Thailand has set a new daily record of 31 Covid-19 deaths on May 3, as the third wave of infections that emerged in early April gains pace across the country.
The Thai health ministry has reported 2,041 new Covid-19 cases, taking the country’s total number to 71,025 since the start of the pandemic last year. There are now 276 fatalities.
Thailand rolled out a vaccination programme on March 1, with priority granted to health workers, elderly, and those medically at risk
According to Reuters, the latest outbreak includes the highly transmissible B117 variant first detected in Britain.
The outbreak comes in the midst of Thailand’s vaccination programme, which aims to inoculate 70 per cent of the population by the end of 2021. Registration for vaccinating the general public began on May 1, with about 16 million people aged over 60 or those with pre-existing medical conditions getting priority.
As urgency for vaccination mounts, some 2,000 private companies have expressed their intent to purchase from the government vaccines for their staff. The Thai Chamber of Commerce told The Bangkok Post that the vaccines would go to a 900,000-strong workforce.
The report added that many private companies had earlier planned to import vaccines but failed to, as a number of manufacturers insisted on only dealing with governments.
Demand for quicker access to vaccines has also driven up interest among Thai residents in vaccine tours to destinations that are putting up excess doses for sale.
Capacity at attractions, malls and large standalone stores will be reduced for up to two weeks this month as Singapore tackles a growing number of Covid-19 infections in the community.
The Ministry of Health announced on April 30, ahead of the long Labour Day weekend, that the additional safety measures would reduce activity levels and attempt to slow down transmission of the virus within the community.
Lucky Plaza shopping centre will reinstate entry restrictions from May 1 to 14.
According to the latest set of movement restrictions, all approved attractions will operate at half their operating capacity between May 7 and 14, a reduction from the previous 65 per cent capacity.
From May 1 to 14, malls and large standalone stores will be allowed to take in one person per 10m2 of gross floor area, down from one person per 8m2 of gross floor area.
In particular, popular shopping complexes Lucky Plaza on Orchard Road and Peninsula Plaza on North Bridge Road will reinstate entry restrictions on Sundays. Patrons with National Registration Identification Card or Foreign Identification Number ending in even digits will be allowed to enter the malls on even dates, while those with identity card numbers ending in odd digits can visit only on odd dates.
Outdoor barbecue pits and campsites in both public spaces and private resident estates will be closed.
As of May 3, Singapore has nine open community clusters of Covid-19 infections, the largest being a cluster of 35 cases linked to Tan Tock Seng Hospital. There is also a cluster of nine cases linked to the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority, where an officer deployed at Changi Airport Terminal 1 was tested positive on April 27 and had infected seven other family members.
The HSBC Women’s World Championship teed off on April 29 in the spectacular surroundings of Sentosa Golf Club. It is one of the first international sporting events to resume in Singapore since the pandemic.
With safety restrictions set to remain in place until after the tournament, HSBC Women’s World Championship 2021 will be a limited attendance event with 250 guests permitted.
Pictured here is multiple tournament winner, Inbee Park, who currently sits at the top of the leaderboard with an eight-under par score of 64.
High-end serviced residence Oakwood Premier AMTD Singapore has teamed up with Storhub Self Storage to help customers in need of temporary housing during home renovation projects.
Available for reservations running from weeks to months, the Retreat from Renovation package comes with accommodation and conveniences at Oakwood Premier AMTD Singapore, such as light housekeeping, uncapped utilities and access to fitness facilities, with additional benefits of a S$300 (US$226) storage credit with any of the 14 Storehub facilities in Singapore and further discounts on Storhub packages.
Lively property transactions in Singapore have led to a rise in home owners transitioning between homes and who are waiting out renovation projects
This cross-industry collaboration follows Oakwood Premier AMTD Singapore’s partnership with McDonald’s and Klook to offer a McDonald’s-themed staycation, where guests can bring home loungewear, cushions, towels and other souvenirs branded with the famous Golden Arches.
Roy Liang, regional general manager, Malaysia, Singapore & Vietnam with Oakwood, said hospitality operators “need to be nimble and creative to bring practial value to guests” and to “move towards a blue ocean rather than compete with the same cookie-cutter offering”.
He told TTG Asia that take up of this unique package has been “very positive”.
“Property transactions (in Singapore are) remaining high in the market through Covid-19 and there are many Singaporeans who are moving between houses. We hear and understand the needs of these group of clients and there are immediate enquiries when we first launched this on our website,” Liang added.
While the Retreat from Renovation package is only available at Oakwood Premier AMTD Singapore, Liang remains open to considering expansion to other regions should there be such a market demand.
Batad, northern Luzon, is home to some of the country's best preserved rice terraces
A plethora of hotels and resorts, tour specialists and destination marketers and NTOs is lined up to present the best of South-east Asia’s tourism offerings at The Great ASEAN Travel Fest, taking place next week.
They include Holiday Inn Express Singapore Orchard Road; Sarawak Tourism Board, Malaysia; Hemisphere Corporation, Malaysia; Hilton Bali Resort, Indonesia; Panorama Destination; and Santika Indonesia Hotels and Resorts.
Luzon is among the many destinations to be presented at The Great ASEAN Travel Fest; Batad, in Northern Luzon, the Philippines, pictured
According to organisers of the inaugural online event, TTG Asia Media, 33 virtual booths are confirmed to support pre-arranged buyer-seller meetings. Each buyer is entitled to up to 24 scheduled appointments as well as unlimited walk-in meetings.
Besides business meetings, The Great ASEAN Travel Fest presents a range of Mini Themed Roadshows that bring buyers deeper into a unique aspect of a destination as well as Hosted Sessions by the Tourism Promotions Board Philippines and the Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy, Indonesia.
Buyers are encouraged to participate in various elements of the event through rewards, such as hotel stays across various South-east Asian cities.
Cheryl Tan, head of TTG Events, said: “Travel interest in South-east Asia continues to hold strong, and trade buyers from the region and beyond are already starting to build itineraries for tours that will take place as soon as border restrictions are eased. The Great ASEAN Travel Fest will provide an informative platform for programme research as well as valuable opportunities for contracting.”
Festivals, performances and concerts are returning with a vengeance as Singapore relaxes public event restrictions, poising the country as a high-potential destination for entertainment-driven, post-Covid travel.
This follows the successful month-long pilot in September last year, which saw the return of live performances at selected venues for a maximum of 50 spectators. As of April 24, 2021, this number has increased to 750 with pre-event testing and 250 without pre-event testing, and zoning will no longer be required as long as safe management measures are in place.
Singapore will host two arts and culture festivals in May, as allowed capacity for festivals, performances and concerts are expanded; Esplanade – Theatres on the Bay pictured
The country is now ushering in the beginnings of an entertainment renaissance. In May 2021 alone, local residents will be able to participate in two arts and culture festivals. The Singapore HeritageFest 2021, running from May 3 to 30, will explore the nation’s food heritage and healthcare history through more than 100 on-site and online programmes, including virtual and physical tours, talks, documentaries and workshops.
Running concurrently from May 14 to 30 is the Singapore International Festival of Arts, which returns with more than 60 shows by local and international artists. Festival organiser Arts House Limited stated that several shows were sold out immediately, and it is exploring ways to open up more seats in light of the expanded capacity limit, reported The Straits Times.
The rising presence of ticketed public shows has also benefited organisers such as LAMC Productions, which specialised in international concerts in the pre-Covid era. The company now leans on top-billing local shows and celebrity-helmed private events, shared its founder, Lauretta Alabons.
It launched a headline show for local comedian Kumar in March, selling out three shows of 250 pax each, and recently brought on Maye Musk – the mother of Elon Musk – for a private virtual event. LAMC Productions has also opened The Flying V, a metal bar where patrons can enjoy metal and rock music with a selection of beers.
LAMC Productions has moved from international concerts to top-billing local shows and celebrity-helmed private events during the travel freeze
Alabons said: “This is our first time experiencing a long pause in our business on a global scale. We experienced SARS in 2003, but Covid-19 is another animal. We (are doing) what we can to help ensure a more impactful return of the entertainment scene.”
She expressed confidence that while the timeline for international acts to return may be uncertain, Singapore has a strong head-start in leading the region’s entertainment revival.
“We look forward to getting the live shows back on track in 2022. Ideally, the government increases the capacity for live shows to 1,000. The safety measures are great, although we are not able to cover costs with 250-capacity events at the present.
“In 2020, we started a video podcast called ‘Words & Music’ to connect artists to their fans during the Covid-19 downtime. Through its episodes, Singapore has always been mentioned as a destination the artists loved and would love to come back and perform at, which gives the audience more awareness and knowledge about Singapore as a vibrant entertainment hub to visit and explore.”
Bangkok-based See You Again Co travel company has created a vaccine tour package to take private groups and individual travellers to Serbia for a jab against Covid-19, in response to eager expressions of interest from its regular customers.
With rates starting from 100,000 baht (US$3,203) per traveller, the two-week package includes airfare, accommodations, meals and visits to attractions.
Special tours to Serbia will give Thai residents quicker access to Covid-19 vaccines
Executive director Netnapa Kaewsangtham, who built the company as a specialist in European trips over the last 12 years, told TTG Asia: “(New and regular clients) have been asking us to arrange such a trip because the travel conditions from Thailand to Serbia are not as restricted compared to other (countries).”
Serbia is welcoming foreigners keen to access Covid-19 vaccines as part of her tourism business stimulation. Travellers with visas approved in the US and the UK, toting Schengen visa, or exhibiting no Covid-19 symptoms within 72 hours of travel may enter Serbia without having to perform mandatory quarantine, said Netnapa.
Vaccine tourists may pre-register and select their desired brand of vaccine. Without pre-booking, travellers can obtain their vaccine from public hospitals but will not be given the freedom of choice.
According to Netnapa, more than 5,000 people have expressed interest in the tour at press time.
Yuthasak Supasorn, governor of the Tourism Authority of Thailand, said the vaccine tour does not pose any conflict with Thailand’s Tourism Business Act.
Thai residents who go on the tour will need to fulfil a mandatory self-quarantine for 14 days, according to the Department of Disease Control.
While See You Again Co is seeking subsidy for hospitalisation and quarantine expenses from the Thai government, Netnapa believes that most customers who sign up for the vaccine tour will be able to afford these fees.
Maldives tightens coronavirus preventive measures by banning all tourists
Visit Maldives and the Ministry of Tourism have launched the ‘I’m Vaccinated’ campaign to highlight the destination’s progress in inoculating tourism workers against Covid-19 as well as intentions to achieve the same for the rest of the resident population in the upcoming months.
The campaign will include social media activities and a supporting microsite that details the number of vaccinated tourism staff and information regarding registration for vaccination of employees and the latest health and safety guidelines.
Maldives tourism leaders expect a fully vaccinated tourism sector to reassure travellers
Tourism leaders in the destination believe that a fully vaccinated tourism sector is instrumental in attracting tourists, alongside stringent health and safety measures and the Maldives’ unique geographical formation of the islands which offer natural physical distancing.
During the campaign launch on April 28, minister of state of the Ministry of Health, Shah Abdulla Mahir, stated that over 65 per cent of the eligible Maldivian population have received the vaccine and over 90 per cent of the eligible tourism industry is vaccinated.
He emphasised the importance of practicing health and safety measures regardless of the vaccination progress, and underlined the importance of achieving herd immunity.
The ‘I’m Vaccinated’ campaign will also seek to motivate facilities in the tourism industry to vaccinate their staff.
Maldives initiated the administration of the Covid-19 vaccine on February 1, and the government aims to provide free vaccination to all citizens and residents in the upcoming months.
IHG Hotels & Resorts has confirmed a second Kimpton hotel in Thailand, with the new property set to rise in Koh Samui later this year.
The 138-key Kimpton Koh Samui on Choengmon Beach will feature the brand’s signature playfulness, immersive guest experiences and innovative approach to restaurants and bars. Accommodation options materialise in the form of suites and villas, with pool villas granting unique direct access to the beach.
Kimpton Koh Samui will be the second property under the Kimpton banner to open in Thailand
Four distinctive restaurants and bars as well as a pool, spa, fitness centre, Kids Club and a 124m2 multi-purpose meetings and events space are in the plan.
Serena Lim, vice president, development, South East Asia and Korea, IHG, said: “We are excited to continue our long-standing partnership with NYE Estate whom we share a common vision of elevating and growing the hospitality sector in Thailand, as well as new partners Multiply Partners and Capstone Asset to bring Kimpton’s heartfelt approach to hospitality to Koh Samui as we continue to expand the brand across the region as well as globally.
“The strength of IHG’s brand portfolio has led to some exciting growth opportunities here in Thailand and this signing is a great example of that. There’s an appetite from owners to join the IHG family of brands and benefit from the power of our enterprise, as the strength and resilience of our brands come to the fore in the current environment.”
The latest signing reflects IHG’s continued expansion of Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants in Asia since its debut in October 2020. There are now Kimpton hotels in Taipei, Bangkok and Tokyo, and more properties are lined up for Bali, Suzhou, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Nanjing, Sanya and Kuala Lumpur.
The HSBC Women’s World Championship teed off on April 29 in the spectacular surroundings of Sentosa Golf Club. It is one of the first international sporting events to resume in Singapore since the pandemic.
Bangkok-based See You Again Co travel company has created a vaccine tour package to take private groups and individual travellers to Serbia for a jab against Covid-19, in response to eager expressions of interest from its regular customers.
With rates starting from 100,000 baht (US$3,203) per traveller, the two-week package includes airfare, accommodations, meals and visits to attractions.
Executive director Netnapa Kaewsangtham, who built the company as a specialist in European trips over the last 12 years, told TTG Asia: “(New and regular clients) have been asking us to arrange such a trip because the travel conditions from Thailand to Serbia are not as restricted compared to other (countries).”
Serbia is welcoming foreigners keen to access Covid-19 vaccines as part of her tourism business stimulation. Travellers with visas approved in the US and the UK, toting Schengen visa, or exhibiting no Covid-19 symptoms within 72 hours of travel may enter Serbia without having to perform mandatory quarantine, said Netnapa.
Vaccine tourists may pre-register and select their desired brand of vaccine. Without pre-booking, travellers can obtain their vaccine from public hospitals but will not be given the freedom of choice.
According to Netnapa, more than 5,000 people have expressed interest in the tour at press time.
Yuthasak Supasorn, governor of the Tourism Authority of Thailand, said the vaccine tour does not pose any conflict with Thailand’s Tourism Business Act.
Thai residents who go on the tour will need to fulfil a mandatory self-quarantine for 14 days, according to the Department of Disease Control.
While See You Again Co is seeking subsidy for hospitalisation and quarantine expenses from the Thai government, Netnapa believes that most customers who sign up for the vaccine tour will be able to afford these fees.