumer consumption >>
13 May: The government will provide a $1.68 billion USD stimulus package for
tourism that will include airfare and hotel discounts in Q3 to boost consumption
by the middle class >>
29 Apr: 5 schemes have been introduced to support MSMEs, including tax

incentives, loan restructuring, emergency working capital assistance, amongst
others, helping 23 million companies >>

https://www.pearanderson.com/coronavirus/indonesia/
OUTBOUND
NEW 2 Sep: Garuda Indonesia has restarted flights to Chengdu, China, and Citilink to
Kunming, China >>
26 Aug: Indonesia is preparing 3 scenarios for hajj in 2021:
1. If the pandemic is over by 2021, all 221,000 pilgrims scheduled for 2020
will travel in 2021, those in 2021 will be delayed to 2022
2. If the pandemic has slowed, the quota will be decreased, and not all 2020
pilgrims will travel. There may also be additional costs for this due to
reduced capacities
3. If the pandemic is not under control, hajj will be cancelled in 2021 and
pilgrims will be deferred to 2022 >>
21 Aug: Scoot is extending its passenger network to 15 cities, including 3 cities in

Indonesia – Palembang, Pekanbaru and Yogyakarta, bringing its Sep totals to 38
flights weekly >>

19 Aug: Panorama Destination, a leading Indonesian tour operator, has said that
their departments are currently experiencing “operational cessation/ restrictions”
to support government policies, whilst cost cutting measures have reduced the
salaries of 1,266 staff – but none have been made redundant >>
7 Aug: Jetstar Asia is set to reopen weekly services from Singapore to Penang,
HCMC and Jakarta from 10 Aug. It will also reopen flights from Singapore to Clark,
Manila and Medan later in the month, bringing it to 26 services/ week >>
4 Aug: Garuda Indonesia has said that they are in talks with the government over
state aid, although no timeline has been given >>
31 Jul: Garuda Indonesia has suffered $712.73 million USD in losses in H1. The
airline director said that the airline was flying at just a 10% occupancy rate in May,
which has now increased by only 2-3% in Jul >>
30 Jul: The Indonesia Hajj and Umrah Travel Association has warned that Hajj and
umrah travel costs will increase by 30-50% next season due to Saudi Arabia’s VAT
increase >>
18 Jul: The number of Indonesian visitors to South Korea in H1 dropped 68.3% YoY,
with Q2 seeing the sharpest drop >>
16 Jul: Garuda Indonesia’s bailout of $583 million USD has been approved by the
Indonesian government and will be in the form of a mandatory convertible bond.
Their business development director this week said that the airline’s flight
occupancy stood at 40%, unable to cover operation costs, and that they are
operating just 40 daily flights in Jul vs an average of 330 before the pandemic >>
8 Jul: Garuda Indonesia is planning to open direct flights between Bali and the
USA, France and India, and is in talks with the Tourism Ministry. Schedules would
be adapted for tourists to ensure they can maximise time on the island >>

https://www.pearanderson.com/coronavirus/indonesia/

LAOS
Could lose up to $20 - 25 million USD from cancellations
TRAVEL International flights, both scheduled and chartered, are suspended. (IATA).
RESTRICTIONS
LOCKDOWN Businesses are allowed to reopen from 18 May, and transport and interprovince
STATUS
movement is allowed again. Schools reopened from 18 May in phases. Indoor and
outdoor sporting activities are allowed to take place. From 2 Jun, night markets,
restaurants and cinemas to be reopened. Entertainment venues such as karaoke,
will remain closed, but casinos may open. Social gatherings permitted.

BORDERS
international flights to be reinstated to Laos. All pax would be quarantined on
arrival (at their own cost). Transit passengers would not be allowed into the
country. Pax would also need to provide a negative test prior to departure, and be
tested on arrival >>
23 Aug: Laos and Japan have agreed to open their borders to one another for
expatriate and long-term residents as early as Sep. Travellers must stay at home or
at a designated place after arriving for 14 days. Laotian students with Japanese
government scholarships will also be allowed entry as soon as possible. Japan also
pledged $18 million USD to refurbish schools in Laos. They will also speed up
talks to allow essential business travel >>
14 Aug: The US has added Laos to its list of “very low risk” destinations for COVID-
19, lifting its Do Not Travel advisory for the country >>
7 Aug: Laos is considering implementing fast-tracks for Vietnam and China.

According to reports, this could allow certain individuals, such as diplomatic staff,
technical experts and foreign labour to enter with the waiving of the 14-day
quarantine period >>
31 Jul: Laos has now suspended all chartered flights as well as scheduled flights
until 31 Aug, with tourist visas remaining suspended. Lockdown measures will also
be extended until 31 Aug >>
25 Jul: The UK has added Laos to its list of countries exempt from advice against
“all but essential” international travel >>

18 Jul: Laos Airlines is one of the first foreign airlines to be rewarded by China with
the ability to increase flights to twice weekly on its Vientiane – Kunming route
until 24 Oct >>
17 Jul: The government has clarified that medical certificates are not always
required for outbound travel from Laos and vary according to circumstance. An
official notice will be issued soon for travellers >>
16 Jul: Lao Airlines is planning to soon resume its Vientiane – Hanoi flight, with
two flights weekly, as requested by the Lao PM. The date has not been announced
yet. Laos will also soon re-open its first international checkpoint with Vietnam.
Laos Airlines has said that passengers from both Laos and Vietnam would be able
to enter the destination without having to stay at a quarantine centre. >>
16 Jul: Laos is keeping its borders closed to foreigners, and will only allow foreign
technical experts, diplomats, medical tourists and students to travel out from the
country >>

14 Jul: A new border gate may be opened between Laos’ Attapeu Province and
Cambodia’s Ratanakiri Province, and officials say that this could strengthen
tourism as currently there is no road connecting the province with Laos >>
with 10 more economies, including Laos >>
7 Jul: Laos and Vietnam have committed to cooperate with each other, pledging to
open air routes at the earliest possible time >>
INBOUND
NEW 7 Sep: The Vat Meuang Kang temple in Champassak province will be renovated to
attract more tourists. It is thought to be the oldest active temple in Laos >>
NEW 4 Sep: Laos has tested over 40,000 people since Jan, the Ministry of Health has
revealed >>

NEW 2 Sep: The Lao National Chamber of Commerce and Industry has said that the
slump in tourism was affecting both businesses but also potential income for local
people. If the outbreak continues, it could lose more than $500 million USD in
tourism revenue, equivalent to 2.7% GDP. H1 saw international visitors decline by
60% YoY >>
NEW 31 Aug: COVID-19 will increase the poverty levels due to job losses and rising
costs. Unemployment is set to increase to 20% in 2020 >>
NEW 28 Aug: The Lao Thiew Lao campaign has now launched its own Facebook page
dedicated to showcasing the country and offer from the tourism industry >>
28 Aug: Laos’ inflation remains high, according to the Laos Statistics Bureau, at
5.12% >>
22 Aug: Laos’ Hin Nam Ho Karst National Protection Area hopes to gain UNESCO
World Heritage status by 2022, as a trans-boundary extension to the World
Heritage Site of Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park in Vietnam >>
21 Aug: The launch of a new Hmong culture park at the end of Nov is anticipated,
with 80% of construction already completed. It will include a camping ground,
restaurant serving local fare and an experience of the Hmong culture >>
18 Aug: Nakai-Nam Theun National Park will join the IUCN Global Green List,
meaning that its nature conservation efforts are recognised under an international
standard >>
14 Aug: Laos has detected another 2 imported cases of COVID-19 >>
14 Aug: Lower and upper secondary school students are being urged to apply for
tourism and hospitality courses at Technical Vocational Education Training
institutions. All educational offerings have been compiled into one Facebook page,
as part of a national online campaign to highlight the benefits of working in the
industry, as it is one of the priority sectors for the Laotian government >>
12 Aug: Lao Zoo is being renovated to include a wildlife education program and
upgraded animal enclosures, and will be open in 2021 >>
12 Aug: Nong Somdet Souphanuvoung is being developed as a natural tourist

attraction, which will include parkland, restaurants, a camping ground and
meeting venue. There will also be boat racing and other traditional festivals >>
11 Aug: Ecotourism in Nam Et-Phou Louey National Park in Northern Laos is

proving to be a model for ecotourism in the country, as it supports 2,000
households >>

7 Aug: Lao Airlines has restarted its flights from Vientiane – Luang Namtha,
operating twice a week >>
6 Aug: 62 tour guides have qualified from the government’s training programme >>
6 Aug: LaoBuild 2020, Lao Food & Hotel 2020 and LaoCafe 2020 exhibitions have
all been postponed to 17-19 Jun 2021 >>
4 Aug: Lao Airlines has been ranked one of the top regional Asian airlines in the
Tripadvisor Travelers’ Choice Awards >>
4 Aug: Exo Travel and Lao Airlines have partnered to create great deals for the
domestic market under the Lao Thiew Laos campaign >>
31 Jul: The launch of the new Heritage Line luxury cruise ship Anouvong has been
postponed to 2021 >>
28 Jul: The Phou Bia mountain attraction in Xaysomboun province will open to
tourists in Dec, where tourists will be able to enjoy natural views, camping,
ziplines and a rope course >>
24 Jul: Laos has detected its 20th case of COVID-19, this time from a quarantined
Korean business traveller. Authorities are calling it a one-off, and not evidence of
community transmission >>
24 Jul: Achieving the initial target of 4.7 million international arrivals is now
impossible in 2020, according to the government. The Tourism Marketing
Department will hold a workshop to discuss with local operators the “Lao visit
Laos” domestic tourism campaign >>
24 Jul: Laos’s international arrivals dropped by 60% YoY to just 886,447 visitors for
H1. Unemployment levels in general has increased to 25% >>
23 Jul: Tour guides in Luang Prabang are being badly affected, as whilst tourism is
returning and tourists are booking hotels, guest houses and visiting local
attractions, locals do not feel the need to book a guide >>
22 Jul: Vientiane has revised its target for international tourists to 685,600 from an
initial 2 million. H1 recorded 485,600 visitors >>
14 Jul: The ADB has released a brief on the state of tourism enterprises within
Laos, with some key findings:
• Half of enterprises surveyed were temporarily closed in May 2020

• 78% of tourism businesses in Louangphabang were closed
• 70% of businesses had reduced employees, with number of employees
falling by 38%

• Larger enterprises who primarily served the international markets have

been worse affected
• The majority of tourism businesses favoured tax relief (84.8%) and cash
transfers (68.7%). 63.5% also believed that entry fees for attractions should
be waived for 1 year >>
14 Jul: Champassak region has received just 100,000 domestic and international
tourists in H1. It targeted receiving 1 million visitors this year >>
13 Jul: Xaysomboun will develop new tourist sites, with developers planning a new
site in Anouvong District which would cost around $500 million USD.
Environmental conservation measures would also be taken into account >>
13 Jul: The Tad Tontaen waterfall in Borikhamxay province will be developed as a

natural tourism attraction, as a feasibility study is underway >>

https://www.pearanderson.com/coronavirus/laos/
OUTBOUND
10 Jul: The Vietnamese PM has asked a committee to look into resuming key air
routes to Tokyo, Seoul, Guangzhou, Taiwan, Vientiane and Phnom Penh >>

https://www.pearanderson.com/coronavirus/laos/

MALAYSIA
Estimated RM45 billion in losses
TRAVEL Passengers not allowed to enter Malaysia (except Malaysian nationals, permanent
RESTRICTIONS
residents, work pass and MM2H permit holders). 14-day quarantine in designated
centres on arrival. RGL and PCA with Singapore opened 17 Aug (IATA).
LOCKDOWN “Recovery Movement Control Order” (RMCO) until 31 Dec. RMCO allows interstate
STATUS
travel, domestic tourism, and the opening of nearly all commercial, religious and
recreational activities. Sports which involve bodily contact, nightclubs and pubs
remain prohibited. Schools reopened in phases from 15 Jul. From 1 Jul, tourism
subsectors such as MICE, amusement and water parks, spas and reflexology
centres reopened. From 1 Aug, mask wearing in crowded places is obligatory.
Consumer sentiment
Source: YouGOV
Flight searches and booking volume for travel to Malaysia

Future flight search for % change in scheduled

travel to Malaysia departures YoY
Source: The Airline Flight Demand Tracker,

Lufthansa Innovation Hub

BORDERS
NEW 5 Sep: The Sarawak Tourism Minister has said that Malaysia is unlikely to go for
selective reopening of borders, as the “we’d rather wait until the virus is curtailed
before we reopen the borders” >>
NEW 4 Sep: Malaysia hopes to finalise arrangements for daily commuting with
Singapore soon >>
150,000 cases of COVID-19 from 7 Sep. Amongst those countries banned are the
US, UK, France, Spain, Saudi Arabia, India, Indonesia and the Philippines.
Malaysians returning home from those countries will be permitted, but must
undergo the 14-day quarantine >>
28 Aug: Foreign students have registered but are waiting to be allowed entry to
Malaysia, with the majority from China, Indonesia and Bangladesh >>
27 Aug: The Tourism Minister has announced that SOPs for travel bubbles will be
proposed to the National Security Council next week >>

26 Aug: The Tourism Minister announced that Malaysia may stay closed to
international tourists until Q2 2021, but that the country is still in discussions with
foreign missions. Meanwhile, the Health DG called for a renewed clampdown of
borders, and that inbound nor outbound travel should be permitted in the
medium-term >>
25 Aug: Foreign spouses and children of Malaysians will be allowed to enter the
country >>
24 Aug: Malaysia is looking into establishing green zones with certain parts of the
country, showcasing niche tourism activities like golfing, diving and eco adventure
>>
20 Aug: The list of Malaysians who do not need to pay for their compulsory
quarantine has been expanded, including for Malaysian children under 6 years old
and those with disabilities >>

18 Aug: Malaysia and Singapore’s cross border agreement came into force, with
both sides stating that the systems were working well so far >>
18 Aug: Sarawak will continue to pay the cost for quarantine and tests for
Sarawakians returning to the state from overseas >>
14 Aug: The Malaysian Association of Tour and Travel Agents (MATTA) and the
Malaysian Association of Hotels (MAH) have both welcomed the government’s
suggestion of restarting tourism with green zones, so long as strong protocols
were in place >>
14 Aug: Japan and Malaysia may ease travel restrictions for expats in Sep, if they
take a 14-day quarantine >>
13 Aug: The slots for the Reciprocal Green Lane (RGL) and Periodic Commuting
Agreement (PCA) between Malaysia and Singapore are fully booked on Aug 17 –
19, the first 3 days of reopening. 60 people per day are allowed under the RGL,
and 2,000 people per day are allowed under the PCA >>
13 Aug: Foreigners entering Malaysia will now need to pay upon arrival for their
quarantine and COVID-19 test fees, to avoid cases of foreigners refusing to pay
costs after being sent to their quarantine centres >>
11 Aug: The Tourism Minister has said that it is not enough to simply identify
countries as green zones, but they must also be willing to open borders to

Malaysians too. She has said that they are considering a destination angle, such as
Perth, and are also discussing opening up with several other governments >>
6 Aug: Arrivals from Malaysia to England will no longer have to self-isolate and are
added to a list of travel corridors from 11 Aug >>
4 Aug: The Malaysia My Second Home (M22H) scheme has been temporarily
frozen, to re-evaluate the programme >>
1 Aug: Further requirements have been revealed for the cross-border travel
arrangement between Singapore and Malaysia, including for the Reciprocal Green
Lane (RGL) having documentation from their companies or host agencies to show
that the visiting country has approved the trip and be tested before and on arrival.
Travellers must stay in their declared accommodation until negative test results
are released. Those on short visits of up to 14 days must follow a controlled
itinerary for their stay and not use public transport. Those on the Periodic
Commuting Arrangement (PCA) can do so only via the land borders and travellers
entering Singapore must serve a Stay Home Notice (SHN) of at least 7 days and
have a COVID-19 test >>
29 Jul: The Health Ministry is discussing a possible 14-day home quarantine before
travel as a requirement for a travel bubble with Australia and New Zealand.
Travellers would need to have a test on the 1st and 13th day of home quarantine
before being able to leave for their destination. However, the Health Minister said
that “the two countries are not prepared (to form a travel bubble with Malaysia)."
>>
29 Jul: Malaysians who need to undergo mandatory quarantine on returning to

Malaysia will need to pay just 44.7% of charges, a maximum of RM2,100, whilst
foreigners are to pay the full cost >>
26 Jul: Cross-border travel between Singapore and Malaysia under the Reciprocal
Green Lane (RGL) and Periodic Commuting Arrangement (PCA) will start on 17 Aug
at the earliest. Applications will begin on 10 Aug >>
countries >>
25 Jul: The UK has added Malaysia to its list of countries exempt from advice
24 Jul: The Tourism Minister has affirmed that Malaysia will look at “green zone”
destinations, instead of waiting for a whole country to be free from COVID-19.
They will meet with the Foreign Ministry on Monday to identify green regions,

including those from Australia, Brunei, China, Japan, New Zealand, South Korea,
Singapore, Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam >>
24 Jul: Singapore’s Health Minister has told Malaysians and Singaporeans who are
thinking of holidaying in the other country that they must “put off the idea for
quite some time yet.” >>
21 Jul: Ministers have said that medical tourists from Brunei, Singapore, South
Korea, Japan, Australia and New Zealand will be allowed to fly into Malaysia on
commercial flights – but that this is still subject to approval from the other
countries involved >>
21 Jul: The Malaysian Healthcare Travel Council (MHTC) has reaffirmed that
Indonesian patients have been allowed to enter Malaysia under Phase 1 since 1
Jul, but they must have an approval test, undergo a PCR test, and have a critical
health problem. They have to travel by chartered flight, air ambulance or private
jet, not by commercial flight, as well as 14-day isolation on arrival at the hospital
>>
21 Jul: Malaysia has changed its rules and all arriving to the country, whether
Malaysians or foreigners, will need to undertake mandatory quarantine at
quarantine centres or hotels from 24 Jul, due to an increase in cases. They will
have to bear the cost of quarantine >>
15 Jul: The Periodic Commuting Arrangement (PCA) will be limited to 2,000/ day
initially, whilst the Reciprocal Green Lane (RGL) will allow 400 people per country
on a weekly basis >>
14 Jul: Malaysia and Singapore have agreed 2 schemes for reopening the borders,
to start on 10 Aug:
1. Reciprocal Green Lane (RGL), for essential business and official purposes.
Travellers would need to undergo PCR swab tests
2. Periodic Commuting Arrangement (PCA) for Malaysian and Singapore
residents who hold long-term immigration passes for business and work
purposes in the other country, to enter for work. They will be able to briefly
return to their home country after 3 consecutive months of working >>
12 Jul: Malaysia is on China’s “green” countries list. Sabah tourism players are
looking forward to being able to welcome Chinese travellers if they are allowed to

fly out. The deputy Chief Minister has said that they are trying to arrange for
Malaysian visas for Chinese travellers >>
with 10 more economies, including Malaysia >>
7 Jul: Returnees to Malaysia must take the antibody rapid test on arrival to
Malaysia, as well as download the government app MySejahtera >>
INBOUND
NEW 6 Sep: Revenues at malls and theme parks in Johor’s Iskandar Puteri have dropped
by at least 40% since lockdowns were imposed, thanks to the drop in Singaporean
and Chinese tourists >>
NEW 6 Sep: The Malaysian Association of Hotels (MAH) has said that popular beach
destinations have seen occupancy rates from 50-80%, but that destinations which
rely on flights saw lower occupancy levels, such as in Kedah, Johor, Sabah and
Sarawak >>
NEW 5 Sep: All cultural year-end activities will be cancelled in Penang >>
NEW 5 Sep: The Sabah Tourism Board has been approved for the Safer Tourism Seal >>
NEW 4 Sep: AirAsia X is facing a $22.98 million USD suit in the UK for a breach of
contract for leases >>
NEW 4 Sep: Sarawak will continue its Sarawak-Malaysia My Second Home (S-MM2H)
scheme, despite it being stopped at the national level >>
NEW 4 Sep: Tourism Malaysia will launch special travel packages for civil servants under
the Cuti-Cuti Malaysia campaign. Tour agencies, hotels and operators will
participate in the campaign with products in Kuala Lumpur, including free bus tour
tickets and discounted hotel stays >>
NEW 4 Sep: Marriott is looking to open more properties in Penang, Melaka and East
Malaysia following the opening of the Courtyard by Marriott in Georgetown
Penang >>
NEW 3 Sep: Many Malaysian tourism companies plan to join the China International Fair
for Trade in Services (CIFTIS) to attract Chinese inbound travellers >>
NEW 3 Sep: 42 hotels have now been recognised under the Muslim-Friendly
Accommodation Recognition scheme, with an additional 30 hotels classified this

year. The Islamic Tourism Centre will also launch a scheme to register Islamic
Tourism Products and Packages >>
NEW 3 Sep: Airlines are being asked to introduce rebate systems for flights to Sabah
state, as well as increase frequency of flights to help the tourism industry recover
>>
NEW 3 Sep: Malaysians are the 8th most optimistic amongst 27 nations that a vaccine
will be available by the end of 2020 >>
NEW 2 Sep: International tourist spending declined 69.8% YoY in H1 to RM12.58

billion, whilst there was also a loss of RM13 billion for domestic tourism in H1 >>
NEW 2 Sep: Sarawak will see improvement in its domestic tourism by the end of the
year, with an increase of flights, as well as new packages for non-Sarawakian
Malaysians at discounted rates >>
NEW 2 Sep: Brahim’s SATS Food Services has started to look at non-aviation
opportunities, as the air catering company has been struggling since the pandemic
hit, with lay-offs of around 50% of its kitchen staff, and a drop in revenue of 91%
YoY in Q2 >>
NEW 2 Sep: Malaysia Airports Holdings will give tenants who sign up to their
commercial reset programme a 30% rental reduction. It has also run a relief
package worth RM22 million, with 650 retail tenants enjoying a 50% rental
reduction for 6 months in 2020 >>
NEW 1 Sep: AirAsia will introduce a fee for using the check-in counter as opposed to its
self-serve kiosks. Pax will be charged RM20 for domestic flights and RM30 for
international flights. This is to encourage contactless technology and minimise
physical contact with customers and staff >>
NEW 1 Sep: Kampung Santubong will be turned into an archaeological town, enabling it
to attract more tourists. A target date for completion is Feb 2021 for 3 heritage
sites to be developed >>
NEW 1 Sep: Pacific World will close its offices as part of its shutdown globally >>
NEW 31 Aug: Apple Vacations will launch Apple MICE Muslim packages to attract
Muslim travellers to book with them >>
NEW 31 Aug: AirAsia is building the next “super app” for the region, which would rival
Grab, GoJek and WeChat all-in-one >>
NEW 30 Aug: Melaka’s tourism is now 90% recovered, especially on the weekends and
public holidays. The state government is still strategising how to reach 5.6 million
tourists by the end of the year >>

30 Aug: Malaysia’s economy has been continuously improving, but the Malaysian
Association of Tour and Travel Agents (MATTA) has said that tourism players need
to prepare for more challenges ahead, with company restructuring and staff layoffs
inevitable. They called on the government to extend the wage subsidy program
and the loan moratorium, and said that the RM1,000 tax relief for domestic travel
was not useful as there had not been any clarification on how to claim it >>
29 Aug: The Langkawi Development Authority is aiming for 2.5 million tourists this
year, backed by the Langkawi Great Sales campaign >>
29 Aug: Malaysia Airlines and the Football Association of Malaysia have signed an
agreement to continue their partnership for another 3 years, until 2023 >>
29 Aug: Penang is working tirelessly for tourism, including the RM10 million
Penang Business Continuity Zero Interest Loan with loans up to RM50,000 and the
Responsible Tourism campaign >>
28 Aug: The Recovery Movement Control Order (RMCO) will be extended until 31
Dec, with the PM warning the public to continue wearing masks and maintaining
hygiene >>
28 Aug: All Malaysians entering Sarawak from other Malaysian states would no
longer need to quarantine on arrival, but will need to fill in a health declaration.
10% of arrivals will also be randomly screened >>
27 Aug: AirAsia founder Tony Fernandes has called on SE Asia to reopen its
borders, saying that the airline may have to downsize further beyond its 30%
already carried out, if borders are closed in the medium-term >>
27 Aug: Malaysia Airports Holdings reported a net loss of RM91.07 million in Q2,
as passenger movements were down 96% YoY. They said that despite a positive
trajectory, traffic had not reached full momentum yet. They are also planning to
reduce its operating cost by 20% >>
27 Aug: There have been no discussions about a potential merger of AirAsia and
Malaysia Airlines, the Transport Minister has told Parliament >>
27 Aug: Tourism Malaysia is expanding its partnership with Visa, to see enhanced
patriotism for Malaysians to buy locally-made goods and services >>
27 Aug: Owners of 33 supercars brought them on a 2-day trip to Penang, hoping

that they could draw attention and increase sales at local businesses through
visiting >>
26 Aug: The Malaysia Convention & Exhibition Bureau (MyCEB) is in the process of
getting the Asian Association of Convention and Visitor Bureaus (AACVB) formally

registered, to mobile it as a group, initially focusing on research and then

branching out to other areas >>
26 Aug: MyCEB is encouraging MICE players to think more creatively, and they are
identifying niche products and unique venues. They will also organise roadshows
in key MICE destinations. They are also advising venues to upgrade their
technology >>
26 Aug: Malaysia is looking into 28 measure to regain a Category One rating from
the United States Federal Aviation Administration. As a result of the downgrade,
Malaysia’s air carriers are restricted from new routes to the US, or codesharing
with US airlines >>
26 Aug: The Tourism Minister launched Cuti-Cuti Malaysia TV, with 5 promotional
videos highlighting difference themes. These will be broadcast on media and
social media platforms >>
26 Aug: Firefly has launched the “Firefly Passport”, an unlimited domestic travel
pass with 3 month and 6 month options >>
26 Aug: AirAsia posted losses of RM992.90 million ($238 million USD) for Q2. Its
pax traffic dropped by 99% and said it had been severely affected by COVID-19.
However, the airline says that it has enough cash flow to maintain operations for
the remainder of 2020, and 2021 as demand for flights will rise. It said that June’s
pax numbers have tripled in Jun for AirAsia Malaysia, whilst it has doubled for
AirAsia Thailand, with an increase in load factor of 10% >>
26 Aug: AirAsia’s H1 losses exceeded Maybank’s estimates and they are

downgrading their advice from Hold to Sell >>
26 Aug: 8 analysts have downgraded their price target recommendations on AirAsia

shares after it released its Q2 results >>
26 Aug: Cardiff City Football Club will replace “Visit Malaysia” with “Malaysia
berjaya” (Malaysia success) on its jerseys for the 2020-2021 Championship >>
26 Aug: The Ministry of Tourism will use social media to boost tourism, prioritising
Facebook, Instagram and Tik Tok >>
25 Aug: Malaysia Airports launched a staycation at KLIA airport, which included an

exclusive tour of the airport’s firestation as well as “Insta moments with our fit and
strong ’pinup’ firemen.” The 3-days programme sold out >>
25 Aug: MAVCOM received 384 complaints in H1, 52.6% lower than Q1 2019. They
also received 2,340 requests for refunds. Malaysia Airlines had the highest number
of complaints, at 44 per million pax carried >>

25 Aug: The Tourism Minister has said that the Malaysian business events industry
looks promising, as only 24 events were cancelled, whilst 64 were postponed >>
24 Aug: Miri is suffering due to the lack of Bruneian tourists to the town – usually
thousands of travellers from Brunei Darussalam visit, but have not been able to
due to the border closure >>
24 Aug: AirAsia.com and Agoda have tied up as partners, sharing their flight and
hotel inventories >>
22 Aug: Travellers to Langkawi have been urged to follow SOPs after a picture
went viral showing hundreds of tourists squeezed into the Kuala Perlis ferry
terminal >>
21 Aug: Malaysia Airlines is increasing its frequency to up to 8 daily flights

between Kuala Lumpur and Kota Kinabalu, Sandakan and Tawau from Sep >>
21 Aug: Tony Fernandes has said that AirAsia is making good progress both to
apply for the Danajamin loan from the government, as well as raising equity, and
that he hopes to announce something in the next 2 months. Funding of RM 2
billion to 2.5 billion would be enough to last the airline until the end of 2021. He
also called for patience from customers who want refunds saying, “If we pay all the
refunds now, we may not exist.” >>
21 Aug: AirAsia.com’s e-commerce revenue grew 118% YOY in Q1. It forecasts that
non airline revenues will become the key driver of business for the platform, and
are now focusing on travel, lifestyle, e-commerce and media verticals in both B2B
and B2C segments. A market survey the airline carried out showed that 45% of
travellers want to travel immediately after lockdown, and flight searches increased
150% post hibernation. From Jun onwards, the site receives 1 million daily active
users >>
21 Aug: The Penang International Travel Exchange 2020 will be moved to an

online format on 14-16 Oct, with the aim of having 100 exhibitors participating
with at least 200 buyers worldwide. It is fully subsidised by the Penang state
government >>
20 Aug: Malaysia Airports will create retail opportunities for bumiputera (those of
Malay and indigenous ethnicities) within their network of airports, as part of its
initiative to ensure 50% of its procurement spend goes to bumiputera operators >>
20 Aug: The E&O Residences in Kuala Lumpur will stop operation in Sep, affecting
50 employees >>
20 Aug: Sabah Tourism Board have released a “sensory travel experience”, with an
animated clip that allows listeners to hear the sounds of Sabah >>

20 Aug: The Transport Minister has refuted the allegation that he unilaterally
permitted a chartered flight with Indonesian medical tourists on board to arrive
into Penang, saying that the state government should have opposed these type of
flights beforehand, as the Sarawak state government had already done >>
19 Aug: Domestic consumption is growing again, with the government confident

that the retail sector could reach up to 80% of pre-COVID levels by year-end. The
Malaysian Shopping Mall association released statistics that Jul’s mall visitors had
reached 80% of pre-COVID levels >>
19 Aug: The Penang state government has asked the federal government to
prioritise the expansion of Penang International Airport, as it is the gateway for
northern states and is already at overcapacity >>
19 Aug: RM30 million will be allocated to improving the Semenggoh Wildlife

Centre in Sarawak. Facilities at other national parks in the state would also be
upgraded in an aim to attract visitors >>
18 Aug: Only 16 overseas medical tourists have entered Malaysia since the sector
was reopened, according to the Malaysian Healthcare Travel Council. Only 15 of
the council’s 70 member hospitals were ready to receive foreign patients because
of the stringent SOPs to be followed >>
18 Aug: Malaysian tour operators are trying to create unique experiences to attract
the high-end domestic customers, with Mayflower Holidays, Apple Vacations and
Sunflower Holidays all creating new domestic packages >>
18 Aug: Malaysia may see a greater boost to tourism from domestic travellers than
other ASEAN countries, according to OCBC Bank, with the relative value of
outbound tourism vs inbound spend, with outbound at $12.4 billion USD, and
inbound at $5.2 million USD inbound >>
18 Aug: Sarawak MP has urged the state government to be cautious about opening
up the state for medical tourism >>
18 Aug: Moovby, a peer-to-peer car sharing startup, wants to work with the tourism
industry to allow them to offer travel packages via the app to boost domestic
travel >>
18 Aug: Johor state is expected to suffer a spillover effect from Singapore’s

recession, with the number of Singaporean tourists reduced to zero, affecting
transactions and spending in Malaysia >>
17 Aug: The Tourism Minister has reassured the public that Malaysia is safe for
tourism, and that occupancy levels are increasing on the weekends for hotels in
coastal areas >>

17 Aug: Business Events Sarawak have launched new marketing videos to promote
safety, aimed at business events organisers. They are also working on a rewards
programme which will be finalised by YE and rolled out for 2021. They will also
work to showcase their unique tribal-based products which can be incorporated
into events >>
17 Aug: The Sarawak Tourism Board is planning to launch inter-state travel

packages by Sep, under the Sia Sitok (Here and There) campaign. It will offer 30
packages at up to 50% off to boost domestic travel >>
16 Aug: The Tourism Minister has called for budget hotel operators to become
creative in attracting customers in the face of starred hotels holding promotions >>
16 Aug: Selangor state is looking to boost golf tourism, with the launch of the
inaugural Selangor Golf Classic on 29 & 30 Sep >>
15 Aug: The Tourism Ministry is preparing to look at the application requirements

for the tourism industry’s GAMELAN fund, as many players did not meet the
previous regulations to be able to apply >>
15 Aug: AirAsia will focus on medical tourism by providing medical charter flights,
with AirAsia Health launching an end-to-end health and wellness platform on the
airline’s website soon >>
14 Aug: Water taxis will be launched in 2021 on the Klang River, forming a 15km
route from Pangkalan Batu Urban Park to Mangrove Point >>
14 Aug: Malaysia’s economy contracted by 17.1% in Q2, the worst performance

since 1998 and the Asian financial crisis. The worst sectors hit included tourism,
manufacturing and investment >>
14 Aug: Malaysia Airports Holdings is teaming up with airport retailers to create an

airport-wide sale at Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA), as well as holding a
Cuti-Cuti Malaysia Mini Travel Fair. The Sama Sama Hotel KLIA will also offer an
Airport Staycation package. Being held in the departures area, the airport expects
3,000 visitors per day of the fair >>
14 Aug: The Tourism Productivity Nexus has proposed that existing regulations for
tourism businesses re relooked, particularly the clause that tour operators and
travel agents need a physical office to renew their licence. They also want the
licensing of more types of vehicles to be permitted, as well as affordable courses
for tour guides >>
14 Aug: The Tourism Ministry has encouraged tourism players to apply for the
PENJANA tourism financing, to avoid making any more redundancies >>

13 Aug: Penang International Airport’s expansion plans have been put on hold
until the National Airport Strategy Plan is finished, estimated to be complete in
2023 >>
13 Aug: AirAsia is implementing robotic process automation across Malaysia,

Thailand, Philippines, Indonesia and Japan >>
12 Aug: A consumer survey on post-lockdown travel by Vase.ai has revealed that:
• 29% of Malaysians have already started travelling to other states, whilst

27% have not yet travelled but are planning to. 44% have not travelled and
are not planning to travel for a while
• 71% of those who do not plan to travel cite safety as their greatest concern
• 56% of those who have already travelled or are planning to travel say they
would do for leisure
• 46% of Malaysians would travel to visit friends and family, whilst 39%
would do so to support the economy
• 74% say their ideal holiday would be to a beach or island
• Penang, Melaka, Kuala Lumpur, Terengganu and Kedah came out top for
destinations
• 50% of Malaysians cite enjoying the local food as their top reason to select
a destination >>
12 Aug: Penang is seeing rising occupancy rates of between 78 – 100% >>
12 Aug: A locally-developed digital platform for virtual exhibitions and events,

InnVirtual, has been developed by a Malaysian company >>
12 Aug: Sarawak has now been declared a green zone, and will allow businesses to
operate at normal hours once more >>
11 Aug: Airbnb is seeking to lift the restrictions on the 90 to 180 day restriction on
short term rentals. Airbnb contributed RM3.98 billion to Malaysia’s GSP in 2019,
according to a report by Oxford Economics, with every RM100 spent by Airbnb
tourists outside accommodation spend going to shopping, activities and
restaurants >>
11 Aug: Sarawak will continue the flight reduction into the state until 31 Aug >>
11 Aug: The unemployment rate in June declined by 0.4% from May to 4.9%, a sign
the government is taking that their economic stimulus initiatives are working >>
11 Aug: Compulsory screening for all Malaysians entering Sarawak state will be
extended until 31 Aug. Reduced flights will also be in place until 31 Aug >>

11 Aug: Despite a growing number of cases in the northern Malaysian states, there
will be no travel ban imposed on them, with the implementation of a targeted
lockdown on certain villages >>
10 Aug: Interzone travel restrictions in Sarawak will be lifted from 15 Aug >>
10 Aug: Malaysia Airlines’ MH Holidays has launched a Kids Fly + Stay Free
campaign from now until 2 Sep >>
9 Aug: Sarawak hotels are suffering from the flight restrictions, according to the
Malaysian Association of Hotels (MAH). They hope for better support from the
tourism ministry to continue >>
7 Aug: Trip.com and Airasia.com will collaborate to spur greater demand for
domestic travel >>
7 Aug: The Malaysian Association of Tour and Travel Agents (MATTA) has
suspended operation at some chapter offices from 1 Aug, leaving just the Johor,
Kedah, Sabah and Kuala Lumpur offices open >>
6 Aug: Malaysians who enter Sarawak from other states will now not need to be
quarantined in state centres if their last destination is in a town or city in Sarawak
state. Those heading to rural areas will still need to quarantine >>
6 Aug: AirAsia X’s Chairman has said that the government should help the aviation
industry with financial support packages with easier loans as airlines have a
multiplier effect to boost the economy >>
6 Aug: Tourism Malaysia say that hotel occupancy is now high for beach resorts
and hotels, with Port Dickson even having 100% during weekends. Cameron
Highlands and Melaka are also popular. They also commended the Malaysia
Budget Hotel Association (MyBha) Johor Chapter for launching super deals at
hotels which cost just RM63/ night at 40 participating hotels >>
6 Aug: Melaka has had 18,000 hotel reservations since 10 Jun. The state is
targeting 25,000 hotel bookings until Dec >>
6 Aug: LokaLocal have launched virtual tours which can be integrated into booking
systems, to allow tourists to “try before they buy” >>
6 Aug: Sabah has received the highest revenue from tourism tax, at RM12 million
in 2019 >>
5 Aug: A new labour survey has shown that 26% of Malaysian respondents have
taken a pay cut or pay freeze >>

5 Aug: Local tourism players in Penang have noticed an increase in the number of
travellers who are arriving by road, instead of flying >>
5 Aug: Malaysia Airlines’ e-retail store, Tempations, will partner with 3Sixty to
provide seamless online shopping >>
5 Aug: Klook Malaysia is seeing a surge of interest in staycations and theme park
hotels, as well as nature-based activities. The most searched destinations in Jun by
local users included Kuala Lumpur, Penang, Ipoh, Langkawi, Johor Bahru and
Sabah >>
5 Aug: The Malaysian Association of Amusement Theme Parks & Family Attractions
(MAAFTA) have said that they expect most members to end with a 70-80% drop vs.
their budget, both for attendance and revenue, but that he does not expect anyone
to close permanently. They have also asked the government to commit to
incentives and tax exemptions, which would allow them to attract big brand
names, as well as offer cheaper tickets >>
5 Aug: Port Dickson, a city on the coast near Kuala Lumpur, is seeing a revival of
interest thanks to the clean ups of the beaches. There is a possibility of it being
declared a duty-free zone, as well as an extension of the airline rail KLIA ERL to it
>>
3 Aug: The Shell Malaysia Motorcycle Grand Prix has been officially cancelled,
after previously being postponed >>
3 Aug: The Malaysian school year will begin later than usual in 2021, on 20 Jan,
meaning that the year-end school holidays, a peak time for travel, will be longer
than usual >>
2 Aug: 7 people were injured after a fire on a tourist boat in Sabah >>
31 Jul: The tourism sector financing scheme under the PENJANA budget has now
been opened for application. The total scheme is worth RM1 billion and it is aimed
at MSMEs with financing of up to RM300,000 at a 3.5% interest rate per year >>
31 Jul: The Ministry of health (MOH) have changed their wording from “social
distancing” to “physical distancing” >>
30 Jul: Malaysia and Singapore have agreed to start building a 4km light-rail
connection between the 2 countries in 2021, estimated to cost around $2.4 billion
USD - 61% of the costs will be borne by Singapore. It will be able to take an
estimated 10,000 pax/ hour each way. It is expected to open in 2026 >>
30 Jul: A new tourism campaign promoting Penang under “Jom! Experience

Penang” has been launched, which hopes to encourage domestic tourists >>

29 Jul: Malaysian MICE operators are seeing more enquiries, as well as an increase
in requests for hybrid and virtual events, with facilities such as production studio
setups to do live streaming. Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre believe that it will
take 1-2 years for business events, particularly with international attendees, to
make a comeback >>
29 Jul: Resorts World Genting visitors will now have to wear face masks from 1
Aug, or face a denial of their entry >>
29 Jul: Airlines have agreed to reduce flights to Sarawak from 1 – 14 Aug, in line
with the Sarawak government’s request >>
29 Jul: Many hotels in Kelantan state are now back in operation and have managed
to retain their staff. The East Region Tourism Malaysia director said that the state’s
hotels were not reliant on international tourists >>
29 Jul: Airbnb’s Malaysian Medical Association enhanced cleaning protocol has

been welcomed by Malaysian hosts >>
29 Jul: The Malaysian Association of Tour and Travel Agents (MATTA) have
announced MATTA Fair Online 2020, to be held from 9 – 15 Sep this year, instead
of the usual offline format which takes place twice a year >>
28 Jul: Trip.com Group held their first live-streaming sales event aimed at
Malaysians on 28 Jul as part of its Travel On campaign >>
28 Jul: Available seats still outnumber passenger bookings 2:1 according to the
Transport Minister, accounting for the higher airfares >>
28 Jul: Perak state have said that they will use hotels which have closed down as
quarantine centres, getting the businesses back on their feet >>
28 Jul: 1,250 business events in Malaysia have been postponed or cancelled,

creating a RM1.75 billion loss. The Malaysian Association of Convention and
Exhibition Organisers and Suppliers has teamed up with the Business Events
Council Malaysia to launch the Business Events guidelines and support the
industry >>
28 Jul: Sabah state has seen international tourist arrivals drop in Q1 by 52.7%, and
April and May drop 98% YoY. The Chief Minister for the state urged the Federal
Government to consider giving last year’s tourism taxes to the respective states,
and repeated her call for a devolution in tourism licensing, allowing Sabah to issue
5 types of tourism licences. She also said that Sabah is ready for international
visitors in Sep, but that this would depend on the travel bubbles negotiated >>
27 Jul: A new campaign to support MICE events in Malaysia, “Meet in Malaysia”,

has been revealed by the Malaysia Convention & Exhibition Bureau (MyCEB). The

campaign has 2 components: Let’s Meet Locally, for domestic business, and Let’s
Meet Tomorrow, for groups with 10% international participants. Incentives for Let’s
Meet Locally include free full-day city tour for a group of 30, whilst for groups of 60
with a 2-night hotel stay will see dinner sponsorship included. 150 participants
and above can request for sponsorship of a full-day meeting package. Incentives
for Let’s Meet Tomorrow include a full-day meeting package for groups of 120 pax
who hold a meeting for 2 days or more. The campaign runs until Dec 2021 >>
27 Jul: The expansion and upgrade of Penang International Airport will only be
considered once the finalisation of the National Airports Strategic Plan has
happened, expected in 2023 >>
27 Jul: Sarawak state has imposed travel restrictions within the state itself, saying
that police permission must be sought to be able to travel between green and
yellow zones, from 1 – 14 Aug. Commercial flights will also be reduced between
Sarawak and peninsular Malaysia, Sabah and Labuan >>
26 Jul: After Cambodia banning flights arriving from Malaysia, the government is
looking into whether to screen transit passengers >>
26 Jul: Malaysians who enter Sarawak must undergo mandatory quarantine from 1
- 14 Aug >>
26 Jul: AirAsia have said that they are now flying 40-50% of its capacity, and have
sold over 250,000 seats in Jun. They are aiming to achieve a load factor of 70-80%
in Q3 >>
26 Jul: A merger between AirAsia and Malaysia Airlines would be difficult,

Khazanah, the sovereign wealth fund has said >>
26 Jul: The Malaysian government would consider reimposing its lockdown

(Movement Control Order) should the number of new cases hit 3 digits, as the
number of positive cases has increased 4 days in a row >>
25 Jul: Sarawak may place restrictions on tourists/ non-Sarawakians travelling to

Sarawak if cases continue to rise. Hotels in the state have reported occupancy
levels of 50-60% since Jun >>
24 Jul: Nexgram will collaborate with the Malaysian Tourism Council (MTC) to roll
out Tracvirus e-certificate COVID-19 tests for 3.5 million tourism workers >>
24 Jul: JobStreet has seen an increase in the number of job advertisements for the
tourism sector, with 64% more in Jun vs Apr 2020 for junior roles, and 47%
increase in Jun for manager roles >>

23 Jul: Semporna is looking at developing its domestic market further, including by

organising a famil trip in conjunction with Sabah Tourist Association, Tourism
Malaysia and MASwings for media >>
23 Jul: Some areas of the Heritage Quarter in Kuala Lumpur are falling into
disrepair, according to local tour guides >>
23 Jul: Face masks will become compulsory in crowded public spaces and on public
transport from 1 Aug >>
22 Jul: The Melaka state government will not convert hotels into quarantine
centres to make sure that tourism is unaffected >>
22 Jul: Visitors to Resorts World Genting has returned to 50% of pre-COVID levels,
with an uptick in visits in the first 2 weeks Jul. The casino is also back to 50% of
capacity. 70-80% of the resort’s visitors are typically locals >>
22 Jul: The Malaysian Healthcare Travel Council (MHTC) have lowered their target
for 2020 by 75%, expecting revenue to reach just RM500 million, down from the
original target of RM2 billion. The MHTC is continuing its PR campaign >>
21 Jul: Theme parks have seen losses of RM500 million over the lockdown period
(MCO) – these do not yet take into account future losses, the Malaysian
Association of Amusement Theme Parks and Family Attractions (MAAFTA)
announced. They have suggested that their members use discounted ticket pricing,
loyalty cards for repeat customers and social media competitions >>
21 Jul: Airfares are expected to be at normal prices from Nov, according to the
Transport Minister and an analysis from the Malaysian Aviation Commission
(MAVCOM). It will take up to 18 months for the domestic airline market to recover,
and 3 years for international sectors. MAVCOM have seen a downward trend for air
fares in Jun – Jul. The Transport Minister noted that 4.32 million pax were affected
by cancellations of flights, with 1.2 million postponing travel dates, 1.96 million
taking flight credit and 628,070 people receiving refunds >>
21 Jul: The Transport Minister has said that the Malaysian aviation industry is
predicted to lose RM13 billion in 2020, including RM10.9 billion from Malaysia
Airlines, AirAsia Group and Malindo Airways. Airport operators are also set to lose
RM2.1 billion this year >>
21 Jul: The Malaysian Association of Hotels (MAH) has said that converting hotels
back into quarantine centres will harm the industry, and make it hard to bounce
back from losses, as it would need to be gazetted and not receive any other guests
>>

21 Jul: Sarawak is planning to embark on some important initiatives for H2,

including the 3rd Sarawak Tourism Master Plan Study and four new free electric
buses which take in tourism destinations. There will also be funding for local
events in 2021, as well as the opening of the Sarawak Craft Council Office cum
showroom. They will also continue to work on the National Ecotourism Plan, with
60 of the ecotourism sites located in Sarawak >>
20 Jul: Langkawi tourism players will start to promote Tuba Island as a tourism
destination. The island is little known, but regularly speedboard services began
last year, making it more accessible >>
20 Jul: The Ministry of Tourism will discuss the Sarawak government’s request to
extend permits for tour buses from 12 to 15 years, similar to that of Peninsular
Malaysia >>
20 Jul: Melaka state government is asking investors to create products with

tourism players, such as key chains and replicas. They said that the state tourism
had recovered by 68% so far, and they will maximise attractions to draw tourists
>>
20 Jul: The Malaysian Association of Hotels (MAH) has seen an increase in weekend
travel, with business travellers, couples and small families being the first groups to
do so >>
20 Jul: AirAsia has launched a special promotion with a 50% discount on returning
airfare for domestic flights booked between 20 – 24 Jul. They have also seen flight
searches on their website increase by more than 150% since the RMCO. The airline
is increasing domestic flight frequency, and Aug will have 30% more flight
frequencies compared to Jul, 70% of which are between West and East Malaysia >>
18 Jul: The Malaysian Retailers Association has shared that Q1 saw a -11.4%
growth rate >>
18 Jul: Negeri Sembilan state government and the Malaysian Productivity

Corporation and Tourism Productivity Nexus will collaborate to help tourism
companies with advice via video conferencing under a programme called T-VAC >>
18 Jul: Malaysian tourism players in Iskandar need to start thinking outside of the
box and focus on golfing, shopping and theme parks, according to the region’s
development authority >>
17 Jul: The Malaysian Association of Tour and Travel Agents has said that the
tourism industry is on the road to recovery, but that international tourism should
be restarted as soon as possible. The Malaysian Inbound Tourism Association
(Mita) has said that tourism in less well-known spots should also be encouraged >>

17 Jul: A FOLIDAY campaign has been launched by the Malaysia Inbound Chinese
Association (Mica) to promote domestic tourism in Terengganu, Perak, Penang,
Johor, Sarawak and Sabah. They are confident of attracting 500,000 domestic
tourists to Penang from Jul – Dec in 2020 >>
16 Jul: The Malaysia Virtual Travel Expo will be held from 22-23 Aug, bringing
industry players together to offer their holiday packages and services online >>
16 Jul: The Malaysian Association of Hotels (MAH) says that occupancy rates have
not climbed to 100% or even 75%, as claimed by the tourism minister, and that the
average nationally is 21% based on its members’ data. The high occupancy was at
certain destinations the weekend before schools reopened, and is seasonal >>
16 Jul: Aviation analysts see AirAsia surviving through the pandemic and are
“reasonably confident” >>
15 Jul: Tony Fernandes of AirAsia expects that the group will return to profitability
by 2021 and that the Asian authorities were become “much, much smarter” in
dealing with the pandemic >>
15 Jul: Sojern have seen an increase in the number of couples and family bookings
for domestic hotels in Malaysia, with weekend occupancy at highs from Kuala
Lumpur travellers >>
15 Jul: The Tourism Minister expects Malaysia to begin recovery in Q2 2021. She
also stated that some hotels have had occupancy rates of 75-100%. The ministry
also estimates that the local tourism industry has lost RM45 billion as of June.
They project that international arrivals and spending for the full year will be down
75% YoY >>
15 Jul: Malaysia Airports saw a doubling of the daily average flights in the first 9
days of July vs. June, mainly from an increase in domestic flights >>
15 Jul: Malaysia Airports saw 429,000 pax in June 2020, a decrease of 95.2% YoY.
The Malaysian Aviation Commission (MAVCOM) have revised Malaysian air traffic
estimates from -48% to -62% >>
15 Jul: Students in Forms 1-4 and pupils in Years Five and Six returned to school.
Years One – Four will return on 22 Jul >>
15 Jul: All the banks involved in the Tourism Financing Scheme are ready to
implement the process >>
15 Jul: 23 packages have been planned as part of a joint initiative to entice

domestic travellers to Penang, including one for just RM15. It hopes to turnover
RM1.54 million >>

14 Jul: The Malaysian Association of Hotel Owners has said that hotels which
usually depend on international tourists, such as Penang, Langkawi and Kota
Kinabalu, are seeing a slower pickup than Kuantan, Melaka and Cameron
Highlands, which are easily drivable from Kuala Lumpur. They also ask the
government for support to stimulate weekday bookings >>
14 Jul: Ferry transportation can now operate at full capacity in Sabah and Labuan
>>
14 Jul: Malaysia’s unemployment rate rose to 5.3%, the highest since 1989. The
services industry, including tourism workers, was one of the worst affected >>
13 Jul: The Malaysian Association of Tour and Travel Agents has called on the
government to extend the loan moratorium for another 6 months to support the
industry >>
13 Jul: Malaysia saw a drop of 27% in air traffic rights applications in H1 2020 >>
12 Jul: Kuala Lumpur International Airport are proceeding with upgrades to the
airport’s infrastructure, such as the baggage handling system, replacing the
aerotrains and completing washroom refurbishments >>
11 Jul: The Kinabatangan-Corridor of Life Tourism Operators Association has asked

the government to provide different assistance to tourism players depending on
their different needs, and that the government must spend more time engaging
with stakeholders. The Sandakan Tourism Association has also urged the state
government to allow expatriates who reside in Western Malaysia to be exempted
from mandatory COVID-19 tests as Malaysians currently are >>
11 Jul: The Malaysian Association of Hotels (MAH) expects Kedah, Perak, Johor,
Pahang, Kelantan to generate short-term immediate demand, Langkawi and Negri
Sembilan year-end demand, and Terengganu, Selangor, Kuala Lumpur and
Sarawak in Q3/Q4 >>
11 Jul: Terengganu state believes that it will reach 4.5 million tourists this year.
Bookings to the state’s hotels have increased by 90% on weekends and 60% on
weekdays >>
10 Jul: Malaysia’s Q1 tourism arrival numbers were -36.8% YoY with just 4.23
million arrivals. Revenue decreased by 41.5% to RM12.5 billion. ASEAN countries
remained the top contributor to arrivals, accounting for 67.8% >>
10 Jul: Khazanah Nasional have said that they are not discounting the possibility of
a merger between AirAsia group and Malaysia Airlines, and that the 2 airlines will
need to cooperate with one another to recover >>

10 Jul: Penang has introduced special discounts and complimentary attraction

passes to Malaysian frontliners >>
10 Jul: The restriction on the number of people gathering for social events, at
places of worship or for conferences will be lifted on 15 Jul, and will now depend
on the limits of the venue in accordance with social distancing >>
10 Jul: Family entertainment centres, include games arcades and family-oriented

karaoke centres, are allowed to resume from 15 Jul >>
9 Jul: IATA has warned that 224,800 jobs could be lost in the Malaysian aviation
9 Jul: AirAsia Group has had support from financial institutions for its funding
request of RM1 billion, with a certain portion eligible for a government guarantee
loan. Tony Fernandes issued a statement saying that 7 Jul saw 75,000 seats sold in
a single day, its highest “post-hibernation” sales, as well as the airline selling
200,000 AirAsia Unlimited Passes for domestic Malaysia, domestic Thailand and
AirAsia X. He expects AirAsia Malaysia to reach load factors of 70% in July and the
group is “confident that AirAsia will not only benefit from this growth upturn
[IMF’s forecast of ASEAN-5 to grow in 2021] but also contribute to the region’s
recovery.” >>
9 Jul: The Tourism Minister has seen hotel occupancy rates grow to 30.74% by 30
Jun after the implementation of the Recovery Movement Control Order >>
8 Jul: Penang is implementing its own safety accreditation programme, including

hotels, tourist attractions and shopping malls, to grow consumer confidence >>
8 Jul: AirAsia Group is considering raising RM1 billion through a rights issue, as
well as options such as selling stakes in its digital and cargo units >>
8 Jul: AirAsia Group shares fell nearly 18% after a trading suspension after its
auditor said there were material uncertainties that showed doubt if the airline can
continue operating >>
8 Jul: Malaysia Airlines is offering a 20% discount on domestic flight tickets to

students, teachers and lecturers >>
8 Jul: The Malaysian Association of Tour and Travel Agents (MATTA) is calling for
cash injections to all licensed tourism companies to enable them to stay afloat >>
7 Jul: AirAsia Group recorded a net loss of RM803.85 million for Q1 2020 >>
7 Jul: The Malaysian Association of Hotels (MAH) has launched its “Clean and Safe
Malaysia” certification programme for hotels and resorts. It is supported by the

Ministry of Tourism and will be a new benchmark for hygiene standards in

Malaysia >>
7 Jul: AirAsia will now allow pax to carry 2 pieces of baggage as hand carry-ons
once more >>
5 Jun: The government released a new RM35 billion stimulus package for the
economy, called PENJANA. It includes tax relief for individuals, a monthly
unlimited travel pass for RM30, free 1GB data every day between 8am-6pm. For
tourism it also includes:
• RM1 billion to finance transformation initiatives by SMEs (details to be

announced)
• RM1.8 billion in tax incentives, including tourism tax breaks from 1 Jul –
30 Jun
• Moratorium on tax instalment payments from 1 Apr to 31 Dec for tourism
companies (including airlines)
• Personal income tax relief of RM1,000 for tourism expenses >>
08 May: Sarawak state has announced a RM300 million stimulus package, with
certain measures supporting tourism workers:
• One-off cash payment of RM600 to licensed van operators

• Special grant of RM1,500 to 145 tourist and park guides >>
29 Apr: Bank Negara has allocated RM5 billion for financing loans to SMEs to help
them sustain operations and maintain jobs >>
07 Apr: An additional RM10 billion financial stimulus has been announced targeted
at SMEs. Key measures include:
• Wage subsidy of up to RM1,200 per employee for companies with less than
75 workers
• Tax deductions for landlords to encourage rental reductions >>
27 Mar: The Malaysian government announced a new economic stimulus package

valued at RM250 billion, including some support for the travel industry:
• Monthly subsidy of RM600 for 3 months for companies who have had a
drop of 50% in business since 1 Jan
• RM4.5 billion for SME and micro entrepreneurs comprising of five initiatives
>>

https://www.pearanderson.com/coronavirus/malaysia/

OUTBOUND
NEW 4 Sep: Malaysia Airlines will stop flights to Perth, Adelaide and Brisbane from 25
Oct to 27 Mar 2021. Their flights will continue to Sydney and Melbourne, but at
just one flight per week >>
26 Aug: AirAsia X has asked for creditors’ support as it reported a net loss of $73.2
million USD in Q2. The airline said that its ability to continue relies on scheduled
flights gradually resuming in 2021. It has stopped selling tickets for future travel
dates and is operating just cargo and charter flights >>
26 Aug: AirAsia X is planning to reduce payroll further in Sep >>
24 Aug: 42 foreign airlines will resume operations from Malaysia by the year-end,
subject to the full re-opening of borders. Malaysia Airports saw 1.2 million pax in
July, a reduction of 73.2% YoY, but a three times increase on June’s numbers.
Turkish Airlines, Scoot and Starlux also restarted routes to Malaysia in Jul. The
airport operator continues to invest in safety measures to minimise touchpoints >>
21 Aug: AirAsia is looking at reopening a twice-weekly flight between Kuala

Lumpur and Macau from 20 Sep >>
11 Aug: Kuala Lumpur now has connections to 30 cities in 20 countries, with

passenger movements increasing in Jul to 1.3 million, a three times increase vs
Jun, and aircraft movements to 22,600 >>
10 Aug: Malaysia Airlines has filed its winter 2020/2021 schedule, with deep cuts
to scheduled flights to many destinations >>
10 Aug: AirAsia X released their Q2 statistics, with just 2,291 pax carried. Thai Air
Asia X had just pax of 309 during Q2. Both fleets remain in hibernation >>
5 Aug: The government would allow Umrah, so long as it is safe, the government
has said. They also believe that costs may increase, with additional screenings and
security >>

4 Aug: AirAsia X has closed reservations on its system until 31 Oct 2021,
something the airline has said is a temporary measure “as it awaits clarity on travel
bans and restrictions across Asia” >>
3 Aug: AirAsia is planning to restart flights between Malaysia and Singapore in the
week of 17 Aug, with daily flights between Kuala Lumpur and Singapore, and one
weekly flight between Penang, Kota Kinabalu, Kuching, Ipoh and Singapore.
Guests will soon be able to upload their COVID-19 test results into the AirAsia
mobile app and website during check in >>
31 Jul: AirAsia X have posted a Q1 loss of RM549.7 million, the largest quarterly
loss for the airline. The auditor Ernst & Young announced “significant doubt” that
the carrier can continue given its financial position. The airline expects to stay in
hibernation mode, but remains confident that demand will pick up towards the
end of 2020. It is also planning to apply for a government guaranteed loan of
RM500 million under the Prihatin budget >>
30 Jul: AirAsia Group are aiming to launch Muslim friendly packages, including for
Hajj and Umrah, as part of a niche travel strategy >>
28 Jul: Malaysia Airlines CEO has clarified that a report which said that Malaysia
Airlines received a grant of $300 million USD was not true and “a crap news” >>
14 Jul: The government has clarified that expatriates residing in Malaysia are not
allowed to take vacations outside of the country >>
10 Jul: Malaysia Airlines and Japan Airlines are to launch a partnership on 25 Jul,
where they will cooperate commercially on flights between Japan and Malaysia.
Combined, they will offer 4 weekly services between Kuala Lumpur – Tokyo Narita
>>
10 Jul: Malaysians who need to be trained overseas have to seek approval from the
Immigration Department, but will be allowed to do so >>

https://www.pearanderson.com/coronavirus/malaysia/

MYANMAR
500,000 tourism workers may lose jobs
TRAVEL All visa issuances suspended. All international flights are suspended until 30 Sep.
RESTRICTIONS
14-day quarantine for those who enter the country (IATA).
LOCKDOWN Schools closed. Mandalay’s businesses remain open, with curfew from 12am-4am,
STATUS
maximum gathering of 30 people, compulsory face mask wearing in public. 7
Yangon townships and Rakhine state under “Stay-at-home”, with public limited to
leaving home only for essential grocery shopping. Civil servants returning to
Naypyitaw will need to be tested for COVID-19 and if from a Stay-at-home
township, quarantined.

BORDERS
29 Aug: The temporary ban on entry to Myanmar has been extended until 30 Sep,
including the suspension of visas and visa exemptions. International flights have
also been banned until 30 Sep >>
29 Aug: Clarification has been made for foreign staff seeking to re-enter Myanmar
– they will need to prove that they are on urgent businesses and must contact the
Myanmar Embassy to fly on relief flights >>
24 Aug: Myanmar and Japan have agreed to open their borders to one another for
expatriate and long-term residents as early as Sep. Travellers must stay at home or
at a designated place after arriving for 14 days. Japan also pledged $283 million
USD to support Myanmar SMEs. They will also speed up talks to allow essential
business travel >>
7 Aug: Myanmar has been added to Level 3: Reconsider Travel to the travel
advisories for US citizens >>
3 Aug: Tourism officials now say that international flights may not resume until
Oct >>
29 Jul: The flight suspension to Myanmar has been extended to 31 Aug. However,
there are some “fast lanes” for essential businesses and officials upon request.
These have started with China and Japan, and will be extended gradually to other
countries. Myanmar citizens will also be allowed to travel abroad for medical
treatment, studying abroad or working abroad on specially arranged flights >>

16 Jul: Taiwan has now designated Myanmar as having a low or low-to-moderate

risk, allowing Myanmar international students to return to study at Taiwan
universities >>
13 Jul: Myanmar are planning to allow Chinese travellers with urgent business
matters to enter the country under a “Fast Track” scheme with a special quarantine
program. The Chinese travellers could arrive into Myanmar via relief, special and
chartered flights. They plan to expand this scheme to other countries too.
Travellers must bring a negative COVID-19 test, and will undergo 2 swab tests.
After 5 days, they will be able to do their work. Costs will be borne by the
travellers >>
10 Jul: The Vice President has said that it is unlikely Myanmar will open its doors
until Oct, with international commercial flights only after Q3. The government
plans to start travel bubbles with Thailand and Vietnam, and after those are
successful, with Japan, Korea, China, Hong Kong and Macau. The Myanmar Airways
International GM said, “If the ban is extended until October, airlines, airport
operators and all the tour operators would collapse” >>
with 10 more economies, including Myanmar >>
INBOUND
NEW 6 Sep: The number of passengers on the Myeik-Yangon express buses has dropped
by over 80% in the first week of Sep >>
NEW 4 Sep: Civil servants returning to Naypyidaw with a travel history to townships who
have had positive cases of COVID-19 will need to stay at community quarantine
facilities for 7 days >>
NEW 3 Sep: Any delays to the general election due in Nov in Myanmar will be
announced next month >>
NEW 3 Sep: Mandalay have extended their COVID-19 measures until 15 Sep, including
the wearing of face masks and a ban on 30 pax gathered together. Returnees from
Rakhine and Yangon must be quarantined for 21 days, and a nightly curfew of
12am – 4am will be enforced >>

NEW 2 Sep: Stay-at-home orders have been imposed on 7 townships in Yangon,

including Thingangyun, Insein, North Okkalapa, Tharkerta, Hlaing, Pazundaung
and Mingaladon. Those who have essential jobs may still go to work, but only one
individual per household is allowed to go grocery shopping at a time. Bars and
nightclubs are closed. There has also been a case detected in Yangon who had no
recent travel history or contact with any known patient >>
NEW 1 Sep: A white paper, Myanmar: Priorities for Restarting Tourism has been released
with recommendations about opportunities, focusing on sustainable tourism
management and going beyond the major tourism destinations to ecotourism,
outdoor and adventure activities. It also recommends that zero-dollar tours are
banned and more licensed Chinese speaking guides trained to benefit the whole
tourism supply chain >>
30 Aug: Myanmar has now had 4 locally transmitted cases in Yangon, as well as
more in Rakhine >>
29 Aug: Myanmar had its biggest jump in reported cases at 77 on 29 Aug >>
27 Aug: Myanmar schools re-closed nationwide on 27 Aug >>
27 Aug: Job hunting has increased by 20% according to Myjobs.com.mm. Those

employees who have left the tourism industry have been encouraged to enter jobs
in digital and IT fields, leaving a shortage of workers when tourism recovers >>
27 Aug: Innovative social media campaigns by the Kayah State and Tanintharyi
region have been implemented. Young staff at the states’ Ministry of Hotels and
Tourism have had remote support to upgrade their crisis communication skills on
digital media. They aimed to show empathy and establish trust with future
travellers. The support was part of a project funded by the Netherlands >>
27 Aug: All townships in Rakhine State will now be subjected to a Stay-At-Home

order >>
26 Aug: A localised lockdown is underway in a street in South Okkalapa township,

Yangon, after a case was detected from a resident >>
26 Aug: Centara Hotels has signed Hotel Management Agreements with 3 hotels in
Myanmar, including the Centra by Centara Hotel Thiri Hpa-Ann, Hpa-An Hilltop
Resort & Spa and Centara Hotel Mandalay >>
24 Aug: A new express train from Yangon to Mawlamyine was inaugurated on 22

Aug >>
24 Aug: The Myanmar Tour Guide Association (MGTA) has called for loans for their
members, as they are not currently included in the government’s loan financial

assistance scheme, and only benefit from a subsidisation of training courses

currently >>
23 Aug: Sittway Township, Rakhine State was designated a “Stay-at-home”

township from 20 Aug, with residents only allowed to leave their homes for
essential purposes >>
22 Aug: 51 locally transmitted cases have been detected in the last week, with 22
on 22 Aug alone, all in Rakhine State >>
22 Aug: The Department of Civil Aviation has released COVID-19 guidelines for
domestic airlines to follow, including the disinfection of the planes before and
after landings, stopping serving food and distributing blankets and flight
attendants wearing PPE. Overall, there were 13,151 domestic flights between Jan
– Jun, a 22% decline YoY >>
20 Aug: Several domestic airlines suspended flights to Sittwe, the capital of

Rakhine state, including Mann Yadanarpon Airlines, Myanmar International
Airlines, Shwe Myanmar airline. Yangon has said that people who come to the city
from Sittwe will need to undergo a 21-day quarantine >>
20 Aug: Entertainment businesses such as KTV, bars and nightclubs are still to
remain closed in Yangon, authorities have announced >>
19 Aug: Mandalay has partially lifted the ban on religious activities, allowing
people to worship, but the ban on public resorts, nightclubs, karaoke bars,
concerts, cinemas, pagoda festivals and weddings remains. The curfew from 12am
– 4am also remains in place >>
19 Aug: Inflation levels have eased due to declining consumer spend. A World Bank
survey has also shown that Myanmar businesses have reduced access to credit to
support their business operations >>
17 Aug: The first locally transmitted case of COVID in weeks was detected in
Rakhine state, sparking fears of a second wave >>
17 Aug: In Jul, Myanmar Airways International and Air KBZ operated 250 flights,
including chartered, cargo and schedule flights. They have also not undertaken any
paycuts or made staff redundant yet, the CEO has said, and intend to prepare for
growth >>
15 Aug: More than 10,000 businesses have applied for emergency loans for the 2nd
time >>
14 Aug: Myanmar’s COVID-19 restrictions have been extended to 31 Aug, including

compulsory face mask wearing in public places >>

14 Aug: Abercrombie & Kent Myanmar have launched a new campaign aimed at
domestic travellers, “Discover your Asia”. This offers a luxury experience with
special resident rates for private tours around Myanmar, and sailings on the
Sanctuary Ananda river cruise >>
14 Aug: Yangon International Airport will close Terminal 3 Gate 4 until the end of
Aug >>
13 Aug: Gatherings of less than 30 people will be permitted from 16 Aug, as no

COVID-19 cases have been detected for 26 days. The government is also
considering reopening cinemas and resuming local football tournaments >>
12 Aug: The Ministry of Education continues to discuss reopening of schools >>
12 Aug: The Kawthaung travel and tourism district secretary has said that the
government must give special opportunities to locals and SMEs to develop
tourism, as well as put a stop to illegal fishing >>
11 Aug: The Sri Lankan ambassador held a meeting with Myanmar Airways
International to try to establish an air connection between the 2 countries. Routes
such as Colombo – Yangon – Bodhgaya or Colombo – Yangon – Kathmandu were
proposed >>
10 Aug: The Sanctuary Retreats luxury river cruise operator completed its first 2
sailings on the Irrawaddy river in Jul >>
10 Aug: Confusing inter-state travel requirements and the closure of key

monuments is not helping tourism businesses to operate. Tour operators also
complain of unregulated online tourism businesses >>
9 Aug: Bagan Plastic Campaign undertook a plastic tidy-up on Bagan ancient

cultural zone >>
7 Aug: Myanmar Airways International has seen domestic flights picking up slowly,
and is now having 3-5 hours’ of usage compared to its previous 10-11 hours.
However, it has still managed to operate 250 flights from Mar to late Jul, including
some charter flights. However, it still plans to add 4 Embraer E190s by the year-
end, as well as 4 A320s by early 2021 >>
6 Aug: The Hotels and Tourism Ministry have reminded the public that the
reopening of tourism destinations is subject to change. Local tour operators say
that they have had to cancel tours because of the limitations of attractions being
closed >>
6 Aug: The Mandalay Region Chamber of Commerce and Industry has called for
tourist destinations to be reopened to local tourists to help the hotels and service
industry survive >>

4 Aug: Ayeryarwady Region will now allow businesses to invest in hotels and
tourism, amongst other sectors >>
4 Aug: Aung San Suu Kyi has confirmed that she will be running for a second term
in Myanmar’s upcoming November elections >>
4 Aug: Myanmar’s economy is forecast to bounce back at a faster pace than

regional averages, one of the few countries not to enter negative GDP growth in
2020 >>
3 Aug: Occupancy at hotels in Mandalay and Bagan is reaching 75% on long

weekends and public holidays. Around 200 travel companies have benefited from a
stimulus package >>
31 Jul: Despite the announcement that pagodas can reopen up on 30 Jul, some
pagodas will remain closed >>
31 Jul: Myathalun pagoda in Magway region requested to reopen on 28 Jul >>
31 Jul: Domestic tourists have started to return to Hpa-An, with hotels at 80%
occupancy even on weekdays due to its close location to Yangon >>
31 Jul: COVID-19 preventive measures across the country have been extended from
31 Jul to 15 Aug. In addition, Ayeryarwady Region’s hotels, resorts and beaches
will only reopen after receiving approval to do so, but no official announcement
has yet been made >>
30 Jul: Pagodas and temples in Yangon region will be reopened on 30 Jul, in

accordance with the health and safety guidelines >>
30 Jul: The Ministry of Health & Sport will allow gatherings of a maximum of 15
people from 1 Aug >>
29 Jul: Mandalay region has closed Bagan’s most important temples and pagodas
to close at Bagan’s archaeological zone ahead of the long weekend, heavily
affecting the region’s tourism as customers cancelled tours >>
28 Jul: The government is considering reducing rent for tourism businesses on

state land, such as hotels. Of the country’s 2,000 hotels, only 1,200 have reopened.
The government also wants to launch incentive travel programs to healthcare
personnel and volunteers >>
29 Jul: Daw Aung San Suu Kyi has discussed reopening movie production
operations, as well as reopening cinemas >>

22 Jul: Myanmar partially reopened government schools, with 3,772 schools

reopening. Middle schools and primary schools are expected to reopen in 4-8
weeks >>.
17 Jul: A new hotel zone will be established near Shwesettaw pagoda in Magway,
including an ecotourism project with wildlife sanctuaries. Work is expected to start
in Feb 2021 >>
16 Jul: More than half of the tourism industry will be closed for the next 6 months,
according to the Tourism Ministry. They think that the economy will reduce
consumer spending power >>
14 Jul: Myanmar has extended its internal restrictions until 31 Jul, including the
limiting of social gatherings, the curfew in Yangon of 12am – 4am and social
distancing in public >>
14 Jul: The Union of Myanmar Travel Association has expressed worry at the
potential of flights only reopening in Oct: “It appears that we can no longer wait
for Covid-19 to be eliminated. By the time Covid-19 is eliminated, tour operators
will no longer have a business.” >>
13 Jul: Bagan is starting to see more domestic tourists arrive from further afield >>
11 Jul: State Counsellor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi met with tourism players to discuss
COVID-19’s impact. The Union Minister revealed that the industry is currently
seeing less than 10% of previous figures and that resumption of the industry is the
best way to support it, as funds are limited. She Aung San Suu Kyi commented that
she did not want to see Myanmar become a country where tourists go to travel
cheaply, where visitors can connect “heart to heart” and “mind to mind” >>
11 Jul: The government will create a fund of 500 billion kyats to support
businesses, including those in tourism. The loans will help to pay salaries and will
be at a 1% interest rate >>
10 Jun: The Ministry of Hotels and Tourism have announced their COVID-19
Tourism Relief Plan to help tourism operators, to run from Apr 2020 – Jan 2021:
• Phase 1 (Apr-Jun): low-interest loans. Between 9 Apr – 2 Jun, over 1,000

tourism businesses received K27 billion. Tax and license fee waivers
• Phase 2 (Jun-Aug): reopening Myanmar’s tourism. Government working to
open regional tourism, and health and safety plans being developed
• Phase 3 (Aug-Jan 2021): begin promoting Myanmar internationally, with
visa exemptions, ease of travel restrictions and boosting tourism
infrastructure >>

23 May: There will be three stages in a roadmap for tourism, according to the
Union Minister for Hotels and Tourism:
1. Survival, immediate action with the self-finance and stimulus package

2. Reopening and relaxing of lockdown and quarantine, to be implemented
within 3-6 months
3. Relaunching, relaxing regulations and reinventing Myanmar tourism, to be
implemented within 6-12 months >>
09 May: A fund of $2.5 million USD has been set up in a 3rd phase of economic
stimulus to support loans to 111 industrial and tourism companies >>
02 May: A 2nd fund of $142.8 million USD is set to be created by the government to
help struggling businesses >>
23 Apr: Land lease payments for 47 state-owned and private hotels will be
deferred for 6 months. However, the Myanmar Hotelier Association has asked for
an exemption, rather than just deferment >>
16 Apr: Hotel and tour businesses will not have to pay licence fees for one year
until 31 Mar 2021 >>
18 Mar: Myanmar Government has introduced relief measures, including those for
tourism businesses:
• Covid-19 fund established and funds may be borrowed at interest rate of

1% for one year
• Commercial tax and corporate income tax deadlines extended until end of
Sep 2020 >>

https://www.pearanderson.com/coronavirus/myanmar/
OUTBOUND
10 Jul: The Ministry of Health has begun COVID-19 tests to provide certificates for
fit-to-fly for urgent overseas travel >>

https://www.pearanderson.com/coronavirus/myanmar/

PHILIPPINES
Estimated 190 billion PHP lost in revenues from Mar - Jul
TRAVEL Temporary ban on foreigners entering from 22 Mar. Domestic flights permitted to
RESTRICTIONS
reopen from 1 Jun.
LOCKDOWN General Community Quarantine (GCQ) for Metro Manila from 1-30 Sep, whilst Cebu
STATUS
City is under Modified General Community Quarantine (MGCQ) from 1-30 Sep.
Many industries and sectors are permitted to reopen, with 50% of the workforce.
Travel agents allowed to open under GCQ areas. Elderly and youth must still stay
at home. Public transportation in areas under GCQ opened. MICE events allowed at
50% under MGCQ areas. Curfew from 10pm – 5am in Metro Manila.
Consumer sentiment
Source: YouGOV
Flight searches and booking volume for travel to Philippines


travel to the Philippines departures YoY


BORDERS
150,000 cases of COVID-19 from 7 Sep, including the Philippines >>
17 Aug: Officials and business owners in Boracay are planning to open the island
to selected domestic and foreign tourists by Oct. The initial travel bubble is tipped
to be with South Korea, as Philippine Airlines flies between Seoul and Kalibo
International Airport. Since reopening, only 1,303 tourists had visited from 16 Jun
to 13 Aug >>
8 Aug: The US Embassy in the Philippines has warned American citizens to

reconsider travel to the Philippines >>
4 Aug: The Tourism Congress of the Philippines is backing the idea of travel
bubbles direct to destinations, bypassing Manila to avoid impact from lockdowns
>>

23 Jul: Non-essential overseas travel for Filipinos is once again suspended, and
only those with plane tickets confirmed as of 20 Jul will be allowed to continue
their trips, as only one travel insurance agency has agreed to provide the insurance
required by government guidelines >>
17 Jul: Foreign nationals with long-term visas in the Philippines will be allowed
entry from 1 Aug. They must pre-book accredited quarantine facilities, as well as
pre-book a COVID test provider >>
9 Jul: Filipinos who return to the country after a non-essential trip overseas will
need to be quarantined on arrival back whilst awaiting the results of their COVID-
19 test >>
8 Jul: Filipinos will be allowed to travel on non-essential outbound trips, provided

they have adequate travel insurance, allowed entry by the destination country,
sign a declaration form and have confirmed round-trip tickets. The easing of the
restriction is expected to be cleared by mid-Aug >>
INBOUND
NEW 6 Sep: The DOT will hold the Philippine International Dive Expo virtually in Oct,
aiming to position the country as a leading dive travel business hub >>
NEW 5 Sep: The DOT is identifying more tourism circuits that can be activated now that
many provinces are under MGCQ and tourism is allowed once more. These would
be similar to the Ridge to Reef tourism corridors >>
NEW 4 Sep: The national government and local government units (LGUs) are working
closely together to decide on tourism reopenings to ensure that it is done in a safe
manner, the Presidential spokesman has said >>
NEW 4 Sep: “White sand” beaches that are to be created on Manila Bay’s naturally grey
coloured shores have caused controversy. It is part of Manila Bay Rehabilitation
Program to save the bay from pollution >>
NEW 4 Sep: AirAsia Philippines will launch new routes from Manila to General Santos
City and Zamboanga. Flights will start in Oct >>
NEW 4 Sep: July’s unemployment rate declined vs April’s levels, at 10% vs 17.7%. The
Acting Socioeconomic Planning Secretary forecasts that by 2022 it should return
to 4-5% >>
NEW 4 Sep: Moody’s now predicts that the Philippines economy could see a 7%
contraction in 2020. Its earlier prediction was a decline of 4.5% >>

NEW 3 Sep: The Philippines reported its lowest daily case numbers for a month on 3
Sep, at 1,987 cases >>
NEW 3 Sep: Baguio will open to tourists from the Ilocos region (Region 1) from 21 Sep,
in a “ridge to reef” tourism bubble strategy. Entry will be regulated and visitors’
movements monitored >>
NEW 3 Sep: The Tourism Secretary has said that she hopes to see the Ridge to Reef
tourism bubble emulated across the country. The DOT is also working to
collaborate with the Baguio City Tourism Council to implement Baguio’s
monitoring app, to sponsor a photo contest, establish Baguio rebranding
marketing and promotional projects, set up the baguiocreativecity.com platform
and revive the weaving and fashion industry. They will focus on sustainable
growth, and quality over quantity for tourists >>
NEW 3 Sep: Ilocos Sur has seen 2 hotels closed and Vigan City, a UNESCO world heritage
site, is now like a “ghost town” >>
NEW 3 Sep: The Bayanihan 2 Act will not be sufficient to sustain workers and
companies, according to a think tank, with the cash subsidies putting recipients
below the poverty line. They estimate 27% of Filipinos ae jobless or have been
forced to take reduced pay >>
NEW 3 Sep: Rajah Travel Corporation are launching a new training program for tourism
students, aiming to bridge the gap between academic courses and the actual
workplace. It will launch 5 Oct and will include sessions on jargon, fares, pricing
and tariffs beyond GDS, as well as soft skills >>
NEW 3 Sep: The Philippines Travel Agencies Association (PTAA) estimated that travel
agents and consumers are owed 940 million PHP in airline refunds. Cebu Pacific
has explained that refunds are taking up to 5 months from the date in which they
were filed to be paid out, due to the high cancellation rates still ongoing. The
PTAA has said that only 20 of its members are currently operating, serving
overseas Filipino workers and seafarers >>
NEW 3 Sep: Tourist sites in Cebu City are being closely monitored to check for
adherence to the health protocols, as they start to reopen for tourists now that the
city is under MGCQ >>
NEW 2 Sep: The reopening procedure for Ilocos Norte to tourism includes protocols such
as pre-booking and pre-registering their travel itinerary using the Stay IN Tourist
Registration System and limiting the tourists’ arrivals between 6am – 10am.
Tourists will also need to have a travel authority, medical certificate, a health
declaration form no earlier than 48 hours prior to departure, and a negative rapid
antigen test >>

NEW 2 Sep: The DOT will not force local governments to reopen to tourism, saying that
“health and safety are still our priority” >>
NEW 1 Sep: Religious gatherings will be allowed in Metro Manila once more at 10% of
the venue capacity >>
NEW 1 Sep: Leisure trips are allowed for Metro Manila residents to certain point-to-
point destinations, such as resort islands. These islands require a negative RT-PCR
test result, and the resort islands operate strict health and safety SOPs >>
NEW 1 Sep: Tacloban City has had to suspend its tourism activity after being placed
under GCQ for one month until the end of Sep >>
NEW 1 Sep: Sipalay in Negros Occidental has extended the ban on tourism for another
15 days, until 15 Sep >>
NEW 1 Sep: Businesses on Boracay Island are really suffering, with several of the oldest
stores and restaurants deciding to close permanently. Businesses say that the
situation had already worsened by the choice to attract low-end Chinese tourists to
the island pre-pandemic. As of 13 Aug, just 1,303 tourists have visited the island
since reopening >>
NEW 31 Aug: Metro Manila will remain under GCQ, whilst Cebu City has had its
lockdown relaxed to MGCQ until 30 Sep >>
NEW 31 Aug: Mactan-Cebu International Airport now has a dedicated RT-PCR test
facility for departing passengers, but hat this wasn’t mandatory. Test results are
available within 36-48 hours >>
NEW 31 Aug: The DOT may face a budget cut of -5.33% in 2021, with other government
departments also facing cuts, especially to their budgets for Travels, Conventions
and Seminars >>
NEW 31 Aug: AirAsia Philippines will postpone their plans to file an IPO to possibly
2022, if they are being “realistic”, as their priority is recovery. AirAsia Philippines
had a 2.3 billion PHP loss in Q2, with pax numbers falling by 99% YoY. By Q4, it
expects to have recovered 60% of its Q4 domestic capacity >>
NEW 31 Aug: The DOT will revise its targets under the National Tourism Development
Plan 2016-2022. Its previous targets were 10.4 million foreign visitors and 776
billion PHP revenue in 2021, and 12 million and 922 billion PHP by 2022 >>
30 Aug: The Philippine Association of Convention/ Exhibition Organizers and

Suppliers estimates opportunity revenue losses of 2.1 billion PHP to date, and
9,000 jobs at risk >>

30 Aug: Farm tourism is suffering just as much as other tourism products, the
National Farm Tourism Program has said >>
30 Aug: Baguio City will reopen all parks, the night market and start the weekly
pedestrianisation of certain areas of the city from Sep for local residents, but the
plan to reopen to other visitors, especially from Manila, is suspended >>
29 Aug: Philippine Airlines has been nominated as one of the top 10 safest airlines
in the world for health and safety measures, with a score of 4.2/5 >>
28 Aug: The Philippines will host the 3rd international conference on ASEAN
Mutual Recognition Arrangement on Tourism Professionals on 4 Sep >>
28 Aug: Thee hotels at Resorts World Manila, in partnership with Cebu Pacific, will
offer accommodation with COVID-19 testing packages for Cebu Pacific passengers,
from 27 Aug >>
28 Aug: Travellers from Metro Manila to Cebu will need to get a “letter of
coordination” prior to travel >>
28 Aug: Cebu City should continue to expect strict measures, even if its lockdown
status is downgraded to MGCQ >>
28 Aug: El Nido has opened its first government medical facility, with the Tourism
Secretary set to donate lab equipment, as a step to be able to reopen to tourism >>
28 Aug: A new project has been launched to help the DOT get input from the
public to create research-based projects and policies for its current domestic
tourism programs. They are looking for case studies on cultural heritage, creative
industries and ecotourism, amongst others >>
27 Aug: Baguio City has lost around 1.6 billion PHP in gross revenue from tourism
>>
27 Aug: Recent suicide bombings in Mindanao will not impact tourists to the
region, the Department of Tourism (DOT) has said >>
27 Aug: The Tourism Congress of the Philippines recognises that tourism players’
expectations for funding needs to be managed, as they estimated that they would
actually need 80 billion PHP, compared to the Bayanihan 2’s 10 billion PHP and
the 38.4 billion PHP capital infusion for general SMEs. Nevertheless, they will work
with the DOT on the guidelines for loans and fair distribution >>
27 Aug: AirAsia Philippines made losses of 2.3 billion PHP in Q2, with just under
30,000 passengers, a 99% drop YoY >>

26 Aug: The Philippine Travel Exchange (PHITEX) will be a hybrid event this year,
with 100 Philippine sellers and 100 foreign buyers from 22-24 Sep >>
26 Aug: PAL and AirAsia are running low-fare promotions in an attempt to lift
demand. The Civil Aeronautics Board has also suspended a passenger fuel charge
on domestic and international flights. The Air Carriers Association of the
Philippines (ACAP) has said that local airlines are flying 15% of pre-COVID levels
>>
26 Aug: The Philippine Travel Agencies Association (PTAA) has asked for 27
airlines to provide full refunds of 141 million PHP to travel agents, so that they
can in turn refund their clients. The airlines include local ones as well as those
from overseas >>
25 Aug: Baguio City is considering opening up to visitors from the Ilocos region
first when it reopens – this is unlikely to be in Sep, the tourism offer said. It may
develop a tourism corridor with La Union, Pangasinan, Ilocos Norte and Ilocos Sur
>>
24 Aug: Two explosions by suicide bombers in Jolo, Sulu, killed 11 people and left
24 wounded >>
24 Aug: ACAP is seeking consistent and unified policies from the government, as
well as government support with credit facilities or working capital loans. Cebu
Pacific has said that the varying rule from local government units (LGUs) have
slowed down their resumption of routes >>
23 Aug: The tourism sector will be able to access concessional loan terms under
Small Business Corp CARES program, the Trade and Industry Secretary reassured
the industry. SMEs can borrow up to 500,000 PHP >>
23 Aug: The Tourism Promotions Board has praised Manila’s initiative of clearing
up public spaces, which will make it more interesting for tourists, enabling outdoor
walking tours once tourism reopens >>
23 Aug: ACAP expects that it will take 2-3 years for the airline industry to recover
to pre-pandemic levels >>
23 Aug: Negros Occidental will be under a 4-day lockdown from 28-31 Aug, to
allow testing of 10,000 people with COVID-19 symptoms, with record high new
cases >>
22 Aug: The Tourism Congress of the Philippines has thanked Congress for
approving the 10 billion PHP budget for tourism under the Bayanihan 2 bill, saying
“This will help over 4.8 million direct and indirect workers that have been affected
by the various stages of community quarantine since last March.” >>

22 Aug: The Central Visayas lost the opportunity for $700 million USD from foreign
tourist arrivals >>
22 Aug: The House and Senate came to a compromise for the 10 billion PHP
allocated to tourism in the Bayanihan 2 bill, deciding to allocate 1 billion PHP for
infrastructure, 3 billion PHP for financial aid for displaced tourism workers and 6
billion PHP for loans through Small Business Corp >>
21 Aug: Megaworld Hotels Group has said that they have managed to survive
thanks to embracing new business models, hosting the employees of Business
Process Outsourcing Firms, as well as take business online, with a virtual events
management platform >>
21 Aug: Only 3.3 million Filipinos have been made jobless due to the pandemic,
the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) announced, much below the
numbers quotes in the Social Weather Stations survey which showed that 27.3
million have become unemployed >>
20 Aug: A curfew between 8pm to 5am will be imposed in Metro Manila, as well as
groups limited to 10 people instead of 10% of a venue during their “stricter”
General Community Quarantine (GCQ). Metro Manila was downgraded from the
Modified Enhanced Community Quarantine (MECQ) to GCQ, which will run until 31
Aug >>
20 Aug: The Civil Aeronautics Board has said that they may need to change the air
passenger bill of rights to fit current developments, advocating for more support
for passengers >>
20 Aug: The Department of Tourism launched the Philippine Harvest e-commerce

site, to promote Filipino culture through local food >>
20 Aug: The Philippine MICE conference, will be held virtually in Oct, with this
year’s theme: Future-ready MICE: Renew, Reboot and Revitalise. It will be held free
of charge to industry professionals >>
20 Aug: Tuguegarao City airport has been reopened for domestic flights >>
19 Aug: Cebu City residents returning from Metro Manila will need to undergo a
14-day quarantine in isolation centres to prevent the spreading of COVID-19 >>
19 Aug: The DOT of Central Visayas will help Lapu-Lapu City to reopen to tourism,
with hotels forecasting being able to open in Sep >>
19 Aug: Clark International Airport had its first A380 landing, with an Emirates
flight arriving from the UAE. Emirates said that it has seen “huge demand” for its
flights between Dubai to Clark and Manila, and it will resume operations to Cebu
that week >>

19 Aug: AirAsia Philippines has said that its Q2 passengers declined by 99% YoY,
with just 29,111 pax carried >>
19 Aug: Philippine Airlines resumed its domestic flight operations at Manila airport
from 20 Aug >>
18 Aug: Cebu Pacific has resumed its domestic flights from Manila, as the city
reverted to GCQ >>
18 Aug: Puerto Galera in Oriental Mindoro province is allowing domestic tourists to

visit, with the first group expected to arrive on 19 Aug. Visitors must have a recent
negative test, as well as point to point travel proof from their origin to their
accommodation. On the island, they will only be allowed to use hotel provided
vehicles to get around the island. The town has lost around 2.09 billion PHP from
Mar to Jun >>
17 Aug: Workers in the hospitality and tourism sector with symptoms of COVID-19
would be required to undergo swab tests, the government has clarified, after
confusion where it seemed that all tourism workers would need to have swab tests
on a regular basis >>
15 Aug: Support for the tourism sector is increasing, as a Cabinet secretary,

lawmaker and former tourism secretary all calling for the 10 billion PHP allocation
to remain with the DOT >>
15 Aug: A House leader called on tourism players not to drag Congress into in-
fighting after the Tourism Congress of the Philippines criticised the diversion of
funds from the Department of Tourism (DOT) to the Tourism Infrastructure and
Enterprise Zone Authority (TIEZA) >>
14 Aug: The DOT has said that the tourism industry is in a “critical status”, as she
pushed for a change to allocate Bayanihan 2 bill funds for credit facilities, rather
than infrastructure. Latest statistics show that Jan – Jul tourism receipts dropped
to 81.05 billion PHP, 71.5% down YoY. Jan – Jul foreign arrivals were at just 1.32
million. This comes after the bill was passed, but reallocated 10 billion PHP
earmarked for the DOT to TIEZA >>
14 Aug: The Tourism Congress of the Philippines has called for the allocation of 10
billion PHP to the DOT to remain in the Bayanihan bill, saying “Who will use those
infrastructure when we’re all dead?” >>
14 Aug: The Department of Agriculture is strengthening ties with the DOT to

support farm tourism >>
14 Aug: A tourist guide has set up a fund for the coach men of Intramuros, Manila,
to help buy food for the horses and support their livelihood >>

14 Aug: The DOT forecasts tourism arrivals in 2021 to be revived, and once travel
restrictions are lifted, they will engage with top tourist markets such as South
Korea, China, Japan and the USA >>
14 Aug: A Social Weather Station Survey has shown that 79% of Filipinos believe
that their lives have worsened in the past year >>
13 Aug: Panglao in Bohol is preparing to open to domestic and international

tourists, partnering with neighbouring source markets. No date has been decided
upon yet >>
13 Aug: Residents of Boracay have been roped into cleaning up the wetlands, with
volunteers receiving 5kg of rice per household for the weekly cleanup >>
13 Aug: The Philippines will have the highest unemployment rate in SE Asia by the
end of the year, with Maybank expecting it to reach 18.5% >>
13 Aug: Some Manila malls are considering converting into car storage or e-
commerce backend facilities, with a drop in footfall >>
13 Aug: If the MECQ is lifted in Metro Manila, more granular lockdowns may be
implemented, imposing restrictions in smaller areas instead of whole regions >>
13 Aug: Lapu-Lapu City is preparing to reopen its tourism industry for domestic
travel, with the local tourism authority starting checks on hotels and resorts >>
12 Aug: The Pavilions Hotels and Resorts will open their first property in the
Philippines in El Nido, Palawan, in Q1 2022 >>
12 Aug: The Tourism Congress of the Philippines estimates that the industry has
lost 190 billion PHP from Mar to Jul >>
11 Aug: The Filipino Consul General in Thailand has attacked a Thai newspaper
after it called Philippines the “Land of COVID-19” in a headline referring to Filipino
international school teachers being allowed to enter Thailand for work >>
8 Aug: A new airport in Medellin in Northern Cebu is starting to take shape, with
officials finishing the runway, and planning to begin construction in 2021. It has a
100 million PHP budget allocated for it >>
8 Aug: Visitors, workers and passengers at Mactan Cebu International Airport will
be required to wear face shields from 15 Aug >>
7 Aug: The Philippines has disputed the claim that it now has the most COVID-19
cases in SE Asia, and that this was simply because Indonesia was not testing
enough >>

7 Aug: The Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) have revealed that the economy
contracted by 16.5% in Q2. Business leaders are calling for a recovery plan
focusing on health to regain public confidence, as the key to reviving the economy
>>
7 Aug: The Hundred Islands National Park will reopen to Pangasinan residents
from 8 Aug. Requirements to visit including an age limitation from 21 – 59
allowed to enter, health certificates and registration. Online reservation is
encouraged and will be prioritised. Only 1,000 pax will be allowed per day,
distributed across the 3 parks >>
7 Aug: No additional restrictions have been imposed after the MECQ was
reimposed in Metro Manila, with existing travel restrictions unchanged.
International flights to Manila, Cebu and Clark continue >>
7 Aug: Asturias in western Cebu has been developing its marine tourism. A
province not previously known for its tourism products, it has retrained fishermen
to lead dolphin watching cruises, and is building ziplines and other activities >>
7 Aug: The Cuatro Islas has had a new tourism infrastructure development plan
endorsed by the regional council, which will position it as a prime tourist
destination in the Eastern Visayas >>
7 Aug: Oslob town is seeing just 8-10 visitors daily since 1 Aug, a big drop from the
1,000 tourists it used to see pre-pandemic. The town has lost 35 million PHP in
tourism income >>
6 Aug: Many were left stranded at Manila airport after the cancellation of domestic
flights from the capital >>
6 Aug: Consumer spending will decline by 7.8% this year, according to new
research, rebounding to 5.5% in 2021 >>
6 Aug: Baguio is planning what regulations need to be in place for when it opens
to tourism, which will include advanced registration, COVID testing and expecting
isolation whilst waiting for test results. The city will also limit the number of
visitors per day >>
6 Aug: Cebu Pacific passengers will now need to wear face shields for the duration
of their flights, as well as the mandatory face masks >>
6 Aug: All commuters must wear face shields as well as masks on public transport.
Talking on mobile phones is also discouraged >>
6 Aug: The Eastern Visayas are planning for a restart for domestic tourism,
becoming known as a fun yet safe place >>

5 Aug: The House of Representatives have approved the Bayanihan to Recover as

One Act, which contains vital tourism funding >>
5 Aug: 3.5 million Filipinos have been stranded across the country due to lockdown
rules >>
4 Aug: Davao International Airport will have holding facilities with up to 1,000
beds and a lab equipped to handle RT-PCR tests for arriving air passengers.
However, international flights to the airport remain unavailable >>
4 Aug: Hospitality workers have been told to upgrade their skills to ensure their
employability >>
4 Aug: Some hotels are refusing to accommodate returning overseas Filipino

workers as the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration has not settled its
financial obligations which amount to 17.5 million PHP >>
4 Aug: Local air carriers have suspended their domestic flights to and from Manila
following the return of MECQ from 4 - 18 Aug >>
3 Aug: Metro Manila will return to Modified Enhanced Community Quarantine

(MECQ) from 4 – 18 Aug, after a record increase of COVID-19 cases >>
2 Aug: Philippines has now surpassed the 100,000 cases mark, with its highest
spike of cases on Sunday of 5,032 >>
2 Aug: Ilocos provincial government is not aiming to build up tourist confidence

yet, but is rather focusing on educating tourism businesses, as well as run
hyperlocal pop-up activities targeting residents. The province has also distributed
cash assistance to 1,000 displaced tourism workers. It estimates it has lost 250
million PHP from Mar – May >>
1 Aug: 8 policemen will be assigned to each tourist destination in Cebu to ensure

tourists are obeying the health protocols >>
1 Aug: 80 groups representing 80,000 doctors and a million nurses have urged
President Duterte to reimpose stricter lockdown in Metro Manila, warning of a
collapse in the healthcare system from fast increasing COVID-19 cases as Friday
saw the biggest daily jump in cases of 4,603 >>
1 Aug: Bohol has lost at least 1.014 billion PHP during the time that Panglao
island was closed for 4 months. But despite the island reopening for domestic
tourism, it has seen little arrivals >>
1 Aug: The average daily rates (ADR) of Metro Manila hotels are expected to fall by
30% by YE to $55 USD, with ADR already dropping by 16% in H1. Hotel occupancy

has fallen to 25% in H1, and is only expected to increase to 30% by YE. 5* hotels
have seen the largest decline in occupancy >>
1 Aug: Passenger ships will now be allowed to dock in Cebu, so long as pax and
crew follow the health and safety protocols of a GCQ area >>
1 Aug: President Duterte has said that a vaccine is required for COVID-19 before he
could draw up a roadmap for the country’s recovery >>
31 Jul: Bohol is targeting to reopen tourism by Q4 2020, although this is a “moving

target” and subject to which travel bubbles the Philippines negotiates. The areas
which would be likely to be reopened include Panglao Island and the Dauis
municipality, and the governor has also launched a Unique Bohol Experience (UBE)
accreditation program, which will also focus on sustainability. Bohol is expected to
receive $62 million USD from the World Bank in Q1 2021 for tourism projects >>
31 Jul: Metro Manila will continue under General Community Quarantine (GCQ)
until 15 Aug, and Cebu City will be downgraded to GCQ, too. Bulacan, Batangas,
Cavite, Laguna, Rizal, Lapu-Lapu City, Mandaue City, Talisay City, Minglanilla,
Consolacion, and Zamboanga City are also under GCQ, whilst the rest of the
Philippines is under the more relaxed Modified General Community Quarantine
(MGCQ) >>
31 Jul: The Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (Pagcor) has had a net
loss of 1.596 billion PHP >>
31 Jul: The wearing of face shields will be imposed as a minimum health standard,
in addition to wearing a face mask in Metro Manila and Calabarzon, although a
date for implementation has not yet been set. Localised lockdowns will also take
place in those areas where 80% of cases are located >>
31 Jul: The Department of Tourism (DOT) has reassured all tourism stakeholders
that they have the government’s all-out support after President Duterte called on
Filipinos to travel locally and boost the economy >>
30 Jul: Cebu province has reopened to domestic tourism, but with certain
conditions. Visitors will need to register in advance, make cashless payments and
wear an RFID bracelet to help limit the number of visitors and contact tracing.
Visitors will be given a refillable water tumbler (disposable water bottles will be
banned), and freshly squeezed juice to boost the immune system will welcome
guests on arrival. A curfew from 12am – 5am will also be in place >>
30 Jul: Tourism players should go digital and adopt contactless payments, the DOT
has urged. All registered tourism companies will have access to SafePass, a digital
contact tracing, health declaration and incident management solution >>

30 Jul: The DOT has called for tourism players to “think out of the box if we want
to go back to business as usual.” >>
29 Jul: Cebu has now launched its online booking tourism portal,
discover.cebu.gov.ph, where all the tourism activities offered by the province will
eventually be available. As of 29 Jul, it had 11 activities listed, and aims to have
over 50. Whale shark watching in Oslob will be the first activity to reopen Cebu’s
tourism on 31 Jul >>
29 Jul: The DOT is seeking support from tourism players to convince LGUs and
residents to reopen their destinations to tourists >>
29 Jul: Clark International Airport will resume receiving international flights on 1

Aug >>
29 Jul: The government is looking at rescue options for local airlines, the Finance
Secretary has said >>
29 Jul: Mactan-Cebu airport is looking at building a 2nd runway as part of its long-
term development plan. The airport’s CEO said that they expect airport traffic to
take 2 years to recover >>
29 Jul: The Air Carriers of the Philippines (ACAP) have said that their 3 major
carriers – Philippine Airlines, Cebu Pacific and AirAsia Philippines – would need
8.6 billion PHP/ month to sustain them >>
29 Jul: More businesses will be allowed in MGCQ areas, including live events,
museums, tourist destinations, massage parlours and language schools. Gyms,
drive-in cinemas will be permitted under GCQ areas from 1 Aug >>
28 Jul: Residents of Boracay Island have negatively reacted to new rules which will
remove age restrictions for tourists to enter the island and swim in the beach,
whilst residents in the same age brackets (below 21 years old and above 60 years
old) are still barred. The island had 357 visitors from 1 – 26 Jul >>
27 Jul: 95% of the Philippine Travel Agencies Association (PTAA) members have
temporarily closed down their businesses, with 200 employees laid off. Some
members are also thinking of permanently closing down >>
27 Jul: President Duterte in his State of the Nation called on congress to pass the
Bayanihan to Recover as One Act >>
26 Jul: ACAP announced that its 3 biggest airlines lost 22 billion PHP in Q2, with a
drop of 94% in pax traffic >>

26 Jul: A creation of a travel corridor between Cebu, Bohol, Negros Oriental and
Siquijor in Central Visayas is being considered by the provincial governments, with
a meeting set to take place on 12 Aug to further discuss the possibility >>
26 Jul: The Hotel Sales and Marketing Association (HSMA) Philippines will hold an
online travel mart, called the September Online Sale, and is asking its members to
offer up to 70% discounts at hotel >>
24 Jul: The Western Visayas, an area heavily reliant on tourism, will need 380
billion PHP for rehabilitation and recovery of the region, which would be
implemented from 2020 to 2023. Tourism in Q1 fell by more than half from
1,020,306 to 453,347 visitors, and the state government does not see much
tourism activity, even in Q4 >>
24 Jul: The Department of Tourism (DOT) are asking for cooperation from local
government units (LGUs) and the private sector to digitise tourism-related data.
This would allow the DOT to gather information and analyse recovery faster >>
24 Jul: 600 tour guides have lost their jobs in Badian, Cebu province, with 20
million PHP lost in revenues from tourism in total in the town. Famous for its
canyoneering, they have set out social distancing measures, including 5 guests per
group, 10 mins gaps between groups and online bookings >>
24 Jul: Moody’s Analytics expect the Philippines to lag behind its SE Asian peers in
terms of economic recovery, and does not forecast a bounce in Q3 for its economy,
unlike other countries in the region >>
24 Jul: Private sector investment in Philippines’ tourism grew by 3.6% in 2019,

whilst government investment in tourism infrastructure grew by 23.5% >>
23 Jul: The age limits for visitors to Boracay island have now been lifted in a move
to stimulate travellers, but only Western Visayas residents are still permitted to
visit the island >>
23 Jul: A national tourism congress made up of government officials as well as

major tourism players has been mooted by Rajah Tours Intl. This congress could
then guide the government’s Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) in their decisions.
They also said that a “crisis fund” would be essential to support SMEs >>
23 Jul: The Asian Development Bank believes there will be a soft rebound of the
economy in H2, but not enough to ensure 2020 returns to growth. They also
project that unemployment could reach 22% in Jun >>
23 Jul: 2,000 hotel rooms have been booked by the government in Manila as
isolation areas as the temporary health centres are near capacity already >>

23 Jul: The Bayanihan to Recover As One bill will be certified as urgent by Duterte.
It is expected to be included in his State of the Nation address on 27 Jul >>
22 Jul: The requirement to have RT-PCR swab tests for pax prior to flying to Davao
has been rescinded – instead pax who do not have a test prior to departure will
need to have a test upon exit of Davao airport. The testing on arrival will be free
of charge, but results may take up to 24 hours >>
22 Jul: The DOT has estimated that tourism revenue dropped to 81 billion PHP in
H1 from 2019’s 243 billion PHP, a 66% decline >>
20 Jul: The Cebu Governor has said that waterfalls, one of the top tourism
attractions in the province, will be just for sightseeing, not swimming. The
regulations for tourism reopening are still being drafted, and the first visitors
allowed will be from within the province itself >>
20 Jul: A joint survey of tourism players from across the industry undertaken by
PwC and the DOT in May revealed:
• 97% say COVID-19 has the potential for significant impact on their
business and is causing great concern
• Top concerns included: financial and operational impact (86%), decline in
tourism demand (76%) and decrease in tourism confidence (70%)
• 78% have temporarily stopped offering their product/ service due to
current restrictions
• 43% have reduced employee headcount
• 88% expected losses of over 50% in their 2020 revenue
• 63% expect their businesses to normalise within 6-12 months, whilst 21%
expect it to normalise after 12 months
• 78% of respondents said they need up to 5 million PHP in additional funds
to help operations, with 73% expecting to obtain help from government
grants/ subsidies
• The majority of businesses can only sustain their operations and cash for
up to 6 months
• 79% expect international tourist arrivals to decline by over 50% in 2020 >>
19 Jul: The International Institute of Finance has said that smaller and medium
sized travel firms in the Philippines may find it harder to survive than larger
enterprises >>
18 Jul: The number of inbound international passengers to the Philippines will be

allowed to increase at Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA), Mactan-Cebu
International Airport and Clark International Airport. This will allow NAIA to accept
an additional 3,000 pax/ day, whilst Cebu and Clark will be able to accept 1,500
pax/ day >>

18 Jul: The Baguio mayor hopes to reopen tourism businesses soon. They are
looking at adopting “new normal” practices such as touchless transaction and
services, with payment via QR codes. They have also proposed an inter-travel
tourism bubble with domestic tourists in North Luzon province >>
17 Jul: The government is encouraging Western Visayas residents to visit Boracay

after having few visitors since reopening >>
16 Jul: MICE is now allowed at 50% capacity under Modified General Community
Quarantine. Participants below 21 years and old and above 60 are not allowed to
take part. MICE organisers must designate an isolation room or area for unwell
persons, and regulations cover the type of seating arrangements for social
distancing. Buffets and self-service are still not allowed >>
16 Jul: The Tourism Promotions Board will waive its membership fees until Dec
2021 >>
16 Jul: Farm tourism will be jointly promoted by the Department of Tourism (DOT)
and the Food and Agriculture Organisation. They will focus on capacity building,
marketing and technological development to promote the farm tourism, with
select pilot areas >>
16 Jul: The National Capital Region (NCR) of Manila will remain under General
Community Quarantine (GCQ) status, whilst Cebu City will be downgraded to
Modified Enhanced Community Quarantine (MECQ) from 16 Jul – 31 Jul. However,
Manila has been warned that should numbers continue to rise that they will be put
back under MECQ. Davao City is under MECQ status >>
15 Jul: Clark’s new airport will be opened by January 2021, delayed from its
expected opening in 2020 >>
15 Jul: Just 180,000 pax arrived into the Philippines from 16 Mar – 30 Jun, a drop
of 96% YoY >>
15 Jul: There has now been 30,000 permanently displaced workers in Manila as of
1 Jul, a doubling since last month >>
15 Jul: Cebu province are refining their guidelines for the resumption of tourism
businesses. Potential measures will include wearing of face masks, regular
disinfection of equipment and no sharing of mouthpieces and diving tubes >>
14 Jul: Travel agents will be permitted to run temporary businesses from their
offices – but once they resume operations, they will need to comply with the DOT
standards. The Philippines Travel Agencies Association (PTAA) have confirmed that
a majority of its members have started food trading and deliveries >>

13 Jul: Local airlines are still waiting for the government stimulus package to be
approved – it is pending the committee level of the Senate >>
13 Jul: Critical care capacity for ICU beds is now in the danger zone in Manila as
cases continue to rise >>
13 Jul: The Tourism Congress of the Philippine have reminded tourism

organisations that if they want to receive financial assistance, then they will need
to be accredited by the Department of Tourism (DOT) >>
12 Jul: Passengers bound for Cebu on international flights will be required to

register online at least 2 days prior to departure >>
12 Jul: Mactan-Cebu International Airport is the first airport in the Philippines to

now have its own COVID-19 laboratory which can process 1,500 – 3,000 RT-PCR
tests per day >>
10 Jul: Tourism activities are due to restart in Cebu Province, where most parts are
now under modified general community quarantine (MGCQ) as of 10 Jul. An
executive order is expected for the guidelines for tourism activities on 14 or 15 Jul.
Cebu City remains under ECQ >>
9 Jul: IATA has warned that 569,800 jobs could be lost in the Philippines aviation
9 Jul: Cebu Pacific has confirmed that it will make 800 employees redundant by
Aug as its current number of flights is less than 10% of pre-COVID levels >>
8 Jul: The Department of Tourism (DOT) has reiterated that domestic tourism will
be a “catalyst” to restart the industry >>
8 Jul: The DOT is creating specific MICE protocols, as well as travel and tours, tour
guides, tourist attractions and beaches >>
8 Jul: Hotel Sales and Marketing Association (HSMA) members have refunded
customers close to 30 million PHP for hotel cancellations. Philippine Airlines has
also appealed for understanding for the slow refund process as they are dealing
with “more than a million affected customers”. Cebu Pacific have also reassured
customers that they are doing all they can to refund customers >>
7 Jul: Leisure travellers are still not permitted to visit tourism sites in Central
Luzon, as the majority of destinations prefer to restart for their own residents first
>>

27 May: The House of Representatives also passed a bill allocating 58 billion PHP
to support the Department of Tourism’s Response and Recovery Program. These
funds will be used for:
• Providing interest-free loans or loan guarantees up to five years for

maintenance and operating expenses
• Credit facilities for upgrading, rehabilitation, or modernization of current
establishments to be compliant with new health and safety standards
• Marketing and product development promotions and programs
• Grants for education, training, and advising for tourism stakeholders for
new normal alternative livelihood programs
• Utilization of information technology for the improvement of tourism
services
• Development of a tourist tracking system for emergency response and
• Establishment of spatial database to improve planning capacity >>
27 May: The government started making the payouts for the second tranche of the
Small Business Wage Subsidy >>
01 May: International tourist revenue in Q1 has decreased by 40.6% YoY, whilst

international arrivals have declined 40.2% according to the Tourism Secretary. PHP
43 billion stimulus package to support the tourism sector is being prepared by the
government. It comprises of:
• PHP 36 billion: soft loans to provide employment

• PHP 4 billion: jumpstart tourism infrastructure projects
• PHP 500 million: marketing and support for domestic tourism, product
market and development
• PHP 500 million: international marketing promotion fund
• PHP 500 million: training stakeholders
• PHP 1.5 billion: fund that can be used by private sector for their activities
>>
04 Mar: 6 billion PHP will be spent by the Department of Tourism (DOT) in a

tourism resiliency programme, focusing on domestic travel. 2.2 billion PHP will be
allocated to infrastructure improvement, 1.6 billion PHP to improve secondary
airports, 725 million PHP for tactical programs and initiatives, 421 million PHP for
new campaigns, 467 million PHP for "engaging content" to countries not affected
by Coronavirus, 85 million PHP for training >>

https://www.pearanderson.com/coronavirus/philippines/

OUTBOUND
23 Aug: 5 new countries have opened up for inbound travel from the Philippines
subject to certain conditions, including Brazil, Kiribati, the UK, Benin and Chad >>
14 Aug: Philippine Airlines posted a net loss of 11.55 billion PHP in Q2, with
passenger revenues down 93.9% YoY. It has also received future stock subscription
of 6.27 billion PHP, adding more funds to the airline >>
13 Aug: Cebu Pacific have reported a net loss of 7.96 billion PHP in Q2, with a
decline in passenger traffic to 4.5 million in H1, down 60.1% YoY >>
12 Aug: Cebu Pacific is increasing the frequency of its flights to Dubai >>
5 Aug: Local airlines will continue their international flights, despite the new
MECQ being imposed on Metro Manila. PAL said that their domestic flights
between Cebu, Clark, Davao and other cities would remain unaltered, and Cebu
Pacific said flights between Cebu, Clark and Davao would also continue >>
3 Aug: Philippine Airlines is seeking to return 10 wide-bodied aircraft out of its

fleet of over 60 aircraft, they announced in a recent town hall >>
2 Aug: AirAsia Philippines will reopen international routes to Kuala Lumpur,

Bangkok-Don Mueang, Chengdu and Taipei from Manila >>
1 Aug: Philippine Airlines will increase its flight frequency to Dubai from 4 Aug o
twice weekly. It will also resume international flights to Los Angeles, San
Francisco, New York, Honolulu, Vancouver, Guam, London, Sydney, Singapore,
Kuala Lumpur, Jakarta, Tokyo, Fukuoka, Osaka, Nagoya, Hong Kong, Dammam,
Riyadh, Doha, Port Moresby, Ho Chi Minh City >>
31 Jul: Cebu Pacific is expanding its international flight routes in Aug, adding
Tokyo (Narita), Singapore, Seoul, Taipei and Osaka. “While demand remains soft,
there is latent demand for travel, particularly from stranded individuals and those
who are eager to come home to visit their families,” said Candice Iyog, Vice
President for Marketing and Customer Experience of Cebu Pacific >>
31 Jul: Philippine Airlines has established a One-Stop-Shop centre at T2 of Manila’s

Ninoy Aquino International Airport to give mandatory RT-PCR tests for returning
overseas Filipinos and foreign nationals, increasing Manila’s capacity to screen and
process travellers. It will be able to test 1,200 pax/ day and produce results within
48 hours >>

28 Jul: Qatar Airways have launched a new route to Cebu from Doha, meaning that
the airline is operating 13 weekly flights from the Philippines to Qatar, from
Manila, Cebu and Clark >>
28 Jul: 42% of Filipino travellers are keen to avoid international vacations,

according to a new survey, Unravel Travel: Fear & Possibilities in a Post
Coronavirus (Covid-19) World >>
25 Jul: Taiwan will extend its visa-free privilege to tourists from Thailand, Brunei,
Philippines and Russia until 31 Jul 2021, although foreign nationals are still not
allowed entry for leisure purposes >>
23 Jul: Philippine Airlines (PAL) announced a loss of $183.1 million USD in Q1

2020. The management is adopting "cost control strategies", including delaying
the delivery of aircraft, suspending capex, operating with a skeleton workforce and
cutting senior management salaries. It is planning to offer 122 weekly domestic
and international flights by Aug >>
22 Jul: Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Hong Kong and South Korea want Philippine travellers to
present a COVID-19 free certificate prior to boarding >>
19 Jul: Macau, Croatia and Senegal will allow Filipinos to enter their countries >>
12 Jul: Cebu Pacific will restart international commercial services this month, with
Dubai the first destination on 12 Jul. All other international routes will remain
cancelled until 31 Jul >>
8 Jul: Filipinos travelling into the UAE will need to take a COVID-19 test before
they depart >>

https://www.pearanderson.com/coronavirus/philippines/

SINGAPORE
65.7% drop in international arrivals from Jan – May 2020
TRAVEL All short-term visitors to Singapore are barred from entering the country from 23
RESTRICTIONS
Mar. “Fast lane” for Chinese and South Korean business travellers. Reciprocal
Green Lane and Periodic Commuting Arrangement with Malaysia opened 17 Aug
(IATA). Singaporeans permitted to travel to New Zealand, Brunei, and residents
from those countries will not have to serve quarantine on arrival to Singapore from
1 Sep. Reciprocal Green Lane and Air Travel Pass with Brunei.
LOCKDOWN Phase 2 of lockdown easing started 19 Jun. More businesses reopened and social
STATUS
activities restarted. Gatherings limited to 5 pax. Shops, parks, swimming pools, and
dining in restaurants allowed. Schools reopened fully. Working from home is still
encouraged. Approved attractions, hotels for leisure stays and tour operators
permitted to reopen. Wearing a mask outdoors obligatory.
Consumer sentiment Singapore tourism arrivals

% change YoY
3.90%
-51.20%
-84.70%
Source: YouGOV
-99.60%
-99.86%
-100%
-100%
Source: Singapore Analytics Tourism Network

Flight searches and booking volume for travel to Singapore

travel to Singapore departures YoY


BORDERS
NEW 4 Sep: Malaysia hopes to finalise arrangements for daily commuting with
Singapore soon >>

NEW 2 Sep: A fast lane for residents of Singapore and South Korea will open on 4 Sep
for essential business and official trips. Travellers will need to be tested pre-
departure and on arrival, as well as follow a closely controlled itinerary for the first
14 days >>
NEW 1 Sep: A reciprocal green lane between Singapore and Brunei has been established
for essential business and official trips. Passengers will need to take a test upon
arrival >>
27 Aug: Singapore and Thailand have agreed to speed up discussion on a

reciprocal green lane for essential business travel >>
27 Aug: Chinese nationals protested outside the Chinese Embassy against new
requirements which would mean that they had to get tested before travelling back
to China – something that Singapore does not usually do. In reaction, authorities
have set up a testing service. 3 flights from Singapore has hit the ‘circuit breaker’
measure from China, where a 1-week flight suspension is triggered if 5 pax or
more test positive onboard >>
27 Aug: Singapore have set up a “Safe Travel Office” which will be a single
touchpoint for all travellers, and will help to coordinate across the different
government ministries >>
26 Aug: Indonesia has started talks with Singapore for a Travel Corridor
Arrangement (TCA) for essential business >>
NEW 25 Aug: Visitors from Brunei and New Zealand would need to use the
TraceTogether app whilst they are in Singapore, and only delete the app 14 days
after they have left the country to facilitate contact tracing >>
24 Aug: All foreign arrivals must now submit their travel information and health
declaration form electronically before immigration clearance >>
22 Aug: Singapore and China are working together to find out why some travellers
returning to China who have been classified as non-infectious by the Singaporean
authorities then have a positive PCR result in China >>
22 Aug: Whilst New Zealand is aware of Singapore’s changed travel restrictions for
its citizens, it will not change its own travel advisories, the New Zealand
government has said >>
21 Aug: Singapore will allow people to travel to New Zealand and Brunei for
general purposes from 1 Sep, including leisure, and students for study overseas.
Travellers entering Singapore from Brunei or New Zealand will also not have to
serve a stay-home notice, but will still need to have a COVID-19 test on arrival at
the airport. However, this still depends on border measures implemented by New

Zealand and Brunei, as Singapore is still in talks to ensure reciprocal

arrangements, as those countries only allow their own citizens and residents to
visit. Stay-home notices from low-risk countries will also be reduced from 2 weeks
to 1 week, including Australia (excluding Victoria), mainland China, Macau,
Malaysia, Taiwan and Vietnam, with a COVID-19 test at the end of their notice >>

18 Aug: Malaysia and Singapore’s cross border agreement came into force, with
both sides stating that the systems were working well so far >>
14 Aug: The Singapore Transport Minister has suggested Singapore introduce

reciprocal green lanes for leisure travellers at Changi Airport, for tourists coming
from countries where the COVID-19 situation is similar or better than that of
Singapore. He said that the challenge was to restore passenger volume whilst
maintain safety, but that Singaporeans needed to be enterprising and “hungry” to
do this: "To survive, we have to keep our borders open. To thrive, we have to
connect to the world. To prosper, we have to be a hub of the global economy." >>
14 Aug: Singapore and Japan have agreed to resume essential business travel, with
an agreement to come likely by early Sep, called a “Residence Track”. This would
provide a quota of cross-border business travel, including a 14-day stay home
notice on arrival to each country. They would also need to maintain a controlled
itinerary >>
13 Aug: The slots for the Reciprocal Green Lane (RGL) and Periodic Commuting
Agreement (PCA) between Malaysia and Singapore are fully booked on Aug 17 –
19, the first 3 days of reopening. 60 people per day are allowed under the RGL,
and 2,000 people per day are allowed under the PCA >>
7 Aug: Singapore will cover COVID-19 related healthcare costs for those outbound
travellers who are travelling under permitted travel arrangements to Malaysia and
China >>
6 Aug: The Singapore Tourism Board has said that they are looking at different
types of visitors being allowed into the country, from business travellers to
“tightly-controlled” leisure visitors, and that the government is looking to expand
green lane arrangements to more types of visitors also. "It will be a long while
more before mass travel can resume and that ultimately stems from consumer
confidence," the CEO said >>

4 Aug: Electronic wristbands will need to be worn by those serving Stay-Home

Notices in Singapore from 10 Aug. The wristbands will need to be worn during the
whole 14-day stay, and if the wearer tries to leave home, the authorities will be
alerted >>
1 Aug: Further requirements have been revealed for the cross-border travel
arrangement between Singapore and Malaysia, including for the Reciprocal Green
Lane (RGL) having documentation from their companies or host agencies to show
that the visiting country has approved the trip and be tested before and on arrival.
Travellers must stay in their declared accommodation until negative test results
are released. Those on short visits of up to 14 days must follow a controlled
itinerary for their stay and not use public transport. Those on the Periodic
Commuting Arrangement (PCA) can do so only via the land borders and travellers
entering Singapore must serve a Stay Home Notice (SHN) of at least 7 days and
have a COVID-19 test >>
26 Jul: Cross-border travel between Singapore and Malaysia under the Reciprocal
Green Lane (RGL) and Periodic Commuting Arrangement (PCA) will start on 17 Aug
at the earliest. Applications will begin on 10 Aug >>
25 Jul: The UK has added Singapore to its list of countries exempt from advice
24 Jul: Singapore’s Health Minister has told Malaysians and Singaporeans who are
thinking of holidaying in the other country that they must “put off the idea for
quite some time yet.” >>
23 Jul: Singapore will work closely together with Japan to resume essential travel
after Japan announced that it is looking at relaxing entry restrictions for business
23 Jul: A professor from National University of Singapore has said that he does not
expect recreational travel to resume either this year or early 2021 as travel
exposes us to “different factors beyond our control” >>
22 Jul: Singapore is still looking into “reciprocal arrangements” with South Korea,
Australia, New Zealand and Europe >>
18 Jul: The National Development Minister warned Singaporeans that the

government’s travel advisory on avoiding all travel overseas is unlikely to change
in the “near term”. He added “mass tourism travel... that, I think, will not happen
any time soon." The government has also changed its policy for travellers arriving
from Japan, Hong Kong and Australia’s Victoria state, who from 20 Jul will have to

serve their stay-home notice at dedicated facilities, instead of at home. Those

travellers who left Singapore after 27 Mar will have to pay the cost for the 14-day
stay, approximately $2,000 SGD >>
15 Jul: The Periodic Commuting Arrangement (PCA) will be limited to 2,000/ day
initially, whilst the Reciprocal Green Lane (RGL) will allow 400 people per country
on a weekly basis >>
14 Jul: Malaysia and Singapore have agreed 2 schemes for reopening the borders,
to start on 10 Aug:
1. Reciprocal Green Lane (RGL), for essential business and official purposes.
Travellers would need to undergo PCR swab tests
2. Periodic Commuting Arrangement (PCA) for Malaysian and Singapore
residents who hold long-term immigration passes for business and work
purposes in the other country, to enter for work. They will be able to briefly
return to their home country after 3 consecutive months of working >>
with 10 more economies, including Singapore >>
27 Jun: Singapore and Malaysia have agreed to some cross-border travel, agreeing
a Reciprocal Green Lane (RGL) and Periodic Commuting Arrangement (PCA) for
different travellers. The RGL will be for essential business and official purposes,
whilst the PCA will allow Malaysian and Singaporean residents who hold
immigration passes in the other country to return periodically to their home
country. The operational details are now being worked out >>
3 Jun: Further details regarding the “fast lane” between Singapore and China have
been released. It will start on 8 Jun, and travellers will need to take a COVID-19
swab 48 hrs prior to departure. The test fee will be borne by the passenger. For
Chinese travellers to Singapore, they must also undertake a controlled itinerary
supervised by the host company for the first 14 days, and may not use public
transport (except for taxis). On arrival to Singapore or China, pax will undergo a
swab test, and must stay in designated accommodation (China) or isolation
(Singapore) until test results are released >>
INBOUND
NEW 4 Sep: Singapore’s retail sales have fallen 8.5% in Jul YoY, an improvement from
Jun’s 27.7% drop >>
NEW 2 Sep: Sentosa has revealed that its Jul and first 3 weeks of Aug had an increased
of 40% YoY for domestic tourists. Other attractions such as Universal Studios

Singapore and S.E.A Aquarium have also seen “enthusiastic footfall” since
reopening. However, it remains to be seen whether this football is translating into
hotel stays >>
NEW 2 Sep: The PM has said: "Do not doubt. Do not fear. Jewel will shine again. Changi
will thrive again. SIA will be a great way to fly once more. Our economy will
prosper anew." >>
NEW 2 Sep: Starburst, an aerospace and defence accelerator, has launched the Aviation
Tech Accelerator Program in Singapore, related to new aviation technologies. It
will take 10 startups a year through a 13-week program >>
NEW 1 Sep: Workers in the aerospace sector can now access more training courses with
higher subsidies with 13,000 places across 100 courses, in the hope to avoid
workers leaving the industry >>
NEW 1 Sep: Singapore’s international arrivals in Jul reached 6,840 pax, up from 2,170 in
Jun. Arrivals remained 99.6% down YoY. Hotel occupancy reached 70% in Jul >>
NEW 31 Aug: Consumers in Singapore are now more price-conscious, according to a

Nielsen survey, and consumer confidence for Q2 2020 is 68 (dropping 23% from
Q4 2019) >>
NEW 31 Aug: Millennium Hotels and Resorts have partnered with Wildlife Reserves
Singapore to create personalised guest packages, including “Millennium Wild
Experience with the Orangutans”. Guests will have a chance to go behind-the-
scenes with the animal care team. For those serving Stay-Home notices, guests can
enjoy “Hello from the Wild Side”, an initiative that allows quarantined guests to
interact virtually with the animals >>
NEW 31 Aug: TruTrip, a startup based in Singapore focusing on business travel, is

capitalising on COVID-19 by providing more tools such as Covid Entry Check for
SMEs >>
28 Aug: dnata has laid off employees in Singapore, declining to announce the
number or compensation of the workers. It stated that it will have a “stronger
Singaporean core” than before, moving from 63% of its workers being Singaporean
to 73% after the cuts >>
27 Aug: 85 employees of Suntec Singapore Convention and Exhibition Centre,

almost half of its workforce, will be retrenched >>
27 Aug: Hotels in Singapore are partnering with local tour operators to create
innovative staycation packages which include tours as an extension to the hotel
stay >>

23 Aug: Chinatown Complex Hawkers’ Association is organising virtual and

physical tours of complex, under a campaign Hawker Day Out. They hope to
rejuvenate the stalls and the complex in general, bringing back business >>
22 Aug: From 1 Sep, there will be further easing of restrictions, including exercise
classes allowed to take place at more open spaces, and the 1m safe distancing
requirement will be waived on public transport and in lifts. However, crowd
control for Lucky Plaza and Peninsula Plaza malls will be enhanced, with visitors
with an identity card which ends with an even number will only be allowed to visit
the mall on even dates on the weekend, and vice versa for odd numbers >>
21 Aug: Singapore Airlines and Changi Airport Group welcome the government’s
decision to ease entry restrictions from New Zealand and Brunei, as it “is an
important step towards the gradual rebuilding of the Singapore air hub.” >>
21 Aug: Singapore will allow small-scale live performances as trials to restart

events on a broader scale >>
21 Aug: Nam Ho Travel, a Singaporean travel agency, is launching virtual tours

with overseas presenters visiting “hidden gems”, whilst their online store, Buy
Beyond Borders, had a soft launch in Aug and will sell overseas trending snacks >>
20 Aug: Aviation companies have welcomed the government’s extended measures

for the industry, but note that they still need to carefully manage costs >>
19 Aug: Millennium Hotels and Resorts has made 159 employees redundant in
Singapore, around 15.2% of its workforce, following cost cutting measures, calling
it a “difficult but inevitable move” >>
18 Aug: 80% of SMEs surveyed by the Singapore Chinese Chamber of Commerce

and Industry have seen revenues decline, but only 8% have retrenched workers >>
18 Aug: The academic year dates for 2021 have been set, with term starting on 4
Jan, and finishing on 19 Nov >>
18 Aug: The Jobs Support Scheme has been extended by up to 7 months for
workers in the tourism, aerospace and aviation industries, with wages paid at 50%
from Sep to Mar 2021 >>
18 Aug: “Tourism credits” of up to $320 million SGD will be given to spend

domestically, called SingapoRediscovers vouchers. The mechanism for the
vouchers will be announced in Sep >>
17 Aug: $187 million SGD will be allocated to support the aviation industry further,
with extended financial relief for airlines, ground handlers, cargo agents, and other
aviation businesses at Changi and Selatar Airport. It includes landing, parking and

rental rebates. The government said that this funding “is critical to preserving our
relevance as a global hub” >>
17 Aug: The Consumers Association of Singapore has revealed that 1,133

complaints have been made against the travel industry between Feb to Jul,
significantly higher than the same period last year >>
16 Aug: Backpacker hostels are struggling to take advantage of the staycation

campaign, forming their own alliance to try to discuss their specific needs >>
16 Aug: The Singapore’s east coast should be promoted to domestic tourists, the
Deputy PM said in a live broadcast highlighting its hidden charms >>
16 Aug: More than 20 tourist souvenir shops have been closed permanently, with
many other shops under strain >>
15 Aug: Speakers will be able to be beamed “live” on stage at Marina Bay Sands,
thanks to a studio which allows holograms at the Sands Expo and Convention
Centre. The studio can accommodate up to 50 people to host hybrid format
meetings >>
14 Aug: Singapore Tourism Board (STB) has teamed up with Tripoto, with an
embedded microsite within the Tripoto website. This is aimed to keep top of mind
awareness for Indian travellers >>
11 Aug: Singapore revised down its economic growth projection to a range of -5 to

-7%, as GDP for G2 shrunk 13.2% YoY. This would be the worst economic
performance in Singapore’s history >>
11 Aug: Singapore must build a new economy, the Trade and Industry Minister has
said. She said that industries such as tourism should reinvent themselves, pivoting
into new markets and new products to survive >>
8 Aug: Attractions in Singapore who have reopened have had a mixed bag of
results with attracting domestic tourists so far, with Flight Experience
experiencing more customers than available slots, whilst Madame Tussauds and
the Trick Eye Museum were quieter >>
7 Aug: Genting Singapore have confirmed that there will be delays to its Resorts
World Sentosa expansion, and also foresees design changes >>
6 Aug: Genting Singapore have announced Q2 losses of $163.3 million SGD, the
worst since the resort opened. With China, Malaysia and Indonesia being a big
majority of RWS’ gamblers, the group is not optimistic for its H2 results. Marina
Bay Sands also had net losses of $113 million USD >>

6 Aug: The retrenchment of workers by Resorts World Sentosa mainly affected

foreigners, not Singaporeans, the Ministry of Manpower has announced >>
5 Aug: Singapore is one of the top destinations for Indian, Indonesia, Thailand,
Hong Kong and the Philippines for post-lockdown travel, a survey, “Unravel Travel:
Fear & Possibilities in a Post Coronavirus (COVID-19) World”, has found >>
3 Aug: Pratt & Whitney, an aircraft engine manufacturer, have made 400 staff
redundant at its 6 facilities in Singapore, as a “last resort” >>
3 Aug: Universal Studios Singapore will implement facial recognition scanners to

help smooth access for guests, as annual and season ticket holders would no
longer need physical passes >>
31 Jul: Singapore had just 2,170 tourist arrivals in June 2020, down -99.86% YoY >>
31 Jul: Weekend crowds have started to return to Jewel Changi Airport, but
business is still far from pre-pandemic levels. However, the number of visitors has
tripled during Phase 2 vs Phase 1. It is also working to develop promotions
including 55% off tickets in Aug >>
30 Jun: Trip.com recorded over 12,000 Singapore hotel rooms booked in its live
streams in Singapore and China, with a value of $2.72 million USD >>
30 Jul: Analysts believe that the Jobs Support Scheme (JSS) should be extended
beyond Aug, with a targeted approach, as stopping the scheme now could result in
mass lay-offs >>
30 Jul: Unemployment levels grew to 2.9% in Jun, the highest rate in 10 years, with
total employment falling by 121,800 in Q2, the biggest drop on record. The
Manpower Minister does not think that the jobs situation has bottomed out, and
may see further falls >>
29 Jul: The MICE sector in Singapore believes government help is invaluable for
recovery and new investment into developing technologies, as well as bridging
loans >>
28 Jul: The STB’s Singapore Food Festival will take place over the last 2 weekends
of Aug, with online masterclasses, virtual food tours and food ordering from
participating merchants >>
28 Jul: Tours run by tour operators and tourist guides can take up to 50 people or
the vehicle’s maximum operating capacity after safety SOPs are implemented. All
tours will need to ensure that there are no more than 5 people in a group, as for
walking, cycling and kayaking tours >>

27 Jul: Local walking, cycling and kayaking tours will now be permitted to run with
10 pax – but as 5 is the limit for public gatherings, these groups must be split into
2 with no intermingling. Tours may now last up to 8 hours >>
24 Jul: Singapore travel agents have diversified their products to selling items such
as bird’s nest drinks, or even offering virtual tours. The President of the National
Association of Travel Agents Singapore (NATAS) has welcomed the new STB
campaign, many agents see limited potential from tours as they must have a
maximum of 5 people and only last 2 hours. Meanwhile, outbound travel agents
do not believe that they will be able to pivot to domestic tourism >>
23 Jul: Singapore will continue to develop Sentosa, Pulau Brani and the Jurong
Lake District tourism hub in the medium-to-long-term, and remains committed to
maintaining Singapore as a competitive destination, the Singapore Tourism Board
(STB) has said >>
23 Jul: The Great Singapore Sale will be online this year and will run from 9 Sep –
10 Oct, as part of the STB’s SingapoRediscovers campaign. The event organisers
originally had said that it would not take place this year, but made a U-turn after”
popular demand” from retailers >>
23 Jul: Marina Bay Sands has reported a Q2 loss of $113 million USD, a marked
difference from its Q2 2019 profit of $346 million USD. They also project that the
expansion project will have delayed timings. It has started to accept limited hotel
bookings in Tower 1, whilst Towers 2 & 3 are for guests under stay-home notices
(self-isolation) >>
22 Jul: The STB has launched a $33 million USD domestic travel campaign, the
largest it has ever run under “SingapoRediscovers”. They will partner with
Enterprise Singapore and the Sentosa Development Board, as well as tourism
associations, community groups and e-commerce platforms to develop unique and
value-for-money experiences and packages for local travellers. It will use 3
approaches:
1. Partner with local communities to discover off-the-beaten-track activities

2. Curate precinct activities to develop authentic experiences for
“Singapolidays”
3. Collaborate with tourism players to develop quality experiences and
promotions >>
22 Jul: The STB “do not expect domestic consumption to fill the hole left by the
diminution of international travel.” The Trade & Industry Minister has also said
that tourism will become “a quality and not a quantity game.” >>

22 Jul: More than half of the hotel rooms in Singapore are being used as isolation
and quarantine facilities, so the reopening of hotels for staycations has to be
balanced against the state needs >>
22 Jul: STB is trialling a new hybrid model of business functions, with 2 events in
the next 2 months. These will involve both face-to-face and virtual interactions.
They are working on a framework to reopen the MICE sector, which sees event
organisers meeting 5 key outcomes:
• Infection control measures for each stage of the journey of an attendee

• Limits on crowd density
• Limits on close contact between individuals
• Safe and clean environment
• Preparation in place for COVID-19 related emergencies >>
21 Jul: The Singapore Flyer will reopen on 23 Jul, with up to 54% off for
Singaporean residents during Aug. Safety measures are in place such as limiting
the number of pax to 7 per capsule, and being disinfected prior to the next group’s
arrival >>
21 Jul: 80 hotels have been approved for staycations as of 21 Jul, with approval in
place to benefit from the upcoming long weekends in Jul/ Aug. The Singapore
Hotel Association has said that hotels offering staycation packages have seen
“significant demand”, but “The revenue will not be comparable to the buoyant
results before Covid-19.” >>
21 Jul: The FTE APEX Asia Expo, scheduled for 8-9 Dec in Singapore, has been
rescheduled to 3-4 Feb 2021 and will be hybrid event with online and in-person
participation >>
20 Jul: Trip.com has held its first English-language livestream sale session in
Singapore to encourage staycations as part of its Travel On campaign. Major hotel
chains took part, including the Shangri-La Hotel Singapore and M Social Singapore
>>
18 Jul: Raffles Hotel will cut its employees by around 15%, but at this stage, no
Singaporean or permanent residents are affected >>
17 Jul: Singapore’s Q1 tourism receipts have dropped 39% to $4 billion SGD, with
shopping expenditure showing the sharpest drop at 52% down YoY. Hotel
occupancy dropped to 58.6% >>
17 Jul: Analysts say that Marina Bay Sands (MBS) will eventually have to make cuts
to staffing, and that its extension project costing $4.5 billion SGD may have to be
postponed or modified >>

17 Jul: The triple ITB Asia, the MICE Show Asia and Travel Tech Asia shows,
scheduled for October 2020, has been converted into online events >>
16 Jul: Some Singaporean hotels are fully booked for upcoming weekends, whilst
others have occupancy rates of 80%. 35 hotels as of 15 Jul have been approved to
reopen so far. Hotels are offering staycation packages, with F&B promotions >>
15 Jul: Singapore’s Resorts World Sentosa are reported to make cuts of 2,000
employees >>
15 Jul: The Singapore Tourism Board (STB) has launched a #TravelThrowback

campaign on social media, aimed at promoting not just Singapore’s beauty, but
that of SE Asia, too. Other NTOs will be welcomed to the campaign across the
region >>
15 Jul: Skyscanner will be reducing its presence in Singapore after decisions to cut
20% of its global workforce >>
14 Jul: Singapore entered recession in Q2, with GDP dropping 41.2% from the
previous 3 months >>
13 Jul: The Singapore Tourism Board is focusing on reviving tourism with 3

approaches:
1. Driving domestic spend

2. Developing a targeted approach for international markets
3. Supporting tourism stakeholders to adapt to COVID-safe conditions >>
12 Jul: The cost of living is one of the top concerns for Singaporean voters >>
11 Jul: The incumbent party, PAP, won the Singapore General Election on 10 Jul,
although with less of the popular vote than they hoped for at 61.24%, and the
opposition party winning a record 10 seats >>
9 Jul: IATA has warned that 175,900 jobs could be lost in the Singaporean aviation
7 Jul: The CEO of Accor SA’s APAC unit has expressed doubt over staycations
sustaining Singaporean hotels, saying “Unless we have a return to international
business, the hotel industry is going to be decimated as up to 90% of our bookings
come from international travelers.” >>
7 Jul: A survey has shown that 1 in 4 Singaporeans have lost their jobs, and 17%
faced pay cuts. Those in the hospitality industry were harder hit than others, with 1
in 4 having salary reductions of over 30% >>

26 May: The Singaporean government has launched its Fortitude Budget, worth
$33 billion SGD. Measures it will take include:
• Extending the duration of wage subsidies until Aug 2020, including MICE
and tourism businesses at 75%
• May include further support for aviation and tourism longer-term
• Rental waivers for SMEs who have significant income loss
• One-off $100 SGD credit for every Singapoean household to cover utilities
• $2 billion SGD in cash grants to SMEs to offset rental costs
• Creation of 100,000 job opportunities in public and private sectors
• Financial support for startups >>
24 Apr: The STB has unveiled further information about how they plan to support
the local travel industry. Steps include:
• $20 million SGD Marketing Partnership Programme

• Phase 1 was launched for hotels in Apr 2020, funding half of
qualified marketing costs
• Phase 2 will increase to funding for 70% of marketing costs for
hotels, attractions, inbound travel agents and MICE
• $2 million SGD SG Stories Content Fund for local and international digital
video content creators to create stories about Singapore
• Tourism Transformation Index to help tourism businesses go digital
• Launch of ThreeHouse, an innovation space for companies to collaborate
• STB Marketing College – joint scheme with UOB, Facebook, Google and
LinkedIn to develop online training
• Minimum financial requirement for travel agents to be reduced by 90%
until 31 Dec >>
06 Apr: A Solidarity Budget has been announced to support all businesses during
lockdown, including:
• Increasing wage subsidies for all sectors to 75%

• Deferring contractual obligations such as paying rent
• Payout of $600 SGD to every Singaporean adult >>
26 Mar: Singapore released its Resilience Package, with many measures supporting
the tourism industry, including:
• Job support scheme for tourism businesses which will subsidise up to 75%
of salary up to $4,600SGD/ month
• $90 million SGD budget for recovery marketing when the time is right
• Property tax rebates and rental waivers
• Enhanced training industry Professionals in Tourism grants extended
• Rebates on certain fees for private bus operators

• $350 million SGD fund for airlines to fund rebates on landing and parking
charges; rental relief for airlines, ground handlers and cargo agents
• CAAS allow Singapore carriers and airport operator to defer payment of
certain fees by up to one year, as well as 50% rebate on regulatory fees >>
18 Feb: The Singaporean government have released economic measures to support

the tourism industry, including:
1. $4 billion SGD package

2. Bridging loan programmes for businesses in tourism
3. Rental rebates for shops/ cargo agents at Changi
4. 15% property tax rebate for commercial properties in retail and food
sectors
5. Licence fees for hotels, travel agents and tour guides waived by STB >>

https://www.pearanderson.com/coronavirus/singapore/
OUTBOUND
NEW 5 Sep: Air Charter Service was seen 3 times more charter flights in and out of
Singapore compared to the same period last year >>
NEW 4 Sep: Scoot will not pay its cabin crew a basic salary if they earn more than
$2,500 SGD/ month in temporary jobs. For those who do not, they will have half of
their basic salary paid >>
NEW 3 Sep: Singapore Airlines has now reduced the requirement needed to maintain or
reach its loyalty scheme statuses for PPS Club and Krisflyer customers >>
NEW 2 Sep: Singapore Airlines Group and Jetstar Asia will be increasing the number of
destinations. Jetstar Asia will restart flights to Cambodia on 18 Sep, as well as
implement a new safety programme where passengers will receive a sanitising
wipe and have sequenced boarding of flights >>
NEW 2 Sep: By the end of Nov, the Singapore Airlines group will have reached 11% of
its January 2020 capacity >>
NEW 31 Aug: Singapore Airlines is planning to reopen its Singapore – New York JFK
route from 1 Nov, according to the latest GDS filing >>
28 Aug: One of Singapore Airlines’ 787 Dreamliners has been affected by a

grounding by Boeing after it discovered issues in the jet’s structure >>
28 Aug: Scoot will add Tokyo and Osaka to its routes from Singapore in Sep >>

NEW 27 Aug: Changi Airport launched its first online shopping campaign until 11 Oct,
with deals on 9,000 tax and duty-absorbed products, as well as live streams from
celebrities and social media stars >>
27 Aug: Reviving Singapore’s status as an air hub is a “top and immediate priority”
according to the Ministry of Transport. They are also taking advantage of the
downtime to review Terminal 5’s layout, to make it more resilient >>
25 Aug: Scoot has apologised after sending out a mass email to customers who
have travelled with Scoot or have future bookings, regardless of whether they
were the specific passengers who needed to take a COVID-19 test before a flight
to Guangzhou. They put this down to human error, rather than a data leak >>
21 Aug: Scoot is extending its passenger network to 15 cities, including 3 cities in

Indonesia – Palembang, Pekanbaru and Yogyakarta, bringing its Sep totals to 38
flights weekly >>
20 Aug: Singapore Airlines has spent $3.2 billion USD over the last 2 months,
almost half of the amount it raised through rights issues in Jun >>
17 Aug: Singapore Airlines had a load factor of 22.5% in Jul, the highest level in 4
months, but still total pax numbers were -98.6% YoY >>
13 Aug: Singapore Airlines and SilkAir are offering early retirement or early release
to its cabin crew to cut costs >>
10 Aug: 6,000 Singapore Airlines group staff have taken unpaid leave, with 1,700
staff signed up to take on voluntary positions and jobs in external organisations.
8,000 staff have also taken skills training >>
7 Aug: Singapore Airlines will reopen its flight to Perth, flying 3 times/ week >>
4 Aug: Travel agency Nam Ho are planning to roll out virtual tours to destinations
– they will also move into e-commerce, logistics and warehousing >>
4 Aug: Singapore Airlines will restart three services/week between Singapore and
Taipei from Sep >>

3 Aug: AirAsia is planning to restart flights between Malaysia and Singapore in the
week of 17 Aug, with daily flights between Kuala Lumpur and Singapore, and one
weekly flight between Penang, Kota Kinabalu, Kuching, Ipoh and Singapore.
Guests will soon be able to upload their COVID-19 test results into the AirAsia
mobile app and website during check in >>
3 Aug: Tourism New Zealand have launched a new campaign, “Messages from New
Zealand”, which is aimed at the Singaporean outbound market. It features
celebrities and ordinary New Zealanders sharing messages of hope to stay top of
mind. Tourism New Zealand continue to provide training programmes to the travel
trade >>
3 Aug: Singapore Airlines/ Silkair customers can now transit from Milan via Changi
Airport to any destination in the SIA group network >>
31 Jul: Maintaining Singapore as a competitive air hub is critical for the Ministry of
Transport and will be prioritised. The Minister said that Singapore’s seaport and
Changi Airport "oxygenate and vitalise various parts of the body and... add vitality
and competitiveness to all sectors of Singapore" >>
31 Jul: Singapore Airlines will be cutting basic salary by 10% for all those below
the rank of manager, whilst those above that rank will see deeper paycuts. The
airline will also offer early retirement schemes for ground staff and pilots for those
aged 50 and above. Staff must also brace themselves for more measures. Shares of
the group dropped by 5.1%, the lowest rate for 21 years >>
31 Jul: Singapore Airlines is delaying the launch of its new first and business class
for its Boeing 777-9, which now may launch only in the mid-2020s >>
31 Jul: Airbus have made some of its Singapore workers redundant, whilst aircraft
maintenance company Eagle Services Asia also let go 140 workers >>
30 Jul: Malaysia and Singapore have agreed to start building a 4km light-rail
connection between the 2 countries in 2021, estimated to cost around $2.4 billion
USD - 61% of the costs will be borne by Singapore. It will be able to take an
estimated 10,000 pax/ hour each way. It is expected to open in 2026 >>
29 Jul: Thai AirAsia announced plans to resume routes in Aug from Bangkok Don
Mueang Airport to Phnom Penh, Singapore and Yangon >>
29 Jul: Singapore Airlines and Silkair have updated their Aug/ Sep schedule, which
will reach 7% of pre-pandemic levels, up from Jul’s 6% >>
29 Jul: Singapore Airlines has reported a Q2 loss of $816.73 million USD >>
27 Jul: Singapore Airlines’ Singapore – London Heathrow route will be increased to

daily from 1 Aug >>

23 Jul: Singapore Airlines has raised $750 million SGD from long term loans, taking
its total of raised liquidity to $11 billion SGD since the start of the financial year in
Apr. They still have an option to raise up to $6.2 billion SGD in mandatory
convertible bonds, which can be activated until Jul 2021 >>
23 Jul: Scoot will reopen flights to Nanjing from 23 Jul, and Seoul and Kuala
Lumpur next month, making a total of 11 destinations. Bookings made from 22 Jun
– 30 Sep will also benefit from a one-time free date change >>
22 Jul: The Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS) will work together with the
European Union Aviation Safety Agency (Easa) to create common standards of safe
air travel and facilitate air travel between the 2. The CAAS will also team with
Changi General Hospital to create a civil aviation medical examination centre at
Changi Airport, which will allow aviation licence holders access to medical
services >>
21 Jul: Changi Airport has revealed that June’s pax movements were just 48,200, a
decrease of 99.2% YoY, but this number has been slightly boosted by the opening
of the China – Singapore green lane, as well as transit passengers >>
17 Jul: Singapore Airlines saw an average load factor of just 12.2% in June, with
passenger carriage down 99.3% YoY. This is an improvement from May’s 8.6%. In
its report, it said that “the recovery trajectory will be slower than initially
projected” >>
16 Jul: The Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore has said that it will freeze fee
increases for the financial year until 31 Mar 2021, which will save aviation
companies around $200,000 SGD in total >>
14 Jul: Singapore Airlines will now offer transit routes from all European cities,
with Barcelona, Paris and Zurich added to the list. They have also restarted flights
to Paris from 15 Jul >>
13 Jul: Singaporean outbound travel agents are still seeing enquiries from
customers about overseas trips. Dynasty Travel have stated that they are receiving
enquiries for Thailand, Japan and China, whist top destinations for EU Asia
Holidays include Taiwan, Japan and South Korea. AirAsia stated that it has seen a
47% growth in searches to Kuala Lumpur and Penang from Singapore since the
start of the circuit breaker >>
9 Jul: Sats, the ground handler and caterer, posted a loss of $6.3 million SGD in the
first 3 months of the year >>

https://www.pearanderson.com/coronavirus/singapore/

THAILAND
Could lose up to 1.78 trillion THB in lost tourism revenue
TRAVEL Certain non-Thai passengers allowed entry, including: medical tourists, filming
RESTRICTIONS
crews, Thailand Elite card members, foreigners who have work permits, foreigners
married to Thai nationals and foreigners studying at educational institutions (TAT).
LOCKDOWN All businesses reopened, including hotels, exhibition centres. Interprovincial travel
STATUS
allowed. Schools fully opened, limits on shopping mall operation hours lifted.
Pubs, bars and karaoke have to close by 12am.
Consumer sentiment Thailand tourism arrivals

% change YoY
2.50%
JAN-20 FEB-20 MAR-20 APR-20 MAY-20 JUN-20
-42.80%
-76.10%
-100%
-100%
-100%
Source: YouGOV Source: Ministry of Tourism & Sports Thailand 1, 2, 3
Flight searches and booking volume for travel to Thailand


travel to Thailand departures YoY


BORDERS
NEW 6 Sep: The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) has said that the launch of the
“Phuket model” will be likely delayed due to the detection of a new locally
transmitted case. The TAT are visiting Phuket business operators this weekend to
discuss disease control measures. They also stated that domestic tourism during
the last 4-day weekend only had hotel occupancy levels of 30%, and spend of 8.8
billion THB >>
NEW 4 Sep: The Thai PM has insisted that foreign tourists are not welcomed to Thailand
yet, and people should not panic, as public health is prioritised >>
NEW 3 Sep: There would be 4 phases to the Phuket model reopening, according to the
Provincial Governor:
1. “Phuket longstay” for foreigners who would stay on the island for at least 3
months
2. “Safety tourism” where Phuket would open to foreigners from safe
countries who would be allowed out twice from their 14-day quarantine

3. Tourists allowed from moderate risk countries, but would still require a 14-
day quarantine
4. Post-vaccine: arrivals tested at the airport and if they are negative, can
travel freely >>
NEW 3 Sep: A Thai minister has suggested that foreigners visiting Thailand for MICE
could be allowed to skip the 14-day quarantine, whilst the Thailand Convention
and Exhibition Bureau (TCEB) is also proposing a Special Journey scheme for
business people to enter without quarantine, too, if they followed certain protocols
>>
NEW 3 Sep: Foreigners arriving into Thailand must have insurance worth 3.2 million
THB to cover medical treatment and repatriation, with plans sold online via 16
domestic travel insurance companies >>
NEW 2 Sep: China will gradually resume direct flights from Beijing to Thailand >>
30 Aug: The Phuket Tourism Association disagrees with the “Phuket model”, and
wants only a small number of foreigners to be allowed in who have been screened
and tested. Some locals are also concerned that VIP tourists may not follow the
rules, and that the scheme will not benefit them, only certain hotels >>
28 Aug: A government spokesperson on 28 Aug said that the “Phuket model” will
not be implemented across the country nor in the near future, with many factors
yet to be considered >>
28 Aug: Government ministers will survey local Thais and businesses for the
opinion on reopening Phuket to foreigner tourists >>
28 Aug: The Centre for COVID-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) will recommend
that long-term residents and foreigners with permanent residences in Thailand be
allowed to return, as they have high purchasing power >>
27 Aug: Thai Airways have announced that they will launch charter flights to
Phuket from Denmark, Germany, UK, South Korea, Japan, Hong Kong and China in
late Nov, with 2 flights per month, as part of the government’s policy >>
27 Aug: Singapore and Thailand have agreed to speed up discussion on a

reciprocal green lane for essential business travel >>
27 Aug: Thailand will allow more foreign medical tourists to enter the country
from Sep, with 100 additional health facilities allowed to accept patients, bringing
it to a total of 220. Hospitals have urged for processes to move faster, saying that
patients have died whilst waiting for urgent medical treatment >>
26 Aug: The PM has said that Thailand needs to open to limited foreign tourists as
“the country needs oxygen to breathe for survival.” He reassured the public that

they would not open the whole country to unrestricted arrivals, and stringent
measures would be in place >>
25 Aug: Hong Kong has restarted discussions with Thailand over travel bubbles >>
22 Aug: The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) has said that they have to risk
reopening borders for the upcoming high season: "There is a risk in the new
tourism model, but if we don't open there is a bigger risk for the economy," said
TAT governor Yuthasak Supasorn. If the Phuket model is successful, then Thailand
could reopen further to the long-stay market. The trial period will be on chartered
flights only, with tourists obliged to register beforehand. They will target either
Asian or European guests from 6-hour flight origins, or those nations who allow
outbound travel >>
21 Aug: The PM has allowed in principle for inbound tourists to Phuket from 1 Oct
under limited conditions as part of the “Safe and Sealed” plan. A 2-week
quarantine would be required, before foreign tourists can travel freely within
Phuket – if they want to travel outside the province, they will need to stay another
7 days. Different hotels sharing the same beach within 1km can group together
under a sealed zone, but hotel staff must also stay in the sealed area – if they
want to leave it, they must have a test and undergo a 14-day quarantine. A visit in
early Sep is planned to assess sea transport links, to ensure that tourists will not
be able to use this method to break quarantine >>

16 Aug: The Tourism Association of Koh Samui will meet the Centre for COVID-19
Situation Administration to see how guidelines could be created to allow foreign
tourists to visit Koh Samui. Tourists would need to be quarantined for 14 days, and
travel to Thailand on Thai Airways >>
15 Aug: The Phuket Tourist Association (PTA) is pushing for the island to open to
long-stay tourists from Nov, under a “4T” model (target, testing, tracing &
treatment). They propose to start with chartered flights, and tourists would need to
take COVID tests prior to departure. Once they arrive, they will be tracked >>
15 Aug: There was an increase in the number of applicants for the Thailand Elite
Visa scheme, but the approval for the card holders to enter Thailand is apparently
only on principle currently, and has not yet been implemented. When it is
implemented, there would be quotas and conditions >>

14 Aug: The Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand (CAAV) has announced that there
is no finite schedule of when international commercial flights will be allowed into
Thailand >>
12 Aug: An organisational quarantine would apply the same regulations as state

quarantines. The organisations would arrange their own quarantine venues and
partner hospitals, and would pay at their own cost >>
11 Aug: The Ministry of Tourism will propose opening 5 islands to foreign tourists,
including Phuket, Phi Phi, Koh Samui, Pha Ngan and the Tao islands, as these
areas could be easily controlled >>
9 Aug: Thailand has been placed on the USA’s “low-risk” for COVID list >>
7 Aug: Thailand is unlikely to open its borders to leisure tourists in 2020, says a
deputy governor of the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT). He has said that the
government is taking a “very, very cautious” approach to reopening. Plans are still
being mooted about safe bubbles for leisure travel, with visitors spending a
minimum of 30 days in Thailand, however, the government wants to see the
impact of allowing additional foreigners into Thailand first >>
6 Aug: “Safe and Sealed” could be a new approach for travel bubbles, tourism
operators are proposing. They suggest that inbound tourists could arrive from a
city which is COVID-free for at least 30 days, and who would travel under ‘sealed’
conditions, meaning they would stay in designated hotels and provinces. They
would also require a test and insurance. The Association of Thai Travel Agents say
that this could generate 500,000 tourists to Thailand and 50 billion THB >>
5 Aug: The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said on 5 Aug that they are not currently
planning to allow more categories of foreigners to enter Thailand >>
5 Aug: The possibility of foreign business travellers who run major businesses to
enter Thailand is being considered, although it would be under strict conditions.
Japan has also begun to allow some groups of Thais entry to Japan from 29 Jul >>
4 Aug: Authorities have rushed to remind consumers that the Elite Card is not an
automatic permission to return to Thailand, despite media reports >>
1 Aug: Phase 6 has now begun, and four groups of foreign visitors will be allowed
entry, including foreign business representatives, film crews, medical tourists and
Thailand Elite card members. These must stay in quarantine facilities on arrival >>
30 Jul: Travel bubbles for tourists are anticipated to start in Oct, according to the
Tourism Ministry, after watching to see if any problems occur after allowing more
select international tourists in from 1 Aug >>

28 Jul: The Minister of Tourism has reassured Thais that all foreigners entering the
country will need to serve a 14-day quarantine for the “foreseeable future” >>
26 Jul: Clarification has been issued on requirements for foreigners to enter the
country. They must get an entry visa from a Thai embassy or consulate, which will
be considered on a case-by-case basis. They must have health insurance cover of
$100,000 USD and have a booking at an alternative state quarantine. On arrival,
they will need to show a COVID-19 test with a negative result. They will also need
to undergo another test on arrival at the airport, and then be transferred to the
state quarantine. For those on short trips, including filmmakers or business people
taking part in trade fairs, they will need to stick to itineraries but will not have to
undergo a 14-day quarantine >>
25 Jul: Taiwan will extend its visa-free privilege to tourists from Thailand, Brunei,
Philippines and Russia until 31 Jul 2021, although foreign nationals are still not
allowed entry for leisure purposes >>
25 Jul: The UK has added Thailand to its list of countries exempt from advice
23 Jul: Thailand’s Tourism Minister is mooting the idea of travel bubbles be created
with safe cities and provinces, rather than entire countries, and that domestic
tourism is not sufficient. He believes that high-end travellers on leisure trips to
Phuket, Krabi and Koh Samui could happen as early as Sep >>
23 Jul: Phase 6 of reopening in Thailand will allow additional categories of

foreigners to enter Thailand, including migrant workers from Cambodia, Laos and
Myanmar, Elite Visa holders, medical tourists, film crew, convention exhibitors and
selected business visitors. A date has not been set yet, but interested groups are
being encouraged to contact the Thai embassy. Arrivals will have to undergo a 14-
day quarantine >>
23 Jul: Foreigners in Thailand have had their visa amnesty extended until 26 Sep,
after worry that the government would force them to leave >>
23 Jul: Thailand may extend the international commercial flight ban again
according to a reliable source >>
22 Jul: The Association of Private School for Non-Formal Education is asking the
government for visa restrictions for foreign teachers and students to be relaxed >>
22 Jul: More than 300 Chinese medical tourists wait to be allowed to enter
Thailand, despite high costs to enter the country, the majority of whom will seek
IVF treatment. Around 1,200 of 34 nationalities have applied so far, with 1,500
family members who will accompany the patient. Bangkok Dusit Medical Services
has partnered with China’s Ping An Insurance Group, in a move which could see

4,000 Chinese medical tourists entering the country and generating 2 billion THB
in revenue if travel is permitted in Q4 >>
21 Jul: Thai citizens returning to the country have been asked to book themselves
into alternative state quarantine facilities and pay for them themselves, should
they be able to afford to do so >>
19 Jul: 94.51% of Thais believe that foreigners should be barred from entering
Thailand to prevent a 2nd wave. The poll took place on 14-18 Jul, and 52.23% of
respondents say they are very worried about hearing about the 2 cases of the
Egyptian officer and Sudanese diplomat’s daughter who were COVID-positive
entering Thailand >>
17 Jul: South Korea is looking to form travel bubbles with Taiwan, Vietnam and
Thailand >>
16 Jul: Medical tourism will still go ahead, with the first group of tourists expected
in 2 weeks’ time. The first batch will have patients arriving from Myanmar, Laos,
Vietnam, China, U.A.E., Oman, Kuwait, Qatar and Saudi Arabia. Patients must also
meet strict criteria >>
16 Jul: The Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand (CAAT) has banned all flights which
have COVID-19 positive pax to transit via Thailand. This comes after China has
temporarily banned Thai AirAsia X and Thai Lion Air for carrying passengers with
COVID-19 into China >>
16 Jul: Thailand has been added to the list of “green countries” by Jordan, so Thai
travellers would not need to undergo quarantine so long as they have a COVID-19
test 72 hours prior to departure >>
15 Jul: The Tourism Minister has confirmed that 3 pilot destinations for the travel
bubble in Thailand include Phuket, Krabi (Phi Phi island) and Surat Thani (Koh
Samui) provinces. Tourists would need to take a test before departing for Thailand
as well as upon arrival. They would not be subject to 14-day quarantine but would
be restricted to certain areas >>
14 Jul: The Aranyaprathey checkpoint between Thailand and Cambodia is allowed

to reopen for the transportation of goods >>
14 Jul: Following a COVID-19 positive Egyptian aircrew who visited Rayong, and
the daughter of a Sudanese diplomat who also tested positive after self-
quarantining at her family’s residence, the Thai government has suspended the
arrival of privileged foreigners and business travellers under special arrangements,
as well as foreign diplomats and their families >>

14 Jul: The Tourism Ministry envisages that a travel bubble scheme from Sep – Dec
could generate 200 billion THB. “We have to open some parts of the country to
mitigate the impact from the virus and revive the economy," he said. 8 Thai
provinces have said that they are ready to reopen to international leisure
travellers, including Bangkok, Chon Buri, Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai and Songkhla.
Koh Chang and Koh Samet could also be included. They also plan a travel scheme
between Hat Yai and 3 states in Malaysia who have not had locally transmitted
cases for 70 days: Penang, Perlis and Kedah. These low-risk states in Malaysia may
be allowed to travel by land via Songkhla and Satun >>
14 Jul: The Minor Group has called for Thailand to reopen its borders, saying “We
really need a travel bubble in place to welcome international travelers” >>

12 Jul: A survey on 6-8 Jul has revealed that 41.4% strongly disagree about
reopening Thailand to medical and wellness tourism. However, 54.4% agreed with
the travel bubble program allowing visitors from COVID-free countries to visit >>
8 Jul: Travel bubble plans are likely to be delayed after potential partners have
seen a resurgence of COVID-19, the Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand has said.
They have called on airlines to wait for clear policies before preparing to resume
international flights in Sep >>
6 Jul: The Thai PM has expressed concern at resuming international travel under
travel bubbles, saying that arrivals screening must be thorough >>
INBOUND
NEW 5 Sep: Phang-Nga Province has re-imposed strict health measures, stating that
anyone entering the province from areas considered COVID-19 outbreak zones will
need to undergo a 14-day home quarantine. Residents will need to face masks
when outdoors at all times >>
NEW 6 Sep: Pattaya seems to have benefited from the long weekend in Thailand, with
some hotels at 100% occupancy and busy beaches >>
NEW 6 Sep: The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) stated that domestic tourism
during the last 4-day weekend only had hotel occupancy levels of 30%, and spend
of 8.8 billion THB >>
NEW 5 Sep: The health authorities have still not been able to trace the origins of the
latest locally transmitted case >>

NEW 5 Sep: Foreign tourists who are stranded in Thailand face a visa amnesty by 26
Sep, but have been given reprieve by additional concessions in case they are
unable to return to their home countries due to sickness or a lack of flights >>
NEW 5 Sep: The owners of businesses on Pattaya’s Walking Street have warned of a
“total collapse” of the tourism industry if foreign tourists are not allowed to enter
Thailand >>
NEW 5 Sep: TAT has partnered with Alipay and Fliggy to launch a tourism campaign
encouraging Chinese expats living in Thailand to travel domestically. These expats
would receive exclusive deals when booking via Fliggy and rewarded with 1,739
THB worth of coupons to redeem >>
NEW 5 Sep: A new app called “Treasure Trip” has been launched to explore cultural
highlights of Bangkok >>
NEW 5 Sep: The ban on food and drinks on domestic flights has been lifted by the Civil
Aviation Authority of Thailand (CAAT), but pax are still required to wear masks on
board >>
NEW 4 Sep: 60 flights are arriving daily into Phuket with 7,000 domestic tourists at the
moment, with increasing numbers on the weekends. About 60 hotels have applied
to be quarantine hotels, but only 6 have made the cut so far >>
NEW 4 Sep: Civil servants and state employees will be given an additional 2 days of
leave, if they apply for the We Travel Together package on a normal weekday >>
NEW 4 Sep: TCEB has launched a convention fair to stimulate the economy, developing
a system to guarantee hygienic MICE events, as well as give “MICE City” health
certificates to Pattaya, Bangkok, Khon Kaen, Chiang Mai, Nakhon Ratchasima,
Phuket and Songkhla >>
NEW 4 Sep: Bumrungrad International Hospital will partner with real estate developers
to create luxury wellness centres in Samut Prakan, an area which is easily reached
from Bangkok >>
NEW 4 Sep: Thailand will close its national parks for several months each year to allow
for regeneration >>
NEW 4 Sep: An inmate has tested positive for COVID-19, the first locally transmitted
case in 100 days. The man had not had any recent overseas travel history, and had
worked as a DJ up until recently >>
NEW 4 Sep: The TAT has pledged to end dual pricing for expats, to allow expats to save
money and boost the economy. They are mooting an identity card to verify their
expat status. They estimate 2 million expats are from Asia, with 150,000 from
China >>

NEW 3 Sep: Tourists have cancelled their plans to visit the Thong Pha Phum border
district over the long weekend after fears that local students had contracted
COVID-19 from Myanmar illegal migrants and schools were shut. Surat Thani was
also expecting 27,000 visitors and 124 million THB in revenue over the break >>
NEW 3 Sep: The Phuket Tourist Association (PTA) has said that Phuket tourism
businesses have lost $5.72 million USD in H1 2020 >>
NEW 3 Sep: More economic stimulus measures have been approved, with a 50% subsidy
for products purchased from street vendors and retailers of 3,000 THB per person.
Food coupons used for travel between Mon-Thu worth 900 THB and on Fri-Sun
worth 600 THB have also been approved. Graduates will also have 50% of their
salaries covered by the government, at a maximum of 7,500 THB/ month from 1
Oct to 30 Sep 2021 >>
NEW 3 Sep: The Tourism Council of Thailand has proposed that loan requirement
restrictions should be eased, as 90% of tourism operators have had trouble
servicing debt, and the bad repayment records then make it impossible to access
government soft loans >>
NEW 3 Sep: Airbnb has partnered with the Ministry of Interior’s Community
Development Department to showcase local communities in a “Beyond Big Cities”
initiative run by the company and as an Airbnb Online Experience >>
NEW 2 Sep: Nok Airlines have had losses of 3,751 million THB during H1. Flight
movements reduced by 44.26% YoY >>
NEW 2 Sep: Thai Airways have launched a restaurant fitted with plane seats, an airstair
entrance and mini airplane models. Visitors also get a special boarding pass
entrance ticket at the Thai Airways HQ >>
NEW 2 Sep: Bangkok’s Don Mueang Airport expects to see 13.6 million pax this year,
short if its earlier 15 million target. Previously, it served 41 million pax >>
NEW 2 Sep: Muay Thai fights will be allowed to be held in any venue across Thailand,
not just organised fights at standard stadiums >>
NEW 2 Sep: Only around 10,000 people per day are using the tourism stimulus scheme,
far below the initial target >>
NEW 1 Sep: Employers’ contributions to the Social Security Fund will be reduced from
5% to 2% from Sep to Nov, adding 24 billion THB to circulation with the easing >>
NEW 1 Sep: The Economic Intelligence Center of Siam Commercial Bank has stated that
whilst the domestic sector is improving, business is far from pre-pandemic levels,
and that it would remain sluggish >>

NEW 1 Sep: Electric passenger boats are being planned to help ease traffic congestion in
Bangkok, as well as a cruise for tourists along the Chao Phraya river >>
NEW 1 Sep: The Bank of Thailand has warned that the tourism industry will face greater
risks next year if foreign tourists are still restricted. The Tourism Ministry has
downgraded their forecast for 2020 tourism arrivals to 6.7 million, down from 8
million. That 1.3 million difference alone will cost a 0.5% decline in Thailand’s
GDP >>
NEW 1 Sep: Expats will be given a 500 THB discount for domestic travel in Thailand,
with a budget of 2 million THB in total, to be registered for at the Expat Travel
Deal 2020 fair in Bangkok >>
NEW 1 Sep: The recently appointed Finance Minister has resigned after just one month
in office, a move that worries the TCT who now thinks that there may be no help
coming for soft loans for tourism operators >>
NEW 31 Aug: A 32km motorway connecting Thailand’s East Economic Corridor will
increase access to tourism destinations such as Chon Buri, enable cross-border
trips to Cambodia, and better access from Suvarnabhumi Airport to U-tapao >>
NEW 31 Aug: Chiang Mai tourism officials have asked for help to promote tourism
packages and allow the Minister of the Interior to allow local administrative
organisations to hold field trips and inter-provincial travel >>
NEW 31 Aug: Thailand’s economy improved in Jul, with private consumption growing
from Jun by 2.7%. However, the Bank of Thailand says that their forecast for a
8.1% economic contraction could be “optimistic” this year >>
NEW 31 Aug: The project to connect Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport, Don Mueang and
U-Tapao airport by rail has been delayed, with the budget not approved >>
30 Aug: The Ministry of Tourism has predicted that the Pattaya economy will
become more sustainable without foreign tourists, with more domestic flights to
the region and Bangkok residents choosing to buy second homes in Pattaya with
falling property prices >>
29 Aug: Thonburi Healthcare Group, which runs hospitals and retirement homes,
has had queries from European retirement communities that could add up to
50,000 older people who would want to stay in Thailand over the winter as part of
the Phuket scheme – but it is unclear whether the government would allow so
many foreigners into the country >>
29 Aug: Pattaya is joining the Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau (TCEB)
to promote Pattaya as its First MICE City. Their new push will focus on their
facilities as well as the new normal measures it follows >>

29 Aug: The TAT is launching a “White Vest” program, where after intensive
training on safety and customer service, recipients will be awarded with a white
vest and certified ID badge. It will target individual tourism businesses and
workers, such as vendors, beach chair renters and parking attendants >>
29 Aug: TAT will organise an “Expat Travel Deal 2020” event for expatriate
residents to enjoy promotions on domestic travel from 11-13 Sep >>
28 Aug: The PM has agreed to give 24 billion THB in soft loans to Thai airlines,
which will be available from Oct and keep the airlines afloat for another year. This
was after a meeting with Thai AirAsia, Thai AirAsia X, Thai Smile, Thai Lion Air,
Thai Viet Jet, Bangkok Airways and Nok Air. The government asked them to
maintain staff and have also confirmed that the waivers and reductions of
surcharges and aviation fees has been extended until Mar 2022 >>
28 Aug: The Tourism Council of Thailand has said that 4 million people were
already unemployed, and the number of formal and informal workers could
balloon to 10-14 million if the policy of keeping the borders shut continues.
However, doctors disagree with opening the borders, as the debate continues over
whether to reopen >>
28 Aug: Thailand expects the economy will grow by 4-5% next year, and that the
economy had already hit rock bottom >>
28 Aug: The TAT has said that high-value tourists with good health will be the
priority, and they aim to use the pandemic as an opportunity to pursue tourism in a
safe and more sustainable way. PK Exhibition, the organiser of the Thai Tiew Thai
tourism fair has said that just 10% of exhibition operators will survive, with 50% of
around 10,000 operators already leaving the business >>
28 Aug: A former tourism minister has called for more financial help for tourism
operators, by alleviating their debt burden for 3 years >>
27 Aug: The Thai Hotel Association’s southern chapter has said that since the
Phuket Model has been introduced vaguely, hotels have seen cancellations from
domestic tourists from Oct, as they are concerned about their safety. They say that
the main issue is lack of coordination with the private sector’s proposals >>
26 Aug: The Ministry of Health has warned the general public to be cautious whilst
travelling over the upcoming long 4-7 Sep weekend >>
26 Aug: The PM has issued a warning to student protesters that they were causing
deep divisions within the country, after nearly daily rallies calling for his
resignation and the reformation of the monarchy >>

26 Aug: Floods in the northern provinces has dampened the outlook for Sukhothai,
as more than 30% of domestic travellers have cancelled their trips. Operators feel
that the domestic stimulus scheme has not benefited 2nd tier provinces, and want
special privileges to boost visitors >>
26 Aug: Thai AirAsia believes that the industry will see more consolidation, whilst
Dusit International suggested that hoteliers look for collaborations beyond the
industry >>
26 Aug: TCEB will add two new MICE cities, Nakhon Ratchasima and Songkhla at
its Thailand MICE United event on 2 Sep, giving them greater access to support >>
25 Aug: Thailand’s Jan-Jul arrivals have fallen 70% YoY, at just 6.69 million, and
spending down 70.4% to 332 billion THB >>
25 Aug: Hotels are continuing to implement cost cutting strategies, with the
Centel, Minor International and Erawan groups reporting that they have had
stringent financial measures, including reducing payroll >>
25 Aug: Rayong tour operators are asking the government to extend the domestic
stimulus until year-end to stimulate its weak domestic demand. The president of
the Tourism Association of Koh Samet also said that the government should
provide more soft loans for operators. Weekday demand in Rayong and Ko Samet
is weak compared to the weekend >>
25 Aug: 72 of Thailand’s prisons could become tourist attractions, with a pilot

developing the scheme already ongoing at 5 prisons. Activities would include
“chefs behind bars”, amongst others, and would provide opportunities for the
inmates once they leave prison >>
24 Aug: The Thai Hotel Association backs the new “safe and sealed” Phuket plan,
saying that “no matter what the restrictions will be, we have to start somewhere.”
>>
23 Aug: A survey has shown that Thailand is a dream destination for golfers from
India, with a key influencing factor being the country’s proximity >>
23 Aug: The Association of Domestic Travel and the Thai Travel Agents Association
are urging the government to provide assistance to small tourism operators with
soft loans >>
23 Aug: Betong airport in Yala province is being actively developed by the

government, and is slated to open by YE. The provincial government believes that
it will increase the number of visitors from 600,000 to 1 million a year >>
23 Aug: Pattaya businesses must realign themselves to Thai tourists’ tastes if they
want to survive, especially as there is more supply than demand >>

22 Aug: A new plan will see the TAT focusing on group domestic tours in Bangkok,
Chiang Mai, Chonburi and Phuket >>
22 Aug: The new cabinet will meet in Rayong in late Aug, where they will also
meet tourism-related operators >>
21 Aug: The emergency decree, due to expire on 31 Aug, has been extended until
30 Sep >>
21 Aug: Airports of Thailand is being encouraged to add four more local airports to
its portfolio by YE, including Udon Thani, Khon Kaen, Buri Ram and Krabi >>
21 Aug: SMEs are being supported to supply parts for aircraft maintenance, and the
Thai Aviation Industries Co (TAI) say that soon parts from SMEs would form about
30% of the whole aircraft that they maintain >>
21 Aug: The TAT will partner with Mastercard and rewards app UTU for the
Amazing Thailand Grand Sale, expected to create 100 million THB in revenue for
local businesses >>
21 Aug: There has been an increase in endangered hawksbill and green turtle nests
on Koh Samui in 2020, possibly due to the lack of tourists >>
21 Aug: Business sentiment grew in Jul, up to 31.8 from Jun’s 31.5, due to the
easing of lockdown restrictions. However, the majority of businesses still think that
the overall future is not bright >>
20 Aug: The new National Economic and Social Development Council announced
subsidies for local tourists, and plan to make jobs for 400,000 new graduates. They
will extend their 40% subsidy from five to 10 nights, as only 660,000 of 5 million
nights have been booked already. Air ticket subsidies will also be extended to
2,000 THB, and corporate companies will also be able to register to use them as
incentives for employees or other business purposes >>
20 Aug: The Thai tourism subsidies will not be extended beyond 31 Oct, with
ministers saying that they want to speed up tourism expenditure during low
season. The Thai Hotels Association northern chapter president says that even
with corporate companies now allowed to redeem, it will be impossible use up the
5 million room nights in 2.5 months. She said only hotels within 300km of
Bangkok will benefit from the campaign, and urged the government to extend it
until Mar 2021. The Tourism Council of Thailand agreed with the ending of the
campaign by 31 Oct, saying it should help tour operators during low season >>
19 Aug: 2 women tested for new COVID infections after completing a 14-day
quarantine after returning from overseas >>

20 Aug: SMEs want the government to extend its debt moratorium for another 6
months, according to a poll >>
19 Aug: SiteMinder has shown that for all bookings for Thai hotels in the last 2
weeks, 38% are for stays in Aug, and 35% for Sep, whilst less than 30% are for
2021, showing that Thais are becoming more last-minute in planning trips >>
19 Aug: The Thai Hotels Association has asked that expats be included under the
tourism stimulus plan, as they are playing tax. They also asked Krungthai Bank to
share the data from the room booking under the We Travel Together campaign, to
allow more effective tourism stimulus for each destination >>
19 Aug: Airbnb is lobbying the Thai government for clearer regulations to allow
short-term rentals. It has also provided $5,000 USD grants to its superhosts. In a
recent study, the company say that they contributed 43.7 billion THB to Thailand’s
GDP in terms of their gross tourism spending >>
18 Aug: Even if Thais spend all of their 2019 outbound spend in Thailand, it would
still be three quarters short of its inbound spend, according to OCBC Bank, with
the relative value of outbound tourism vs inbound spend, with outbound at $14.3
billion USD, and inbound at $06.5 million USD inbound >>
18 Aug: 114 billion THB in soft loans and credit guarantees has been earmarked for
SMEs. Of this, 9.6 billion THB in extra cash credits will be allocated for SMEs in
tourism, with a maximum of 3 million THB in cash credit at an interest rate of 3%
for the first 2 years >>
18 Aug: The TAT is coming up with a new tourism campaign for the 4-7 Sep long
weekend >>
17 Aug: Deputy Phuket Governor is planning more activities in the province under
the “Thai Thiew Thai” (Thais Travel Thailand) campaign, for health visitors to visit
Phuket, as well as an event called Phuket Tastival Seafood & Gastronomy, which
will have 6 installments and include local producers, restaurants and hotels with
outdoor seating on the beach >>
17 Aug: Phuket tourism drivers are petitioning Toyota to delay repayments for at
least 3 months, but hopefully up to one year, as they have no income >>
17 Aug: Protests on 17 Aug grew to around 20,000-25,000, the largest gathering

since 2014 and Thailand’s military coup >>
17 Aug: The Tourism Council of Thailand (TCT) worries that the political protests
may dampen domestic travel appetite, and hopes that the government can come
to a peaceful compromise >>

17 Aug: 8,000 people queued for 300 jobs for the opening of the Asawin Grand
Convention Hotel at the start of 2021 >>
17 Aug: Thailand has suffered its biggest GDP fall, with a contraction of 12.2% YoY
in Q2 >>
16 Aug: Thailand’s labour minister has said that there are 2-3 million unemployed
people in Thailand, less than half of the forecast 7-8 million >>
16 Aug: Pattaya is planning a 160 million THB facelift to improve the city’s
beaches to attract local tourists. The renovations will begin in Oct and are
expected to be completed by year end >>
15 Aug: The TAT expects tourism revenue in Sep to grow by 20% YoY due to the
replacement Songkran holidays. The TAT also plans to organise a tourism fair in
Aug to stimulate bookings >>
15 Aug: The TAT has launched social media pages targeted at Bangladeshi
outbound travellers >>
15 Aug: Ecotourism attractions across Thailand are being promoted by the Tourism
Authority of Thailand (TAT), with 300 bloggers and KOLs’ help, under the “Missing
Nature” discount campaign with Traveloka. They hope this campaign will attract
20,000 tourists and boost income by 70 million THB >>
15 Aug: The Tourism Council of Thailand (TCT) has warned tourism stakeholders to
“accept there's no chance for operators to grab the international market this year
and there are doubts about next year as well.". They predict that arrivals could fall
below 7 million, and that lay-offs will continue to grow, with workers not receiving
compensation from the Social Security Fund (SSF), and companies not wanting to
risk reopening with low demand. The Labour Minister has rejected the tourism
sector’s proposal that the SSF suspension is extended beyond 90 days >>
15 Aug: Thailand is the first destination for travellers from Hong Kong, Singapore,
Philippines, Indonesia and India when borders reopen, according to the survey
“Fear & Possibilities in a Post Coronavirus World”. The survey also found 82% of
Thais confident that Thailand is well-prepared to reopen tourism, yet 90% don’t
want tourists to return until a vaccine or cure for COVID-19 is found >>
15 Aug: According to the mayor of Patong, Phuket, 80-90% of Patong’s economy

depends on foreign tourism spend, and only 20-30% of local hotels, entertainment
places and restaurants have reopened >>
14 Aug: The Thailand PM has announced that the priority for Thailand is boosting
the economy, urging unity and staying “above politics” >>

14 Aug: Thai AirAsia announced its H1 pax numbers to be just 4.8 million, down
58% YoY, with a net loss of 1.81 billion THB. Meanwhile, Thai Lion Air’s H1 pax
numbers fell to 2.3 million, nearly 60% down YoY. Thai Lion Air said it was
unlikely to reopen international flights in the next 3 months, but that routes in SE
Asian were likely to be the first considered >>
14 Aug: AIS, Thailand’s largest mobile operator, and U-Tapao airport near Pattaya
have partnered to turn it into a smart airport, with 5G tech deployment and digital
solutions >>
13 Aug: Sep 4 and Sep 7 have been approved as replacement Songkran holidays,
creating a 4 day weekend >>
13 Aug: Thailand was ranked the safest destination in the world to visit during the
pandemic by Germany-based startup Tourlane >>
13 Aug: The economic situation administration centre will be created to work in

the same way as the Centre for COVID-19 Situation Administration (CCSA). It will
focus on rehabilitating the economy, with 22 committees made up of government
and private sector representatives >>
12 Aug: Student protests continue to grow in Bangkok, with students calling for
government changes and monarchy reform, an extremely sensitive topic in
Thailand. The protests on 10 Aug were one of the largest since 2014 >>
12 Aug: Further COVID-19 restrictions have been lifted from 13 Aug, including
schools allowed to teach as normal, public transport can operate at normal
capacity and outdoor or indoor sporting events can increase numbers of
spectators, but must still limit them to control the crowds >>
12 Aug: Airports of Thailand made a loss of $94.1 million USD in its fiscal Q3
ending Jun, with revenue from sales and services dropping 91% YoY >>
12 Aug: Thai Air Asia will begin its services at Suvarnabhumi Airport from 25 Sep,
with 4 routes to Chiang Mai, Phuket, Krabi and Surat Thani >>
11 Aug: A luxury cruise company has launched its new ship, Loy River Song, on the
Chao Phraya River, which will sail from Bangkok to Ayutthaya, with itineraries
ranging from 2D1N to 4D3N >>
11 Aug: A tourist boat in Khanom district capsized in bad weather, causing one
tourist to drown and another man to be missing >>
11 Aug: Thai AirAsia has launched 2 new routes, from Chiang Mai to Hua Hin, and
Chiang Mai to Udon Thani, in an attempt to increase the number of direct flights
from Chiang Mai and avoid transiting via Bangkok. Thai Vietjet has also launched a
new route from Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport to Nakhom Si Thammarat >>

10 Aug: Thailand has amended its Narcotics Act to allow private medical operators
to grow and trade medical marijuana, in a move that could lead to a boost for the
medical, tourism and agriculture sectors >>
10 Aug: Consumer confidence has improved, but it is still at its lowest in 21 years
>>
10 Aug: The Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand have reported that over 249,000
flights, both domestic and international, have been cancelled over the summer,
but that June levels saw flights back up to 13,900. IATA forecast a revenue impact
of $8.4 billion USD for the Thai aviation market >>
9 Aug: The government has reassured the public that Alternative State Quarantine
Hotels are safe, with isolated air conditioning, restricted access to lifts and
dedicated zones for quarantined pax >>
• Half of Thais are ready to travel, below the global average

• Most popular destinations for next trips include Chiang Mai, Phuket and
Hua Hin
• 38% of Thais chose beach as their most popular destination type, followed
by nature at 36% >>
8 Aug: The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) forecasts under a worst-case

scenario that their foreign arrivals in 2021 would be just 15% of 2019’s, 6.1
million. In this worst-case scenario, revenue would fall to just $9.48 billion USD >>
8 Aug: The Asean+3 Macroeconomic Research Office has forecast that Thailand’s
economic growth could drop by 7.8% for 2020, due to its reliance on tourism >>
8 Aug: The Bangkok Midnight Marathon will now allow foreigners residing in
Thailand to take part in the event after an initial controversy where they had
barred them from entering >>
8 Aug: Thai people have only reserved 200,000 hotel rooms, but the PM has said
that this is not sufficient, and they want to raise the expected number of tourists
from 2 to 10 million this year >>
7 Aug: The Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau (TCEB) have launched a
new campaign, “Ease Up”, which offers financial grants, free airport transfers, free
sightseeing and free hotel rooms for event organisers. The campaign has been
allocated $500,000 USD, and it has partnered with 8 DMCs and 54 hotels across
the country >>
7 Aug: Thai airlines are getting ready to ask the PM for support with soft loans.
Airlines such as Thai Air Asia and Thai Lion Air agree that domestic routes cannot

sustain them in the long term. They will also seek relief measures in additional to
loans >>
7 Aug: Thailand is considering easing more lockdown measures, including the full
reopening of schools, full service on passenger buses, allowing spectators for
sports competitions, in-flight meals and allowing entertainment places to close at
2am >>
7 Aug: The Thai Hotel Association (THA) is against the government’s proposal to
allow unlicensed small hotels and lodges who pay taxes to join the “We Travel
Together” domestic tourism stimulus campaign. They also blamed the strict
conditions of prebooking and not being allowed to change their bookings for the
low pickup of bookings, with only 350,000 people registered out of the 5 million
eligibility >>
6 Aug: The TAT has shared that unemployment in the tourism sector could grow to
2.5 million. Its 2021 inbound tourism scenario would see Thailand earning just
675 billion THB, down 9% from 2020 which is likely to close at 742 billion THB
(75% down YoY). If Thailand can gain momentum, it could climb to 50% of
previous levels, 1.52 trillion THB, far from the original goal of 3.9 trillion THB. The
Thai Hotels Association has also said that the industry saw 30-40% of 1.5 million
jobs disappear in the last 6 months, and only 50% of hotels have reopened, so they
are seeking loan extensions from banks >>
6 Aug: The Ministry of Tourism plans to introduce travel packages aimed at expats
living in Thailand to boost domestic tourism, with pricing equal to that of locals.
The TAT expects a benefit of $320 million USD from the scheme. They will also
ask national parks and attractions to reduce the ticket prices for expats >>
6 Aug: 6 billion THB has been allocated for developing tourism communities, to
raise income for villages. The aim to develop 10,000 new tourism communities, as
well as upgrade existing ones. The TAT then plans to develop programmes to
promote them >>
6 Aug: Asia World Enterprise and CBS Travel Asia, 2 major inbound travel agents,
have been forced to close down >>
5 Aug: Nok Air has blamed some of its losses on MPs who receive free flights but
are no-shows, costing the carrier 3.5 million THB >>
5 Aug: Pattaya has lost more than 100 billion THB in tourism revenue so far in
2020, with 80% of its tourists unable to enter >>
5 Aug: 414 businesses in Bangkok have now been certified with the Amazing
Thailand SHA standard >>

5 Aug: Transport authorities have been asked to look at more international flights
to Hua Hin to boost the economy >>
4 Aug: Another long holiday could be coming in Sep or Oct as part of the
postponed Songkran festival, but the date has not yet been finalised >>
4 Aug: The Business Sentiment Index has seen an increase, with the hotels,
restaurant and transportation sub-indices improving significantly, but still below
the 50-threshold, showing that most business owners did not expect healthy
business conditions >>
3 Aug: The OR Thailand Grand Prix has been officially cancelled, after previously
being postponed >>
3 Aug: The TAT has said that if the country remains closed for the rest of the year,
the number of foreign arrivals could drop to just 7 million in 2020 >>
2 Aug: Cycling tours to promote the beauty of Rayong have been organised by the
Ministry of Tourism and the TAT >>
2 Aug: Krungthai Bank has forecast that the Thai economy will take 2-3 years to
recover >>
1 Aug: The emergency decree has been extended until 31 Aug >>
1 Aug: Former Deputy PM says Thailand will face 4 challenges, especially around
travel bubbles, which he doubts is worth it. Instead, he thinks that Thailand should
focus on high value tourists >>
31 Jul: Nok Air has filed for business rehabilitation with the Central Bankruptcy
Court, saying that the impact of COVID-19 has meant that it has paid out 100
million THB in customer refunds per month, estimating just 200 customers waiting
for refunds left. Despite filing, the CEO has said the airline does not intend to
downsize its fleet or workforce, and will add 2 new Boeing 737s by the YE >>
31 Jul: The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) aims to focus on 3 selling points:
safety, outstanding food and culture, and nature. They will also focus on FIT/
smaller group travel, short-haul domestic trips, and health tourism. They also
reassured that high-end visitors will not be the only target >>
31 Jul: Visa are teaming up with the TAT to launch digital payment locations in
Bangkok and 5 major tourist cities (Chiang Mai, Pattaya, Phuket, Samui and Hua
Hin), to drive cashless transactions >>
31 Jul: The Airports of Thailand (AOT) are planning to venture into other
businesses and find new revenue streams between 2021 – 2022 to make up for

the lack of international air pax revenue. Overall pax arrivals are expected to drop
to 38.81 million vs 2019’s 141 million >>
31 Jul: Inbound tour operators want a clearer picture about travel bubbles so that
they can make decisions about their business, with 80% of them saying they may
exit the market if none can be established this year. A practical solution between
the operators and the TUI group has been found for repayment, and many hotels
have received payment already >>
31 Jul: TAT will launch phase 2 of the “Pattaya Hot Deal” promotion from 5 Aug.
The programme allows visitors to purchase discount vouchers for Pattaya tourism
companies at up to 50% off >>
30 Jul: The TAT is launching a virtual event in collaboration with LINE Thailand
called “Amazing Thailand Tourism Department Store – Shop, Dine, Travel in
Thailand” from 30 Jul – 28 Aug. It will allow consumers to discover special tourism
product offers >>
30 Jul: Trat’s 3 islands saw a 328 million THB revenue over the long weekend, with
around 40,000 tourists in Trat between 25-28 Jul. Trat’s Office of Tourism saw an
increase of 5% vs the previous long weekend on 4-7 Jul thanks to the government
stimulus package >>
30 Jul: The “We Travel Together” campaign may be extended until the year end,
and travel bubbles for tourists are anticipated to start in Oct, according to the
Tourism Ministry >>
30 Jul: Thai Vietjet launched its inaugural flight from Bangkok Suvarnabhumi
Airport to Khon Kaen, and to celebrate had a surprise “concert in the sky” with Thai
singer Ying Lee performing >>
30 Jul: TAT held a virtual marketplace for North American agents >>
29 Jul: Thailand’s international arrivals for Jan – Jun are now down 66% YoY, with
0 arrivals in Jun. Tourist spend was down 65% YoY >>
29 Jul: Thailand was one of the most popular searched destinations in Jun for the
Chinese market, according to ForwardKeys >>
29 Jul: Airasia.com and Agoda are teaming up to support domestic tourism in

Thailand >>
29 Jul: Rayong has now been confirmed COVID-free, with 2 weeks of no new cases
of the virus and 6,900 residents who have had negative test results >>
29 Jul: The Thai Baht is expected to further strengthen against the USD >>

29 Jul: Chiang Mai saw tourism increase over the long weekend >>
28 Jul: Chiang Mai’s local Tourism Council of Thailand branch is concerned that
hotels and tour agencies in the province are still closed, as this time of the year is
traditionally low season. 80% of the 1,000 tour agencies in the province are
closed, whilst 20% are focusing on online channels. Chiang Mai has lost at least 30
billion THB in tourism revenue since Mar, but expects to receive 100 billion THB in
Q3 thanks to the government stimulus package >>
28 Jul: Surat Thani’s Koh Samui, Koh Phangan and Koh Tao attracted 200 million
THB in spend over the long weekend. Koh Samui received 17,000 tourists, the
majority from Bangkok >>
28 Jul: Traveloka, Indonesia’s travel unicorn OTA, has seen an “encouraging

recovery” in Thailand, which is approaching 50% of pre-pandemic levels >>
28 Jul: Phuket province has decided to diversify and focus on 6 new growth sectors
within tourism: marinas, education, health and wellness, seafood exports,
gastronomy and sports and events. It is also preparing 3 major events: the 5-week
Phuket Seafood and Gastronomy Festival, a surf competition and the Vegetarian
Festival >>
28 Jul: Hotels are being sold at lower prices according to Destination Capital. The
group still intends to focus on Bangkok, Pattaya, Hua Hin and Phuket >>
28 Jul: Pattaya benefited from the long weekend and saw the best business in
months. Hotel owners estimate 70% of their business came from Bangkok >>
28 Jul: Airports of Thailand (AOT) are looking at the feasibility of opening

secondary airports for Phuket and Chiang Mai >>
28 Jul: 10,000 people visited Chiang Khan, to see the new glass walkway in Loei,
despite the landmark not yet being officially open over the long weekend >>
27 Jul: Shareholders of Thai AirAsia have said that domestic consumption is the key
for tourism, and whilst people are wary of spending, tourism can’t recover to the
levels of before. They say that rival airlines should talk about how to cooperate to
reduce fierce competition, and want to seek soft loans from the new finance
minister >>
26 Jul: Hotels on the coast in the East and South have seen an increase in bookings
of 80-90% for the 4-day long weekend. Hotel booking rates are returning in
Rayong. Hotels on Koh Chang and Koh Kut are almost booked out this weekend >>
25 Jul: Leicester City Football Club and King Power will partner with the TAT to
support the country’s tourism recovery, under the campaign “Thailand Smiles With
You”. The campaign will be featured on the players’ football shirts >>

24 Jul: International film crews filming in Thailand are expected to generate 1.7
billion THB for the economy. They will be permitted to enter in Aug, and will be a
test run for leisure tourists. Other groups who will be permitted to enter, have also
generated interest including the Thailand Elite Card, with 200 members set to visit
the country. 600 exhibitors from Japan, China, South Korea, Hong Kong and
Singapore will also participate in Thaifex food exhibition, and their estimated
spending would be 300,000-400,000 THB per head over 20 days >>
24 Jul: TAT expect the long weekend from 25 – 28 Jul to generate 6.8 billion THB
in revenue for the tourism industry, with hotel occupancy increasing by 24%. The
majority of travellers are expected to go to nearby cities by car >>
23 Jul: The Bangsaen42 Chonburi Marathon will still go ahead in Nov, despite
borders reopening is unlikely >>
23 Jul: The TAT will hold the first Rural Tourism Awards, to boost awareness of
community-based tourism nationwide >>
23 Jul: The Phuket Tourism Association (PTA) has warned tourism businesses not to
inflate prices to benefit from the government subsidy scheme, and that hotels
should be upfront about fees. They are also hoping to hold a tourism fair to
promote Phuket from 30 Jul – 2 Aug >>
23 Jul: 14 5* hotels in Phuket have nominated themselves as alternative state

quarantine options, with 2 passing the criteria already. The Vegetarian Festival
which runs in Phuket from 17-25 Oct, will go ahead this year under new
conditions, including wearing face masks and without the usual extreme activities
such as fire-walking >>
23 Jul: Phuket will launch a 3 billion THB medical tourism plan, and combine the
province’s 2 strengths, medical services and tourism. They plan to establish 4
medical facilities and the first phase is expected to be complete by Sep 2021 >>
23 Jul: Expedia have released search data for Jun, showing that the top 5 cities
searched for by Thai travellers were Pattaya (12.8%), Bangkok (10.1%), Hua Hin
(9.6%), Chiang Mai (4.7%) and Phuket (4.6%) >>
22 Jul: The We Travel Together domestic tourism stimulus has increased the value
of its weekday accommodation vouchers from 600 to 900 THB, to encourage
weekday stays >>
22 Jul: The Tourism Department has said that 1,111 tour operators have
surrendered their travel licences in Jan-Jun, with the number peaking in June with
262 companies quitting the market. The Tourism Council of Thailand have warned
that more than 30% of tourism companies have exited the market and many more
will follow >>

21 Jul: The Bank of Thailand have forecast that it will take some years to return to
2019 foreign tourism arrivals. They foresee a growth in bad loans >>
21 Jul: Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi airport has now upgraded its COVID-19 testing
facilities to be able to return results within 70 minutes >>
20 Jul: A “Safety and Hygienic Road Trip” manual has been launched, aimed at FITs,
group tours and MICE travel. It offers tips for trips by car, van and tour bus >>
20 Jul: The Government Savings Bank (GSB) is preparing a new set of soft loans
worth 120 billion THB, aimed at tourism businesses who could not previously
secure loans through other programs. It is capped at 20 million THB per person
and a repayment period of 2 years >>
19 Jul: The Metropolitan Electricity Authority (MEA) and the Electric Vehicle
Association of Thailand (EVAT) have donated anti-COVID protective clear screens
to tuk tuk drivers to protect them from tourists in major tourism destinations >>
19 Jul: Bangkok residents must report if they visited the same Rayong hotel or
malls which the Egyptian captain visited, otherwise face a fine of 20,000 THB >>
19 Jul: 3.6 million hotel rooms have been booked under the Let’s Travel Together
domestic tourism stimulus campaign. The hotels which have been booked are
largely in the western and eastern regions, and stays of one night at seaside
locations or two nights in southern provinces have been popular >>
19 Jul: Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport from 1-15 Jul had 174,912 pax, a big
increase compared to previous months >>
19 Jul: A SiteMinder survey of Thai travellers has revealed that:
• 53% of respondents had had their income “somewhat” affected, 35% “a lot”
affected
• 42% see themselves taking their next personal domestic trip outside the
region in which they live in the next 3 months, 32% later in 2020
• 64% are planning their next domestic trip
• 52% see well-promoted health/ safety practices being the most important
factor to choose accommodation, with 21% choosing free cancellation/
booking changes
• 38% will be looking for big chains/ resorts
• 36% are most likely to book accommodation with an OTA, 35% direct with
the venue >>
18 Jul: One of the largest protests, possibly since 2014, took place on 18 Jul with
young protesters denouncing the current administration >>

18 Jul: A BBC Southeast Asia correspondent has said that the level of public fear in
Thailand had gone beyond anything he’d seen in other countries >>
18 Jul: Thai Vietjet, based from Suvarnabhumi airport, have warned Thai AirAsia
about potential operational costs of having 2 bases in Bangkok. They have also
announced that they have seen positive signs of recovery, with the first 10 days in
July carrying the same number of pax as June’s total. They are also trying to keep
all employees and flights >>
17 Jul: The government is planning more activities to help stimulate Rayong’s

tourism after the visit from a COVID-positive Egyptian officer. These include
holding government seminars and meetings in Rayong, sports competitions,
concerts and performances and encouraging filming in the province. These are to
be finalised by 20 Jul >>
17 Jul: The Tourism Ministry will use a second phase of domestic tourism stimulus
to drive pax to second tier destinations. It will look to make hotels, homestays and
lodges more accessible in less booked provinces, and will focus on weekday stays
too >>
17 Jul: Hotel bookings have collapsed in Rayong after the visit of a COVID-positive
Egyptian officer. Nearby provinces have also had their bookings affected, with
budget hotels on Koh Samet seeing cancellations, as well as hotels in Pattaya.
Several provinces have also announced the need for 14-day quarantines for
domestic travellers arriving from Bangkok and Rayong >>
16 Jul: Thai DMCs have joined together to create standards called the Thailand
Hygiene Plus Initiative (THPI), which includes some of those certified by Amazing
Thailand Safety and Health Administration (SHA) >>
15 Jul: Sojern have seen an increase in the number of couples and family bookings
for domestic hotels in Thailand >>
15 Jul: The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) has partnered with Agoda to help
customers to book and pay for their hotels under the domestic tourism stimulus
program >>
15 Jul: Thai AirAsia will add 2 new routes to Hua Hin, from Chiang Mai and Udon
Thani from 7 Aug >>
15 Jul: Thai Vietjet are giving away 500 THB in vouchers for any ticket travelling
from 18 Jul – 18 Dec and booked before 31 Jul, as part of the domestic tourism
stimulus program >>

15 Jul: 1.9 million people signed up for the “We travel together” domestic tourism
stimulus package on the first day of registration. The cap is at 5 million hotel
rooms >>
14 Jul: The 41st Bangkok International Motor Show opened to the public on 15 Jul
after being twice rescheduled. Crowds will be limited, and guests to each booth
will have to scan in and out >>
14 Jul: The Airports of Thailand have said that they are not likely to make a loss
this year, or very small losses as they had a good four months in their fiscal year
from Oct – Jan to tide them over >>
14 Jul: Thai AirAsia will start domestic flights from Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport
in Aug, with 3-4 planes deployed on high-demand routes including Chiang Mai,
Hat Yai, Phuket and Khon Kaen >>
14 Jul: Visitors to the malls where a COVID-positive Egyptian air force officer
visited have been asked to self-isolate for 14 days as a precaution >>
14 Jul: Tourism businesses in Rayong are worried about the negative effects of the
visit of the Egyptian airforce officer, as they had just started to see a pick up in
bookings. The hotel where the officer stayed has also been temporarily closed >>
13 Jul: The finance minister is planning 100 billion THB in soft loans to SMEs in
the tourism and services sector. The loans will have less stringent conditions than
those available under the central bank’s 500 billion THB scheme >>
12 Jul: One third of tourism businesses will run out of liquidity in Q3, the Tourism
Council of Thailand (TCT) has warned. The TCT has proposed 5 measures to the
government to assist the sector, including: speeding up opening the country to
tourists, discounting electricity bills, the Social Security Office extending
compensation to temporarily unemployed staff and reducing the employer’s
contribution to the Social Security Fund from 4% to 1% >>
12 Jul: TAT have launched its “Amazing Thailand Grand Sale 2020: Non Stop
Shopping” campaign, with up to 80% discounts and partnering with over 10,000
tourism businesses. Discounts run from 15 Jul – 15 Sep and the TAT expect to
generate 1.5 billion THB >>
11 Jul: Leisure tourists who would participate in travel bubbles would have to stay
at least 14 days in designated areas. Once they had a negative test for COVID-19
after 14 days, they would be free to visit anywhere in the country. An alternative
plan without quarantine could be to see tourists travelling within 5 designated
areas: Chiang Mai, Koh Samui, Krabi, Phuket and Pattaya. Plans are expected to be
finalised in Jul, with the hope that the scheme will still launch in Aug with low-risk
countries >>

11 Jul: A poll by the Ministry of Public Health has shown an increase in inter-
provincial travel increasing to 29.6% from May’s 14.2%, with the reasons for travel
being:
• 35.3% travelling for work

• 29.3% to visit family and friends
• 29.1% for essential purposes
• 29% to attend social events
• 17.2% to attend merit-making or religious ceremonies and just
• 12.3% for holiday >>
11 Jul: The government is looking to set up a post-COVID economic revival centre

to help SMEs and tourism-related businesses. It will also look at promoting
weekday tourist trips and secondary destinations >>
11 Jul: Thai AirAsia is exploring options to have two hubs in Bangkok, establishing
a base at Bangkok Suvarnabhumi airport as well as its current Don Mueang. The
airline is looking at every possible opportunity to increase revenue. Thai AirAsia X
is also planning to resume international routes after the Japan Civil Aviation
Bureau reportedly approved flights from Bangkok to Fukuoka in Sep >>
10 Jul: Tour operators are asking for government assistance to fill up weekday
occupancy by creating trips for elderly travellers or holding state agency meetings
>>
9 Jul: IATA has warned that 2,209,900 jobs could be lost in the Thai aviation sector
in its latest assessment. Passenger demand is expected to fall by 53%, with an
estimated loss of $8.46 billion USD >>
9 Jul: The “Amazing Thai Tay Competition 2020” has been launched by the Tourism
Authority of Thailand (TAT) with local partners to promote tourism. Aimed at
millennials, the 50 teams must create 10 different travel ideas by visiting little-
known locations in 5 regions around Thailand >>
8 Jul: The TAT announced that 1.42 million people travelled on the previous long
weekend, down from the usual 2 million that was seen before for 4-day weekends.
The University of the Thai Chamber of Commerce estimates around 5.3 billion THB
was spent over the long weekend, down 21% YoY >>
8 Jul: Palio Khao Yai, a Tuscany-style village, will close down >>
8 Jul: The University of the Thai Chamber of Commerce forecasts that the
government domestic travel stimulus package could generate domestic spending
of 30-50 billion THB in H2 >>

8 Jul: The TAT forecasts foreign arrivals to drop 80% to 8.2 million, with revenue
dropping to 396 billion THB. They anticipate that Thailand will have to wait until
December for an evident increase in international tourists, due to the difficulties in
negotiating travel bubbles. They anticipate 300,000 foreign arrivals in Q3, and 1.2
million in Q4. Specific market forecasts include:
• Southeast Asia: -79% arrivals (2.26 mil), -80% revenue (66.2 bil THB)
• Northeast Asia: -82.9% arrivals (2.86 mil), -83.4% revenue (128 bil THB)
• Europe: -67% arrivals (2.17 mil), -67.6% revenue (147 bil THB) >>
17 Jun: The domestic tourism stimulus packages worth 22.4 billion THB has been
approved, including:
1. 2.4 billion THB fund for 1.2 million health volunteers and hospital officials
which will subsidise 2,000 THB for a trip of at least 2D1N and must be
booked via tour firms, expected to help 13,000 tour firms
2. 18 billion THB fund for 5 million nights at hotel accommodation at 40% of
normal room rates (subsidy limited to 3,000 THB/ night up to 5 nights).
Other services, such as food, are capped at 600 THB/ room/ night, and
must be outside of the traveller’s home province
3. 2 billion THB fund to subsidise domestic flight fares, inter-provincial bus
fares and car rental fees for 2 million people. It will pay up to 40% of
expenses, limited to 1,000 THB/ tourist >>
31 May: Parliament approved a close to $60 billion USD stimulus package, some of
which will be used to boost purchasing power, healthcare readiness and aid to
farmers and informal workers >>
27 May: Parliament was urged to approve the biggest stimulus package yet, worth
$59.6 billion USD >>
12 May: A plan to spend $12.45 billion USD to create jobs and stimulate the
economy has been approved by Thailand’s cabinet >>
07 Apr: A 3rd phase of economic stimulus has been approved, valued at 1.9 trillion
THB, including cash handouts and economic recovery measures. The Bank of
Thailand will also allocate 500 billion THB in soft loans to SMEs, and allow
interest payments to be postponed for 6 months >>

https://www.pearanderson.com/coronavirus/thailand/

OUTBOUND
NEW 2 Sep: Emirates have restarted their flight from Dubai to Bangkok, but it caused
some controversy, with the Consulate-General in Bangkok initially seeming to
suggest that they had not got the relevant permissions to operate the route, only
to later confirm that the airline did have the permissions, but could only carry non-
Thai passengers >>
NEW 31 Aug: Thai travellers to Israel will no longer have to undergo a 14-day
quarantine upon arrival, as it is on their “green list” of countries >>
29 Aug: Tour operators have suggested selling COVID-19 vaccination outbound

tours for those who want to combine a vaccination with a holiday. The idea was
especially popular with elderly people who want to travel, but are worried about
the virus. They would prefer to get vaccinations in Europe, but it would depend on
the policies of both Thailand and the overseas country – the likeliest to start are
Thailand and Russia >>
29 Aug: Mismanagement and corruption was to blame for Thai Airways’ failure,
according to the deputy transport minister >>
28 Aug: Emirates will reopen its route from Dubai to Bangkok from 1 Sep with
daily flights >>
25 Aug: Thai Airways’ rehabilitation process will be decided by the courts on 14

Sep >>
21 Aug: A police-led investigation has found that some employees of Thai Airways
became “unusually rich” from a plane procurement deal between 2003 to 2004 >>
18 Aug: The Thai Airways rehabilitation plan hearing at the Central Bankruptcy
Court started, with criticisms questioning EY Corporate Advisory’s experience in
rehabilitating companies of this size >>
18 Aug: Thai AirAsia X has delayed its services from 1 Sep to Oct at the earliest >>
17 Aug: Thai AirAsia made a net loss of 1,210.6 million THB in Q2, with total
revenue for the quarter falling by 78%. They flew at just 8% of Q2 2019’s capacity
>>
15 Aug: Thai Airways’ unused air tickets will remain valid until the end of 2021, or
can become travel vouchers valid until the end of 2022, in an act to assure
customers >>
14 Aug: Thai Airways has posted a net loss for H1 of $900 million USD, in newly
released financial reports. The airline’s auditor did not choose to express an

opinion on the news due to ongoing material uncertainty, and trading in the
company’s shares was suspended on the Stock Exchange of Thailand on 14 Aug >>
12 Aug: Thai Airways will have to pay employee pensions worth 5.4 billion THB
over the next 13 years to more than 1,600 employees, but these funds have been
reserved in a bank account especially for this purpose >>
10 Aug: The Thai Travel Agents Association (TTAA) have postponed the Thai
International Travel Fair (TITF) to January. If the pandemic is still at large then, it
may postpone again to Aug 2021. The newly elected president does not foresee
outbound tours to return within 2 years, and said that his responsibility was to
help members switch to the domestic market >>
10 Aug: Thai Air Asia X had just pax of 309 during Q2, and its fleet remains in
hibernation >>
10 Aug: EVA Air will delay the reopening of its Taipei – Phuket service to 30 Mar
2021, from its previously scheduled 29 Sep >>
29 Jul: Thai AirAsia X plans to resume scheduled operations on 1 Sep from

Bangkok Don Mueang Airport to Fukuoka, Osaka Kansai, Seoul Incheon, Tokyo
Narita and Shanghai Pudong airports >>
28 Jul: Thai travellers had the citizens most confident of travelling in the new
normal, according to a new survey, Unravel Travel: Fear & Possibilities in a Post
Coronavirus (Covid-19) World >>
23 Jul: Siam Express (2002), a travel firm who specialises in outbound trips to
Japan, has decided to stop trading at end Jul. Its decision is unrelated to Siam
Express, the travel agency, who are still conducting business >>
22 Jul: 30% of outbound tour operators will have to permanently close down their
businesses, according to the Thai Travel Agents Association >>
20 Jul: Thai Airways is confident that it will gain support for its rehabilitation plan
>>
11 Jul: Thai Airways will not operate any international flights until at least 1 Sep
>>

https://www.pearanderson.com/coronavirus/thailand/

VIETNAM
$7 billion USD damage done so far to Vietnam’s tourism
industry; potential 80% drop in international visitors
TRAVEL All foreigners will not be permitted to enter Vietnam and all international flights
RESTRICTIONS
will be cancelled until further notice. Experts, business managers or highly skilled
workers can enter with relevant permissions. Domestic flights are permitted, but
flights to Danang are limited (IATA).
LOCKDOWN Businesses, including non-essential ones, reopened. Schools are opened. Face
STATUS
masks should be worn in public places. Localised lockdown underway in Danang,
and Hai Duong Province, with non-essential services closed. Hanoi, HCMC, Hoi An,
Khanh Hoa, Phu Yuen and Ninh Thuan have closed bars and clubs temporarily,
suspended all large gatherings of more than 30 pax.
Consumer sentiment Vietnam tourism arrivals

% change YoY
32.80%
-21.80%
-68.10%
Source: YouGOV
-94.80%
-98%
-98.90%
-98.90%
-99.30%
Source: Vietnam National Administration of Tourism

Flight searches and booking volume for travel to Vietnam

travel to Vietnam departures YoY


BORDERS
international flights to be reinstated to Guangzhou, Seoul, Tokyo, Taipei,
Cambodia and Laos on 15 Sep. All pax would be quarantined on arrival (at their
own cost), with around 5,000 expected to enter a week. Transit passengers would

not be allowed into the country. Pax would also need to provide a negative test
prior to departure, and be tested on arrival. The CAAV has also asked the Ministry
of Health to publish a place of real-time PCR labs, as travellers may also need tests
to be able to leave Vietnam >>
NEW 3 Sep: Japan and South Korea have agreed to the reopening of international flights
in terms of the destination, frequency and the protocols to be followed. The routes
include Seoul to Hanoi/ HCMC, and Tokyo to Hanoi/ HCMC. The flights would be
shared between Vietnamese and Korean/ Japanese airlines >>
NEW 3 Sep: Foreigners who enter Vietnam on a short business trip of less than 14 days
(foreign investors, experts, highly skilled workers, business managers and their
families) may not have to undergo 14 days of quarantine – but there will be
stringent procedures for them to follow. All expenses should be covered by the
host. For those foreigners entering to sign contracts or participate in meetings, the
venue should be close to the border gates to minimise contact. They would also
need to stay in their designated accommodation facility, and follow the scheduled
itinerary >>
27 Aug: The PM has asked ministries to accelerate the approval of visas for
investors and foreign experts to enter the country, and asked the Ministry of
Finance and Ministry of Health to devise a plan for COVID19 treatment fee
collection. He also proposed resuming international commercial flights to certain
countries >>

5 Aug: Vietnam still intends to reopen 6 international routes with one flight/ week.
Vietnam Airlines would be the only airline permitted to undertake these >>
31 Jul: The chairman of the Vietnam Tourism Advisory Board has said, “I think
we're looking at some time into next year before we can really see non-quarantine
travel from anywhere.” >>
30 Jul: South Korean business people returning from a trip to Vietnam of less than
14 days will be exempted from mandatory quarantine in Korea >>
28 Jul: Tighter controls on illegal immigrants and the borders will be imposed >>
23 Jul: Special permission has been granted for 4,000 Koreans to enter Vietnam
from 22 Jul, including business people and family members of Vietnam residents.
They will need to undertake a 2-week self-quarantine upon arrival >>

17 Jul: South Korea is looking to form travel bubbles with Taiwan, Vietnam and
Thailand >>
17 Jul: Additional routes which the Ministry of Transport has proposed include
Quang Ninh – Vientiane and Can Tho – Phnom Penh. These would be limited to
once per week and could resume in early Aug >>
12 Jul: Vietnam will permit international air routes to Guangzhou, Taipei, Seoul and
Tokyo from mid-July, with frequencies of 1 – 2 flights per week from mid-Jul.
Airports for departure and landing in Vietnam include Hanoi, HCMC and Danang.
The government will continue to propose other Asian routes, depending on
bilateral agreements. The passengers would be foreign experts, investors, business
managers, skilled workers and government/ diplomatic workers and would need to
undergo quarantine on arrival to Vietnam. The government is also preparing
quarantine for at least 10,000 people >>
7 Jul: Laos and Vietnam have committed to cooperate with each other, pledging to
open air routes at the earliest possible time >>
3 Jul: England has added Vietnam to its list of countries from which arrivals do not
have to self-isolate on arrival >>
INBOUND
NEW 6 Sep: Quang Nam has allowed the reopening of non-essential businesses and
gatherings of more than 20 pax are permitted. Travel companies can organise
tours and receive visitors from Danang City as well as other areas affected by the
2nd wave, However, certain restrictions such as wearing face masks in public are
still in place >>
NEW 6 Sep: The Danang vice-chairman has suggested restarting interprovincial

transportation links between Danang and the rest of Vietnam >>
NEW 6 Sep: Vietnamese tourism companies do not see much benefit for the start of
international flights to 6 Asian destinations, as they feel it is mainly for business
travellers rather than tourists >>
NEW 5 Sep: 950 hotels in Hanoi closed by the end of Aug, affecting 16,000 workers, the
Hanoi Department of Tourism revealed. It also noted that high-end hotels were
particularly affected, due to the large share international customers have. The
average occupancy rate from Jan-Aug was 10.6%, a decrease of 53.4% YoY >>
5 Sep: Vietnam still predicts a growth of 2-2.5% in 2020, with 6.7% predicted for
next year >>

NEW 5 Sep: Fees for takeoff, landing and aircraft operating services for domestic flights
will continue to be cut by 50% for the next 6 months, until Mar 2021 >>
NEW 5 Sep: A $51 million USD golf course will be built in Danang by VinaCapital >>
NEW 4 Sep: Danang will loosen its lockdown from 5 Sep. Now, eateries are allowed to
open for online services and public transport can carry 50% capacity. Events are
still limited to 20 pax in public places, and non-essential services remain
suspended >>
NEW 4 Sep: Foreign tourists will no longer need a travel permit to visit Phu Quy Island
in Binh Thuan Province, a process which previously could take up to 4 days. By
2030, the island expects to have 42,000 tourists, 6,000 of which would be
international >>
NEW 4 Sep: Vietjet has become the first private airline in Vietnam to set up its own
ground handling arm, starting its own ground-handling services at Hanoi on 4 Sep.
Through this move, the airline aims to be able to manage its operations and costs
more flexibly >>
NEW 3 Sep: HCMC has suggested financial assistance of $43 USD be given to more
employees who have lost their jobs due to COVID-19, including those at tourist
sites >>
NEW 3 Sep: Vietnam Airlines is planning to resume more domestic flights from 3 Sep,
including Hanoi - Chu Lai, Hanoi - Tuy Hoa, Hai Phong - Dien Bien, Vinh - Buon Ma
Thuot, Vinh - Da Lat, and Hue - Da Lat >>
NEW 2 Sep: Vietjet Aviation Joint Stock Company has posted its H1 consolidated
revenues, with a loss of $62 million USD, lower than expected >>
NEW 1 Sep: HCMC has seen over 327,000 people lose jobs across all sectors in H1, with
another 180,000 expected by year-end, the “worst-case scenario”. The municipal
government is urging the labor ministry to support companies with a $2.67 billion
USD support package, as well as calling for employees to be more understanding
of a lower salary. The city has also proposed its own support package to support
workers in industries heavily impacted, such as tourism >>
NEW 1 Sep: Bus tickets for the National Day holiday in HCMC have dropped by 55% vs
2019, with just 14,000 sold on 1 Sep. Since the Jul outbreak, the numbers of pax
through the Mien Dong Bus Station, the largest in Vietnam, has dropped by 21,000
each day >>
NEW 1 Sep: HCMC’s domestic travel stimulus program restarted on 31 Aug, with
discounted travel and attractions for the public holiday on National Day (2 Sep) >>

NEW 1 Sep: The biggest declines in tourism revenue from Jan – Aug were seen in Khanh
Hoa Province (-76.6%), HCMC (-72.1%) and Ba Ria-Vung Tau (-67.2%) >>
NEW 1 Sep: The PM has been asked not to approve the application for Canh Dieu (Kite
Air) to launch as a new airline. The Ministry of Transport wants it to be approved
only in 2022 >>
NEW 31 Aug: Many tourism workers have turned to setting up their own ecommerce
stores to generate income >>
NEW 31 Aug: Vietnam has increased the liability limitations for airlines from 15 Oct >>
30 Aug: Jan – Aug saw 3.8 million international visitors to Vietnam, a drop of
66.6% YoY. Aug saw 163,000 foreigners to Vietnam, increasing 16.9% vs Jul, but
down 98.9% YoY >>
30 Aug: The upgrade on one of the runways at HCMC’s airport is 41% complete and
should be complete by Nov, ahead of schedule. The recent decrease in air traffic
has allowed faster work on the taxiways >>
28 Aug: Vietjet Air is looking to raise $112.19 million USD through the issue of
domestic bonds in 2020. The airline had net losses of $3.18 million USD in H1, -
96% YoY >>
28 Aug: A new “Green Travel” section on the national tourism board website has
been launched, an initiative between the Vietnam National Administration of
Tourism (VNAT), the Vietnam Tourism Advisory Board (TAB) and the Swiss
Sustainable Tourism Programme (SSTP). It lists reputable businesses who follow
sustainable principles >>
28 Aug: Between 19 Jul – 18 Aug, Vietnam’s air carriers’ flights were down 45.7%
YoY, in a period which is usually high season, due to the demand being tempered
by the 2nd wave. Vietnam Airlines and Vietjet both saw a YoY drop of 48% in flights
operated. Bamboo Airlines was the only airline to have an increase of 21%, due to
it only starting operations in 2019. They also all saw a double digit decline in
flights vs the 19 Jun-18 Jul period, with 490 flights cancelled >>
28 Aug: Vietravel have said that tourists are booking short-distance trips for the
National Day holiday on 2 Sep, and that all of their group tours stopped after the
2nd wave. Luxury staycations are also another alternative for travellers >>
28 Aug: Quang Nam has ended social distancing on 28 Aug after no new cases for
9 days. However, festivals, religious events, sports and non-essential services like
clubs and bars remain closed. Hotels are allowed to open but all employees must
have protective suits issued to it >>

28 Aug: The new HCMC – Vung Tau ferry will be suspended until Oct, after being
rescheduled to launch on 2 Sep >>
27 Aug: The government is proposing a $798 million USD budget for support for
SMEs, where businesses can borrow up to 2 billion VND >>
26 Aug: The Danang outbreak has changed domestic tourism patterns once again,
with older travellers staying at home, and younger travellers choosing to limit
travel plans within a day’s drive of their home city, in case they need to suddenly
return home >>
26 Aug: Mui Ne has been recognised as a national tourist site, and is expected to
play an important role in the recovery of tourism in the south-central coastal
region, becoming a leading APAC destination by 2030. By 2025, they aim to
welcome 9 million tourists >>
26 Aug: CBRE Vietnam have predicted that the outlook for Vietnam’s tourism sector
is still positive, but that for 2020-2021 it is expected to be in defensive mode >>
26 Aug: The HCMC Department of Tourism has said that it is very difficult for
tourism businesses to be able to access aid under the government’s relief package,
and just 7 businesses have managed to get interest rates on their bank loans
reduced >>
24 Aug: Hanoi will provide free wifi at tourist attractions in four districts and one
town >>
24 Aug: HCMC’s municipal Department of Tourism has come up with 2 scenarios to

help revive tourism:
1. If the outbreak is contained by Sep, they will launch domestic promotions

to introduce new and safe products
2. If the outbreak lasts until the YE, they will focus on workforce restructuring
and training and product building >>
24 Aug: Quang Ninh has been implementing smart city technology and smart
tourism infrastructure, with an integrated tourism data portal. They are planning to
launch their smart tourism administration centre by the end of the year >>
24 Aug: Many tour guides are unable to access the government’s relief packages,
with complicated procedures >>
22 Aug: Hanoi’s walking streets have been closed from 21 Aug, to prevent crowds
gathering >>
20 Aug: Hanoi’s West Lake Temple has been closed after 4,000 people visited on
the first day of the seventh lunar month. Other stricter social distancing measures

have been implemented in Hanoi, including 1-metre apart seating at F&B

establishments, wearing of masks by staff at restaurants and cafes, citizens to stay
home unless necessary, and the wearing of face masks outdoors >>
20 Aug: HCMC’s tourism businesses should ensure that they are following the
health protocols, the Department of Tourism has reminded them >>
20 Aug: Developing Halong city’s night-time economy will be a priority for their
developmental goals, the municipal People’s Committee has said. One of the
central parts of this is to develop 12 pedestrian streets and squares to attract
tourists >>
20 Aug: The government has said that they have decreasing numbers of cases in
Danang and Quang Nam over the past few days, and that it is under control >>
20 Aug: Exploring Trang An Scenic Landscape Complex by kayak is now possible,

as part of the campaign “Vietnamese People Travel Within Vietnam.” >>
19 Aug: Abercrombie & Kent Vietnam are launching private tours aimed at
domestic corporate travellers, including team building and incentive tours for
groups of 10 pax onwards >>
18 Aug: The Asian Development Bank’s new report shows that youth
unemployment in Vietnam could reach 13.2% in 2020, a doubling of 2019’s 6.9%
rate if it takes 6 months to get the COVID-19 situation under control. A 3-month
containment could see youth unemployment rise to 10.8%. The hotels and
restaurants sector accounts for 13.6% of youth job losses >>
18 Aug: The Vietnam Aviation Business Association (VABA) has urged the
government to reopen international routes to safe countries. They also asked the
government for credit packages worth $1.07 billion USD, to extend the air service
fee reduction until the end of 2021, cut 70% of the environmental protection tax
on fuel and speed up the repair of runways at Hanoi and HCMC >>
18 Aug: Schools will reopen for the new academic year on 1 Sep, with a shorter
school holiday than usual >>
17 Aug: Vietnam Airlines has started its airline seat sale for Tet, with more than 2
million tickets available >>
16 Aug: Noi Bai International Airport in Hanoi has had its planning schemes
adjusted, with the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam (CAAV) projecting it to
handle 63 million pax per year by 2030, and 100 million by 2050. The new plans
include a 4th runway, as well as plans for a terminal 4 and 5 >>

15 Aug: The Ministry of Health has said that the Danang outbreak is expected to be
under control by the end of Aug. After another cluster was detected in Hai Duong
Province, 15 days of social distancing has also been imposed >>
15 Aug: Agro-tourism has been becoming more popular, with farmers being able to
earn additional revenue from tourism. Long Khanh City has seen more than 200
households take part in this model, with 100,000 visitors over the last 2 years, and
an estimated revenue of $2.5 million USD >>
14 Aug: Further guidelines have been published regarding the 30% corporate tax
cut – it would apply to companies who had a revenue of less than $8.62 million
USD in 2020 >>
14 Aug: Vietjet will offer 15kg free checked in baggage for bookings from 12 Aug –
24 Oct >>
14 Aug: The Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum will reopen to visitors from 15 Aug >>
14 Aug: Hue has approved a new 4,000 sqm night market to be set up as a tourist
destination, and will be open between 6pm – 5am every day >>
13 Aug: A new survey on changed Vietnamese travel habits has shown:
• Travellers plan to spend more days (10) and higher budget (15.4 million
VND) travelling domestically in 2020
• Travellers tend to go with less people, and book onto packaged tours as
they have great value
• Destinations closer to home, and avoiding air travel are prioritised >>
13 Aug: Quang Nam has extended its social distancing, with all public transport
and entertainment services banned >>
13 Aug: Vietnam Railways have reported that passengers cancelled bookings of up

to 25 billion VND in the first week of Aug >>
13 Aug: Vietjet Air have released 1.5 million air tickets for Tet, the Lunar New Year
>>
13 Aug: The PM has urged Phu Tho, a northern midland province, to develop its
tourism infrastructure and promote its local specialities through tourism >>
13 Aug: More festivals have been cancelled or postponed, including the Sapa Rose
and Wine Festival planned for 21-23 Aug and the Buon Ma Thuoc coffee festival
planned for 9-16 Mar 2021. HCMC’s annual Ao Dai festival may now be moved
online >>

13 Aug: Cruise ship owners in Halong Bay have asked to suspend operations, due
to financial constraints. 500 cruise ships in the area have serviced just 100-200
tourists per day. The ship owners have not been included in the government’s
financial support package >>
12 Aug: HCMC’s Department of Tourism has said that they need help from the
government with relief and credit packages for firms to survive. 70% of travel
companies had restarted operations in May, but now 35,000 bookings have been
cancelled, creating losses of $906,300 USD. 90% of travel agents have now
temporarily closed, with many staff on unpaid leave, and 90% of hotel staff have
been made redundant or put on unpaid leave. Only 10 tour guides have managed
to obtain financial support from the government, out of 5,864, with many tourism
businesses finding it extremely difficult to obtain funds from banks >>
12 Aug: Hanoi Redtours don’t see the domestic market rebounding until October,
and expect revenue to fall 70% vs 2019, with likely losses. Other companies such
as Saigontourist have seen 95% of customers cancel tours, 13,000 pax >>
12 Aug: The Ministry of Transport has ordered that flights to/ from Danang
continue to be suspended >>
11 Aug: Danang has extended social distancing indefinitely, with gatherings

limited to 2 people and household shopping to once every 3 days. Residents are
only permitted to leave the home for essential needs >>
11 Aug: Hanoi aims to have tested 75,000 people who visited Danang by 20 Aug >>
10 Aug: The Vietnam National Administration of Tourism is making plans to help

the market recovery, working with localities. They will also continue to support
tourism businesses who have encountered trouble in applying for government
incentives due to complicated processes. By the end of Aug, they expect the
cancellation rate to hit close to 90% in many destinations >>
10 Aug: Phu Quoc is urgently completing procedures to be able to be recognised as

a “city”, which will allow it to expand as a tourism destination. Its arrivals grew
from 300,000 in 2010 to 4 million in 2019 >>
10 Aug: Phu Quoc is investing more in agro-tourism products, aiming to create

more by 2025 >>
9 Aug: Bamboo Airways will lease 2 Embraer 195s for domestic flights for 6
months for routes to Con Dao >>
• 87% of Vietnamese are ready to travel

• Most popular destinations for next trips include Danang, Dalat and Nha
Trang
• 42% chose beach as their most popular destination type, followed by
nature at 37% >>
7 Aug: All public parks, playgrounds and entertainment centres have been closed
in HCMC >>
7 Aug: Hanoi will perform 50,000 COVID tests for returnees from Danang from 7
Aug >>
7 Aug: Tourists from Danang to HCMC will be taken into 14-day quarantine at
designated centres. 700 tourists are still stuck in Danang >>
7 Aug: Certain sports events will be cancelled due to the latest outbreak >>
6 Aug: The HCMC Tourism Association has called for customers to be

understanding after cancellation of their tours, and to accept a change of date
rather than a cash refund, as over 35,000 tours have been cancelled >>
6 Aug: Hanoi is now at a “very high” risk of virus transmission >>
6 Aug: A $9.3 billion USD housing and tourism development in the Can Gio
mangrove forest near HCMC has been approved, despite environmental concerns
from opposing groups >>
6 Aug: 21,000 Vietravel customers have cancelled tours or asked to change date,
with an estimated $3.8 million USD in damages from July. Late payments from
customers to travel agents has also become more common, with consumers
concerned about making final payments for tours. Prior to the resurgence, agents
such as Vietravel and Top Travel were operating domestic tours at full capacity >>
5 Aug: The Deputy PM has said that Danang City and Quang Nam province have
brought new outbreaks under control, but the number of new cases and deaths
will rise >>
5 Aug: The Thien Minh Group, a Vietnamese tourism player, had been expecting
tourism in Jul to reach 90% of pre-COVID levels, before the outbreak. They noted
that their domestic travel had started to perform even better than last year, due to
limited travel options for Vietnamese. They have found that Vietnamese domestic
travellers are booking last minute, typically 24 hrs prior >>
5 Aug: Many tourism companies listed on the Vietnam stock exchange have seen
their revenues in Q2 fall 70-80% YoY. Vietravel’s H1 revenue was -72% YoY, with a
loss of more than 76 billion VND. It forecasts revenue to fall by 60% YoY, with a
loss of 22 billion after 20 years of profits. Hoi An Tourist Service Joint Stock
Company saw a loss of 8.4 billion VND in Q2 >>

5 Aug: Kien Giang province saw nearly 1 million visitors in Jul, an increase of
75.3% vs. Jun 2020 >>
4 Aug: The PM has called for social distancing to be “reasonable” and to minimise
the impact on socio-economic activities >>
4 Aug: The finalisation of the proposal for Sapa’s new airport has been urged, to
allow for further economic development for the Lao Cai region >>
4 Aug: Vietnam has seen positive signs of economic recovery, with the highest
trade surplus in 4 years >>
3 Aug: Vietjet has announced a loss in H1 of $90.5 million USD. In Jun it operated
over 14,000 flights with 1.2 million pax, a positive recovery in the domestic market
>>
3 Aug: Jetstar Pacific has now completed its rebrand to Pacific Airlines, with the
new look debuting on 31 Jul, with a new cabin crew uniform. It will remain as a
separate, low-cost arm >>
3 Aug: 3.5 – 5 million workers could be forced to take unpaid leave or lower
working hours in Q3. Worst-case scenarios could see 60,000 – 70,000 workers lose
jobs in the tourism, construction, transportation and manufacturing industries. The
unemployment rate is at 4.45% for Q2, the highest rate in urban areas for 10 years
>>
3 Aug: The Vietnam Institute for Economic and Policy Research has said that there
is a possibility that Vietnam’s GDP will contract in 2020. Its earlier prediction of
2.2% or 3.8% did not take into account a resurgence of new cases. If major
economic centres go under lockdown, “a zero growth rate would be a huge
success” >>
3 Aug: The government does not plan for a nationwide lockdown, and will only
implement social distancing in COVID epicentres. The PM has said that early Aug
would be a decisive period for Vietnam >>
3 Aug: Vietnam Airlines is implementing stricter measures, where pax will need to
fill in health declaration forms, have their temperature taken before boarding and
wear a face mask for the duration of the flight >>
2 Aug: The director of Hanoitourist company and vice chairman of the Vietnam
Society of Travel Agents (VISTA) has said that he believes that the SE Asian
markets, Taipei, Japan and South Korea would recover the fastest for inbound to
Vietnam, but that this should be a phased recovery. He also thinks that Vietnam
needs a “comprehensive strategy” to offer competitive and diverse products, whilst
focusing on Vietnam as a safe destination >>

2 Aug: Bamboo Airways is planning to launch new air routes from Hanoi, HCMC
and Can Tho >>
2 Aug: The HCMC Tourism Association has asked the Department of Tourism of
Khanh Hoa Province and the Nha Trang – Khanh Hoa Tourism Association to help
support negotiations to cancel and postpone tours due to the latest outbreak in
Vietnam. Travel companies are reporting tours being cancelled not only in
destinations affected by COVID-19 and that the customers are demanding a 100%
refund >>
2 Aug: Danang city are planning to test the entire population of 1.1 million people,
with testing capacity increased to 8,000 – 10,000 per day. New cases have been
detected in Hanoi and HCMC, linked to Danang >>
2 Aug: Vietnam has had its first 5 deaths from COVID-19, the first on 31 Jul >>
1 Aug: Hue Festival has been cancelled, previously due to be held from 26-31 Aug
after its original postponement from Apr. The Traditional Culture Festival of Khanh
Hoa, scheduled for 1 Aug and the Cai Rang Floating Market Culture and Tourism
Festival have also been cancelled >>
1 Aug: Up to 800,000 visitors have now left Danang since 1 Jul >>
31 Jul: Quang Nam Province and Phu Yen Province have suspended entry to all
tourist sites, festivals, sporting events and large gatherings are suspended. Non-
essential services such as amusement parks and bars are also closed. In Danang
and Da Lak Province, gatherings of no more than 2 pax are permitted in public,
and residents must only go out for essentials. Tourists will not be welcomed from
26 Jul for 14 days. From Jul 30, Hanoi and Jul 31 HCMC have closed bars and clubs
temporarily, and suspended all large gatherings of more than 30 pax >>
31 Jul: Jan – Jul saw 3.8 million foreign visitors, a drop of 61.6% YoY. July saw
139,000 foreigners arrive in Vietnam mainly by road, down 98.9% YoY. Domestic
tourists saw a 1.5 times increase over Jun 2020 in many localities >>
31 Jul: The Vietnam Film Festival may be brought online instead >>
31 Jul: Hanoi is testing 21,000 people who have returned from Danang >>
30 Jul: The Hanoi Department of Tourism has ordered local travel agents to cancel
tours scheduled for Vietnamese cities and provinces which have had outbreaks of
COVID-19. 15,000-20,000 Hanoi residents who have visited Danang for the last 3
weeks have been told to self-quarantine and fill in health declarations >>
30 Jul: The InterContinental Group will launch an InterContinental Halong Bay

Resort and Residences, its first property in Quang Ning province, to launch in 2023
>>

30 Jul: The Vietnam National Administration of Tourism (VNAT) has requested

safety measures for tourist to be put in place ASAP >>
30 Jul: Tripadvisor has nominated 3 Vietnamese hotels in the world’s top 25, based
on traveller recommendations, including the Hanoi La Siesta Hotel & Spa with was
2nd, La Siesta Hoi An Resort & Spa in 12th place and the JM Marvel Hotel & Spa
Hanoi in 16th place >>
29 Jul: The first online exhibition and fair platform called HAWA Online Platform
for Exhibitors was launched on 29 Jul >>
29 Jul: Tourists have cancelled their plans, with an estimated 20,000 tourists from
HCMC cancelling their tours by 26 Jul after the latest outbreak >>
29 Jul: The government has approved studying investment for separated night-
time entertainment complexed in Hanoi, HCMC and Danang from 2021 – 2025 >>
29 Jul: Hanoi saw 1.2 million visitors in Jun, a 51% increase over Jun 2020, with
earnings estimated to be $151 million USD >>
29 Jul: International supermodel Jessica Minh Anh will team up with VNAT to
promote tourism in Vietnam, including a reality TV show which will popularise
Vietnam’s destinations to both the domestic and international markets >>
28 Jul: Traveloka, Indonesia’s travel unicorn OTA, has seen an “encouraging

recovery” in Vietnam, which is approaching pre-pandemic levels >>
28 Jul: Northern Vietnam had 8 earthquakes on Mon & Tue, with the strongest
hitting 5.3 magnitude, but no deaths >>
28 Jul: The Fantastic Danang Festival 2020, scheduled from 31 Jul to 5 Aug, has
been postponed >>
28 Jul: Flights to Danang have been adjusted, with Vietjet and Vietnam Airlines
suspending flights to the city >>
28 Jul: HCMC has proposed 8 hotels as paid quarantine sites >>
28 Jul: The Minister of Tourism has told the tourism industry it has 2 goals: fight
COVID-19 and develop the socio-economy. June has seen a 1.5-3 times surge in
tourism arrivals to Sa Pa (Lao Cai), Quang Ninh, Sam Son (Thanh Hoa), Quy Nhon
(Binh Dinh), Phu Yen, Phu Quoc (Kien Giang) >>
27 Jul: The Vietnam International Travel Mart (VITM) 2020 will be suspended once
more, after being rescheduled for 12-15 Aug >>
27 Jul: 80,000 people are being evacuated from Danang after local transmission
was detected. Domestic airlines will operate approximately 100 flights daily from

Danang to 11 Vietnamese cities. A crackdown on illegal migrants is also underway,

with a Chinese man arrested who is said to be part of a people trafficking circle >>
27 Jul: Danang will face challenges reviving its tourism after the detection of new
locally transmitted cases, and many tour operators have had tourists cancel August
plans >>
27 Jul: HCMC will test all its residents returning from Danang after 1 Jul >>
27 Jul: Offices and restaurants are re-implementing safety procedures across

Vietnam >>
27 Jul: Ly Son island has stopped accepting tourists and is evacuating over 2,600
tourists after the detection of a COVID-19 case >>
26 Jul: Danang has stopped tourists for 14 days, banned gatherings of 30 people
and more, closed non-essential services such as amusement parks, beauty
parlours, bars and karaoke and told its residents to observe social distancing of 1
metre. Danang General Hospital has been put under lockdown with more than
6,000 people. Flights will also be restricted to Danang, with only 1 or 2 domestic
flights permitted >>
26 Jul: A 2nd case of COVID-19 from local transmission has been detected in
Danang. The source of the disease has not yet been identified >>
25 Jul: A Danang man has tested positive for COVID-19 in the first local
transmission detected for 100 days. The 50 people he has come into contact with
have been isolated, and 103 people connected to him all had negatives test
results. It is unclear from where he contracted the disease. Authorities have
reinstated the recommendation that masks be worn in public places >>
25 Jul: Following a Danang man testing positive for COVID-19, many tourists have
cancelled plans to visit Danang and feel nervous about visiting the area >>
25 Jul: Hanoi has once more imposed a requirement for face masks in public places
after the detection of COVID-19 cases >>
25 Jul: It has been suggested that Hanoi build a new airport in the south to reduce
the strain on its current one >>
24 Jul: Long An Province has launched an online portal and app to provide tourism
information, as well as make hotel bookings. Their H1 visitors were down 74%
YoY, with tourism revenue down 68% >>
24 Jul: A survey of MSMEs has shown enterprise revenue in April as the lowest
from tourism sectors – household businesses in this sector had an 84% reduction
in April’s revenue. For May, this dropped to 92% >>

23 Jul: A new chain, Wink Hotels, has been launched in Vietnam, the first
homegrown international-standard hotel chain. The first hotel will open in HCMC
in Q4 2020, followed by 2 in Danang >>
22 Jul: Major destinations are seeing an increase in visitors over weekends, with
visits to Sapa increasing by 20-30% vs early Jul. There has also been long traffic
jams at resort town Tam Dao. Ha Long Bay also received around 100,000 visitors
per day on 18 & 19 Jul. Quy Nhon is also facing a shortage of hotel rooms, with
hotels booked up during the summer period. Phu Quoc airport has also seen an
increase in the number of pax, with 22,000 arriving on 17 Jul. Overall, the number
of domestic pax from 13 – 20 Jul increased to 1.1 million, +27% YoY, with more
than 5,900 flights, +21% YoY, with an average seat capacity of 90% >>
22 Jul: Dong Nai province must speed up the site clearance for the Long Thanh
International Airport, as it is a key project, the PM has urged >>
21 Jul: The Da Nang International Marathon will take place on 7 – 9 Aug, with no
foreign runners taking part >>
21 Jul: Dong Thap Province has seen a 21% increase in the number of domestic
visits from May, after a 39% drop YoY. The province will focus on domestic by
developing roads, transportation and accommodation, as well as facilitate package
tours. It will launch a year-long programme called “Stimulating tourism in 2020” to
promote the region, especially during festival time >>
20 Jul: Savills Vietnam have revealed that there are 49 real estate projects for
luxury resorts, with 26 of these rushing to finish in 2020, and 23 completed by
2021 >>
19 Jul: A cooperation programme in HCMC drew together tourism associations

from HCMC, Danang and the provinces of Khanh Hoa, Ha Giang and Phu Yen to
promote domestic tourism >>
18 Jul: Quang Ninh have launched new policies to stimulate domestic tourism. Ha
Giang also held an event to promote tourism, with initiatives such as major events
being hosted in the region and a greater cooperation with HCMC travel agents and
operators >>
17 Jul: Hanoi and HCMC airports have adjusted flight frequencies in 15 mins blocks
instead of the usual one hour to aid with congestion after upgrades are underway
at both airports’ runways >>
16 Jul: All stakeholders need to join together, the Vietnam Tourism Association
(VNAT) has reminded them. They expect a maximum of 4.6 million international
and 34 million domestic tourists in 2020, vs last year’s 18 million international and
82 million domestic. A new campaign, called “Hello HCM City”, is also planned to

be rolled out to make over the city’s image, as well as a tourism stimulus program
with 70 tours provided by 24 travel firms and 6 hotels >>
16 Jul: The conservation of the national relic site Dien Bien Phu Victory has been
approved, with objectives set until 2030 including planning, renovating and
restoring Noong Nhai Village of Thai ethnic community >>
15 Jul: 1,618 rooms at 10 hotels in HCMC will be used for paid isolation zones for
entering foreign experts. Hotels are a range of 3-5*, and they will not be used for
any purpose other than isolation >>
13 Jul: Bac Giang province is aiming to attract 2 million visitors in 2020, with the
tourism authorities focusing on spiritual, ecotourism, agricultural, cultural and
historical tourism. It is also working to increase links to other neighbouring cities
>>
13 Jul: A new high-speed boat service between HCMC and Cu Chi district has been
launched >>
13 Jul: Vietnam Airlines will launch 2 new routes, Hai Phong – Dien Bien and Da
Lat – Phu Quoc, and resume 2 more, Can Tho – Phu Quoc and Da Nang – Van Don
>>
11 Jul: The Can Gio Tourism Urban Area Project will add 25,000 jobs to HCMC and
add a significant revenue. 9 million tourists are expected to visit every year >>
10 Jul: The PM has asked for increasing numbers of repatriation and commercial
flights to being back Vietnamese citizens and foreign experts to Vietnam. In
particular, he has asked a committee to look into resuming key air routes to Tokyo,
Seoul, Guangzhou, Taiwan, Vientiane and Phnom Penh >>
10 Jul: The Transport Minister is urgently seeking to solve the overloading issues
at Hanoi and HCMC airports as the runway repairs are causing planes to queue for
up to an hour to take off >>
9 Jul: IATA has warned that 1,011,200 jobs could be lost in the Vietnamese
aviation sector in its latest assessment. Passenger demand is expected to fall by
46%, with an estimated loss of $4.43 billion USD >>
9 Jul: 100,000 to 120,000 tourism workers have been made redundant in HCMC
over H1 >>
9 Jul: More river cruise products are opening in HCMC aimed at domestic travellers
>>

9 Jul: The Vietnam International Travel Mart (VITM) 2020 will take place in Hanoi
on 12-18 Aug with 400 booths, including 10 foreign countries and territories.
There will be B2B meetings as well as forums on tourism development >>
8 Jul: Vietnam’s domestic tourists in H1 fell by 50% to 23 million, with an average

occupancy rate of 20%. The Vietnam National Administration of Tourism has said
that 95% of travel companies ceased operation in H1, with large job losses. June’s
domestic tourist numbers hit 7 million, a 2.3 times increase vs. May 2020 >>
15 Jun: The Tourism Minister has encouraged Vietnamese people to travel within
the country after 60 days of no community transmission. Four phases of Vietnam’s
reopening will be:
1. Domestic tourism available and encouraged – current position

2. Cautious “tourism exchanges” with safe countries
3. Expanding the list of regional tourists who can visit Vietnam
4. International arrivals returning to the “pre-COVID-19 normal” >>
30 May: New economic measures have been taken by the government, including:
• Reduction of 15% on rental fees for state-owned land and properties for
businesses forced to stop operation by COVID-19
• Waiving fees for local airlines, reducing landing and take-off charges and
air navigation services fees by 50% for domestic flights from Mar-Sep.
• Airlines are also allowed to offer zero air fares for certain services
• Mobile money scheme will also be allowed to pilot for low value
transactions
• MSMEs could also benefit from a proposed 30% cut in corporate tax this
year >>
14 May: License fees for international and domestic tourism firms has been
reduced by 50% from 6 May until 2020 year end. Fees for a tour guide card have
also been reduced from $14 USD to $4 USD >>
29 Apr: The Vietnam Tourism Advisory Board has asked for a government
guaranteed credit package of $6.4 billion to help tourism businesses with loans,
valued at around 25% of total tourism revenue in 2019, provided they meet certain
conditions >>

https://www.pearanderson.com/coronavirus/vietnam/

OUTBOUND
10 Aug: Vietnam Airlines is forecasting a pre-tax loss of over $650 million USD for
2020. It announced that it is set to resume routes to Northeast Asia and Southeast
Asia in Oct, and expect to see 18 million domestic pax in the remaining months of
2020, 90% of last year’s numbers >>
6 Aug: Vietnam Airlines has cut its pilots’ and flight attendants’ salaries by half in a
cost cutting initiative. The airline is also planning to sell 8 A321 CEO aircraft from
its fleet >>
1 Aug: Vietnam Airlines has reported a loss of $170 million USD in Q2, with H1
losses at $266 million USD >>
22 Jul: Vietnam Airlines have closed reservations on its Hanoi – Sydney service
until Mar 2021 >>
15 Jul: All Nippon Airways (ANA) has said that it will reopen its flight between
Tokyo Haneda and Ho Chi Minh City in Aug >>
14 Jul: Vietnam Airlines has asked the government for a $518 million USD bailout,
as it expects to make losses of $561 million USD in 2020, with revenue dropping
by more than 50% YoY. The CEO expects the domestic market to recover to normal
levels only by the end of 2021, and the international market in 2022. Options
include issuing more shares to existing shareholders, or allowing investment from
the sovereign fund >>
10 Jul: The Vietnamese passport placed just 89th out of 109 in the Henley &
Partners ranking passport power for Q3 2020 >>
10 Jul: Russia has chosen its 13 first countries with whom to resume flights, with
Vietnam being selected as meeting the safety requirements >>

https://www.pearanderson.com/coronavirus/vietnam/

ABOUT PEAR
ANDERSON
Pear Anderson is a boutique travel-industry consultancy firm, experts in Southeast

Asian outbound tourism. They partner across the spectrum of tourism-related
organisations to build a lasting foundation in SEA, a market set to be worth USD
$76 billion by 2025.
The global Muslim travel segment is an additional specialisation. Pear Anderson

specialises in the Muslim market, providing unique insights, research and training
on this lucrative segment.
For more information on how we can help you to understand the Southeast Asian
tourism market, contact us at:
hello@pearanderson.com
http://www.pearanderson.com
Find this report useful?
View this information online and more on our frequently updated

dashboard at: https://www.pearanderson.com/coronavirus/
Sign up to be added to our weekly mailing list, with this report sent out
every Sunday: https://insights.pearanderson.com/sea-covid-summary
The content is a general description of informative nature only and is accurate at time of publication. Pear
Anderson assumes no responsibility for completeness, errors or omissions in the information and makes no
warranty as to the accuracy, completeness or suitability of the information. This collection of content is
created by Pear Anderson and various sources credited on the page.
Cover photo credit: Peverus

Flag icons by Freepik


The Impact of Covid-19 On The Southeast Asian Tourism Industry

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

The Impact of Covid-19 On The Southeast Asian Tourism Industry

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

THE IMPACT OF COVID-19 ON THE SOUTHEAST ASIAN TOURISM INDUSTRY

With the declaration of a pandemic, as well as the closing of borders and

Cambodia Partial Visa restrictions Discouraged 274 0

Data accurate as of 21:09 (UTC+8) on 06 Sep 2020

CAMBODIA Cambodia has lost $5 billion USD in tourism revenue.

5 million international visitors expected in 2020, a drop

Laos could lose more than $500 million USD in tourism

Pear Anderson Sign up for weekly updates 06 Sep 2020 Update

Malaysia extends ban on citizens entering from

Record daily case of 116 on 3 Sep, crosses 1,000 mark.

Baguio will open to tourists from the Ilocos region from

Fast Lane established with S. Korea for essential travel,

THAILAND First locally transmitted case in 100 days detected;

International flights may be reinstated to Guangzhou,

Pear Anderson Sign up for weekly updates 06 Sep 2020 Update

Source: Sojern COVID-19 dashboard

Source: Sojern COVID-19 dashboard

TRAVEL BUBBLES & INTERNATIONAL

Pear Anderson Sign up for weekly updates 06 Sep 2020 Update

26 Aug: The Cambodia-Thailand joint working group are discussing solutions to

19 Aug: More passengers will be allowed to transit at Changi Airport, including

Pear Anderson Sign up for weekly updates 06 Sep 2020 Update

23 Jul: The government is planning to change the deposit and insurance

14 Jul: The Aranyaprathey checkpoint between Thailand and Cambodia is allowed

14 Jul: Cambodia is constructing new checkpoints along the Cambodia-Thailand-

Pear Anderson Sign up for weekly updates 06 Sep 2020 Update

Pear Anderson Sign up for weekly updates 06 Sep 2020 Update

28 Aug: Visitors to Phnom Penh’s museums have dropped by 95% vs pre-pandemic,

21 Aug: The Ministry of Tourism asked tourism related businesses to provide

Pear Anderson Sign up for weekly updates 06 Sep 2020 Update

18 Aug: Hundreds of tourists visited the Chreav waterfalls in Kampong Speu

12 Aug: A sheep rearing farm is being transformed into a tourism product in

Pear Anderson Sign up for weekly updates 06 Sep 2020 Update

7 Aug: Cinemas will be reopened, but must follow SOPs >>

6 Aug: Kampot province is considering a new beach development in Teuk Chhou

6 Aug: 3,135 tourism businesses have closed either permanently or temporarily,

1. International arrivals decline by 50-60%, receiving around 2.5 million

Pear Anderson Sign up for weekly updates 06 Sep 2020 Update

5 Aug: H1 international arrivals to Cambodia declined by 65% YoY, with June’s

Pear Anderson Sign up for weekly updates 06 Sep 2020 Update

23 Jul: Historical battlegrounds will be designated national monuments to help

21 Jul: Passenger air traffic has decreased by 67.5% in H1 at Cambodia’s 3

21 Jul: Khnong Phsar, in Kampong Speu province, is being cleaned up to attract

Pear Anderson Sign up for weekly updates 06 Sep 2020 Update

20 Jul: A Cambodian-American woman who was in quarantine after arrival to

17 Jul: 40 ecotourism projects are set to be developed in Muldulkiri province >>

Pear Anderson Sign up for weekly updates 06 Sep 2020 Update

visitors, compared to 80,000 in 2019. Statistics for Sihanoukville have seen an

9 Jul: The Japan Business Association of Cambodia (JBAC) is looking at increasing

• Registered hotels, guesthouses, restaurants and tour agencies in Phnom Penh,

Pear Anderson Sign up for weekly updates 06 Sep 2020 Update

• For employees: 20% of salary to be sponsored by the government, but must

View older updates from February onwards on our dashboard at:

View older updates from February onwards on our dashboard at:

Pear Anderson Sign up for weekly updates 06 Sep 2020 Update

Consumer sentiment Indonesia tourism arrivals

Source: Statistics Indonesia

Pear Anderson Sign up for weekly updates 06 Sep 2020 Update

Flight searches and booking volume for travel to Indonesia

Source: Sojern COVID-19 dashboard

Source: Sojern COVID-19 dashboard

TRAVEL BUBBLES & INTERNATIONAL

Pear Anderson Sign up for weekly updates 06 Sep 2020 Update