Following in the footsteps of many other countries, Sri Lanka has placed an entry ban on travellers from six African countries with reported Omicron variant infections.
Travellers with a 14-day history of travel to those countries will also be prohibited from entry.
Sri Lanka pledges to maintain health protocols for travellers from non-affected countries
National carrier SriLankan Airlines has affirmed its continued operations to Kenya, which has so far not been affected by the new variant.
Despite the cautious footing, local health officials said they were not changing the guidelines for travellers from other countries. Currently, fully-vaccinated visitors to Sri Lanka need to present a PCR test taken 72 hours before departure, and are not subject to any tests on arrival.
Maintenance of current health guidelines is an assurance for the Sri Lankan tourism community, which has been jittery over possible business recovery disruptions as a result of Omicron.
On November 30, tourism minister Prasanna Ranatunga urged the industry not to panic, and assured them that current proactive measures were adequate to mitigate risk posed by travellers from other parts of the world.
“Europe and the Middle East have promptly banned entries from these six countries. These two regions are popular gateways for passengers or transit passengers to Sri Lanka. Therefore, (along with Sri Lanka’s entry ban on travellers from affected African countries) there is no need to overreact to the situation,” Ranatunga told the Daily Financial Times.
On Monday, Tourist Hotels Association of Sri Lanka and the Sri Lanka Association of Inbound Tour Operators issued a joint statement urging the authorities to not alter current health protocols, so as to avoid endangering the beleaguered Sri Lankan tourism industry and negatively impacting the national economy.
Recognising the power of the domestic travel market in enabling business recovery, East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) tourism stakeholders conducted their first local sales mission to Bali, Bandung and Jakarta this month.
Rocky Pekujawang, the head of NTT Tourism Promotion Board (BPPD), said the sales missions to Jakarta and Bali also helped to reignite international tourist demand, as both cities are gateways for foreign travellers.
East Nusa Tenggara offers adventure and outdoor activities; Kelor Island pictured
“There are now three airlines offering direct flights from Jakarta to Labuan Bajo,” said Rocky.
BPPD offered adventure and outdoor activities, such as hiking, trekking, and snorkelling, as well as packages that would enable travellers to experience a mix of activities. Prices start from 7.8 million rupiah (US$548) per pax. A 4D3N programme by Flobamor Tours, for example, entices travellers to set sail on a Phinisi ship to visit Kelor island for snorkelling and Padar island for hiking.
Rocky shared that BPPD is also in talks with the NTT chapter of the Association of the Indonesian Tours and Travel Agencies (ASITA) for potential collaboration on camper van packages.
Abed Frans, chairman of NTT chapter of ASITA, said camper van travel suited the characteristics of tourist destinations in NTT.
He added that his association and the Java Overland community recently hit the road in camper vans, driving from Maumere to Labuan Bajo, to test the feasibility of the package.
If all goes to plan, the camper van packages will launch in June 2022, with departures from Kupang for a Timor Island trip and Tambolaka for Sumba Island trip.
From Tambolaka in Southwest Sumba regency, for example, travellers can explore Waingapu and visit various natural attractions, such as Savana Hiliwuku Hill – known among the locals as Teletubbies Hill.
The regency of Semarang in Indonesia’s Central Java province has intensified infrastructure development and established fresh private investment opportunities in an effort to compete with neighbouring Semarang City as a tourist destination.
Semarang is one of the supporting clusters of the Borobudur Super Priority Destination Development together with Yogyakarta and Solo, which is dubbed Joglosemar.
Semarang regency is stepping up infrastructure developments and inviting investors to back new tourist facilities’ credit: HAM Jakarta
Semarang regent Ngesti Nugraha provided development updates at the 14th anniversary dinner of the Jakarta Travel Media Grouping (HAM) in Semarang last week.
At present, the Solo-Semarang section of the new Semarang-Solo-Yogyakarta toll roads has been completed, while the Semarang-Yogyakarta section is in progress.
Gedong Songo Temple complex, a group of 9th century Hindu temples, has been repaved and given a new platform for flower markets and parking spaces. A traditional market in Bandungan has been relocated to clear traffic congestion on the way to the temple complex, and a park is under construction on the former market site.
The Rawa Pening lake has been cleared of water hyacinth and tourist attractions have been built in the area. Today, Bukit Cinta is one of the popular spots for families and young visitors to enjoy water activities, such as boating and fishing.
Kampoeng Kopi Banaran, a resort set amid a Dutch colonial coffee plantation, will be upgraded and expanded to better appeal to travellers.
Ngesti revealed that two strategic areas, sized between 10 and 11 hectares, in Bandungan and Tengeran area on the Solo-Semarang main road are earmarked for tourism development by investors.
“We will develop and expand the roads leading to the locations and ease permits for potential investors,” he added.
Guests of the event welcomed the news, but pointed out areas for improvement to enable the regency to fulfil her tourism goals.
Bondan Marutohenging, chairman of Semarang Regional Parliament, said the Semarang regency would require hotels and event venues to extend the average length of stay of visitors, which would then grow tourism revenue.
Tourism is currently the second biggest revenue generator for the regency, only after land and building taxes.
Without enough hotels, travellers will continue to visit the regency for attractions but stay overnight in Semarang City where accommodation options are plenty, remarked Bondan.
Dewi Pramuningsih, head of Semarang Regency Tourism Office, regarded tourism promotions as key, and suggested that the destination leverage events such as Gedongsongo Festival, which showcases traditional performances and creative industry exhibition. The 2021 festival was held last week.
Attractions in the regency are doing their part to raise the destination’s profile. Kampoeng Kopi Banaran, for instance, will launch three national events in 2022, shared general manager Frina Bonita.
“We will launch the first music concert in the middle of the coffee plantation, titled Dynamic Fest, in June. That will be followed by the Black Market Festival during the coffee picking season in August. We will close the year with the first Indonesia International Motor Show,” she disclosed.
Travellers entering Singapore will face stricter rules from 23.59 on December 2 as the city-state attempts to buffer against the spread of the new Omicron variant.
The Straits Times reported that while no Omicron cases have been detected locally, the Ministry of Health said the pre-emptive measures are needed for Singapore to assess the implications of the new variant. Such measures will also help to reduce the risk of importation of the virus.
Travellers entering Singapore will have to abide by tightened measures for the next four weeks at least
Under the new requirements, air travellers arriving on the quarantine-free Vaccinated Travel Lane (VTL) scheme must undergo supervised, self-administered antigen rapid tests at a Quick Test Centre on days three and seven of their arrival.
Previously, such travellers would only need to take a Covid-19 swab test prior to their departure for Singapore, and upon arrival.
All air travellers entering, transferring or transiting through Singapore must also have tested negative in a pre-departure test within two days of leaving for Singapore.
Third, all travellers must take a Covid-19 polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test on arrival. This will affect non-VTL travellers entering Singapore who are not from Hong Kong, Macau, China and Taiwan.
These tightened restrictions will be in place for four weeks, and are subjected to review and possible extension.
This announcement follows on the heels of the government’s decision to indefinitely postpone planned VTLs for Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the UAE.
Garuda Indonesia and Singapore Airlines (SIA) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) that will expand their wide-ranging commercial partnership to provide customers with additional options and an enhanced travel experience.
The agreement was inked by Garuda Indonesia president and CEO Irfan Setiaputra and SIA CEO Goh Choon Phong on November 26, 2021, coinciding with the launch of a quarantine-free Vaccinated Travel Lane (VTL) between Indonesia and Singapore on November 29, 2021.
Singapore Airlines and Garuda Indonesia will expand their wide-ranging commercial partnership
The scope of the collaboration includes the potential alignment of frequent flyer programmes, joint marketing activities, and initiatives to promote inbound tourism into Indonesia, subject to regulatory approval. Both partners are also committed to finding new growth opportunities in the air freight segment, as well as cooperation in maintenance, repair, and overhaul activities.
Garuda Indonesia and SIA reactivated their air connectivity partnership
arrangement between Singapore and Bali, Jakarta, and Surabaya on October 1, 2021. Garuda Indonesia commenced flights network connectivity on SIA’s services to London on the same day, and will codeshare on SIA’s flights to Mumbai from January 1, 2022, subject to regulatory approval.
Known for her big-city draws and star-studded football clubs among South-east Asian travellers, Spain is working to spread post-pandemic tourism attention to lesser-known parts of the country and play up unique local experiences.
Speaking to TTG Asia, Singapore-based Monica Sanchez, tourism counsellor with the Embassy of Spain and director of Spain Tourism Board, revealed that the tourism office has been spending the past 18 months of the travel freeze rebranding destination Spain and deepening South-east Asian travel agents’ understanding of Spain’s various points of appeal. Engagements were accomplished through webinars and one-on-one meetings with providers of Spanish travel and tourism products.
Sanchez: South-east Asian tourists have much to discover in Spain
“Tourists from this region know of Spain’s hit destinations, but most are unaware of the other areas where they can experience the full flavour of the country, such as tasting and learning to cook traditional Spanish dishes, making cheese and anchovies, going fishing, visiting farms, exploring nature trails, and so much more,” said Sanchez.
The webinars, which also present Spain’s rich Islamic history and readiness for Halal tourism, have attracted at least 500 travel agents from across South-east Asia.
Sanchez observed that since June 2021, when Spain resumed international travel for fully vaccinated individuals from all countries, nature trails for hiking and biking have gained a strong following. Leveraging post-pandemic travellers’ love for the outdoors, Spain is promoting routes that show off the country’s natural sights. Among them is the eight-kilometre Caminito Del Rey Trail, which was once considered one of the most dangerous in the world but is now made much safer for visitors to stroll down walkways hanging 100m up a sheer cliff. The other is the northern route of The Way of Saint James, down the coastline of the Cantabrian Sea, which promises to impress nature lovers.
The tourism board is also directing attention to Spain’s 15 small cities and villages bearing the UNESCO World Heritage Site status.
“Some are popular as a day-trip destination, made possible by our advanced and convenient transport system, but we are encouraging travellers now to savour these places slowly – stay for a few days, sit down for a meal, talk to the locals, and discover hidden gems,” she said.
As Spain’s nature trails and most of her UNESCO World Heritage Sites are unknown to South-east Asians, Sanchez sees great potential to grow arrivals from the region through these points of appeal.
“One of the projects we have now is to promote Green Spain, a collection of unspoiled beaches, charming villages and extraordinary nature reserves all across the north of Spain in Euskadi, Cantabria, Asturias and Galicia. Here, dishes use the freshest local produce, so flavours are quite impressive. Travellers can choose to stay in a little hotel in the countryside, and enjoy homemade meals that are sustainably sourced and contribute to local tourism earnings.”
Hiking and biking in Spain’s great outdoors is winning over travellers; Picos de Europa National Park pictured
According to Sanchez, raising awareness of off-the-beaten-path destinations and customised programmes is an effective way for Spain to counter overtourism issues that were present pre-pandemic, and to ensure that post-pandemic tourism will benefit more local communities, not just those in developed tourist circuits.
This direction will also enable Spain to encourage travellers to stay longer and experience more of what the country has to offer.
Working to Spain’s benefit is also the country’s reputation as one of the safest destinations to visit in Europe, opined Sanchez.
“While Spain was hit hard by Covid-19 in the early days of the pandemic, the country has shown how well she has regained control. Spain’s vaccination rate is among the highest in Europe. Locals continue to take masking seriously – masking indoors is still mandatory. In fact, locals remain respectful of the effects of Covid-19, so they are cautious and considerate even though our incidence of infection has fallen and is among the lowest in Europe,” she elaborated.
As more Asian governments ease international travel restrictions, Sanchez said 2022 would be a better year for tourism.
In Singapore, where a quarantine-free Vaccinated Travel Lane has been established with Spain since November, Sanchez’s office has been “inundated by enquiries for the year-end holidays season”.
“It is encouraging to see that the enquiries are not just from people who are thinking about going to Spain; many are in the process of booking. There are also Singaporeans travelling in Spain now, a mix of individuals and families, as well as small corporate groups,” she said.
Australia has halted border reopening plans to students and skilled workers, sparked by concerns over the new Omicron variant.
Initially slated to reopen on December 1, the date has been delayed at least two weeks.
Australia delays border reopening; Parliament House in Canberra pictured
Australia’s borders have been closed to most non-citizens for more than 20 months, with the exception of fully vaccinated Australian citizens, permanent residents and immediate family, as well as fully vaccinated green lane travellers from New Zealand and Singapore.
The reopening to travellers from Japan and South Korea will also be paused until December 15. The plan was to open borders to visitors from these two countries on December 1.
Australian prime minister Scott Morrison indicated that the temporary pause will allow the country to gather the necessary information to better understand the variant, the efficacy of the vaccine, the range of illness, and the level of transmission.
Australia has so far, detected five cases of the Omicron variant.
Elsewhere in Asia-Pacific, Japan has also temporarily suspended entry for all foreign visitors for at least a month while Indonesia has extended quarantine-on-arrival requirements.
Japan announced today (November 29) that it will be suspending entry for all foreign visitors due to the emergence of Omicron, a new Covid variant.
The measure will take effect Tuesday and last for about one month.
Japan has reinstated border controls as a precaution against the new Omicron Covid variant
With this, Japan will restore border controls that were eased on November 8 for short-term business visitors, foreign students and workers.
According to Kyodo News, prime minister Fumio Kishida said Monday that closing the border is a “temporary measure until information about the Omicron variant becomes clear,” adding that “when dealing with an unknown risk, it’s best to take every precaution”.
Japan is the second country after Israel to bar all entry to foreigners, while most countries around the world are scrambling to control flights and travellers hailing from South Africa.
In Asia-Pacific, governments of Indonesia, the Philippines, Hong Kong and Australia have tightened entry rules, while Singapore has deferred the opening of Vaccinated Travel Lanes with the UAE, Qatar and Saudi Arabia scheduled for next week.
It is currently unclear if the new variant is more contagious than the others that have been identified.
In a Reuters report, a South African doctor who was one of the first to suspect a different Covid strain among patients said last week that symptoms of the Omicron variant in patients have so far been mild.
Hotelbeds has entered a new partnership with the Department of Tourism of the Philippines to launch a new More fun awaits in the Philippines campaign aimed at travel-starved consumers in the UK.
“We are experiencing a significant amount of pent-up demand in the UK market and, with the slow lifting of travel restrictions in the Philippines, now is the perfect time to educate our agents and secure future bookings in the destination,” said Joseph Sheller, head of global destination marketing at Hotelbeds.
Hotelbeds will launch a new More fun in the Philippines destination campaign in the UK market; Palawan pictured
This new campaign will showcase the different activities that can be found in the Philippines. Home to more than 7,000 islands, travellers will discover endless beaches, bustling and trendy cities, smoking volcanoes and incredible underwater experiences. The unique gastronomic offerings of the Asian destination, as well as the culture of the place, are expected to become the perfect lure that UK travel advisors can offer their travellers.
With over 3,000 contracted hotels in the Philippines, the bedbank will now have the opportunity to highlight all properties in the area through the campaign, as well as provide a new set of exclusive offers for Hotelbeds’ network of UK-based clients.
Florian Blois, regional destination marketing manager at Hotelbeds, said: “The country is an important destination for Hotelbeds in Asia-Pacific, and we are delighted to be one of their official partners in the global campaign More Fun Awaits in the Philippines.”
Starting this month, and running until the end of January 2022, the marketing campaign will be promoted through the company’s two main distribution channels, Hotelbeds for wholesale distribution and Bedsonline for retail travel advisors, to its extensive network of travel advisors in the UK.
Jetstar Asia’s first designated Vaccinated Travel Lane (VTL) flight from Kuala Lumpur to Singapore has touched down on Monday morning, setting a momentous milestone for the airline’s recovery on the back of one of the world’s busiest international air links.
Passengers checking in for flight 3K683, which departed Singapore’s Changi International Airport at 07.15 on November 29; the return VTL flight – first for Jetstar Asia on this route – arrived in Singapore at 10.15
The airline’s first designated VTL flight, 3K684, arrived at Changi Airport at 10.15.
Seven of Jetstar Asia’s 16 weekly return services in December between Kuala Lumpur and Singapore will be designated VTL flights, enabling fully vaccinated customers to enter Kuala Lumpur and Singapore, quarantine-free.
According to a Jetstar spokesperson, there has been strong demand for the VTL services, highlighting the pent-up demand of customers wanting to reconnect with family, friends and colleagues.
Garuda Indonesia and Singapore Airlines (SIA) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) that will expand their wide-ranging commercial partnership to provide customers with additional options and an enhanced travel experience.
The agreement was inked by Garuda Indonesia president and CEO Irfan Setiaputra and SIA CEO Goh Choon Phong on November 26, 2021, coinciding with the launch of a quarantine-free Vaccinated Travel Lane (VTL) between Indonesia and Singapore on November 29, 2021.
The scope of the collaboration includes the potential alignment of frequent flyer programmes, joint marketing activities, and initiatives to promote inbound tourism into Indonesia, subject to regulatory approval. Both partners are also committed to finding new growth opportunities in the air freight segment, as well as cooperation in maintenance, repair, and overhaul activities.
Garuda Indonesia and SIA reactivated their air connectivity partnership
arrangement between Singapore and Bali, Jakarta, and Surabaya on October 1, 2021. Garuda Indonesia commenced flights network connectivity on SIA’s services to London on the same day, and will codeshare on SIA’s flights to Mumbai from January 1, 2022, subject to regulatory approval.