Foreign passengers arriving from overseas are subject to distance and will do health inspection and quarantine during the covid 19 season.
The Malaysian government will impose an entry ban on citizens of countries that have reported more than 150,000 Covid-19 cases from Monday (September 7), as virus cases continue to surge globally.
The ban includes citizens from the US, Brazil, France, the UK, Spain, Italy, Saudi Arabia, Russia, Bangladesh, India, Indonesia, and the Philippines.
The US, India, Indonesia, and the Philippines are among the high-risk countries included on Malaysia’s no-entry list; travellers wearing face masks at Kuala Lumpur International Airport in Malaysia pictured
Senior minister (security cluster) Ismail Sabri Yaakob said the Health Ministry will soon announce a list of countries whose citizens will be included in the entry ban.
“However, for emergency cases or bilateral relations, such as if people need to come here for a meeting between countries, we will allow their entry. But this requires permission from the Immigration Department,” New Straits Times quoted him as having said.
On Tuesday, Malaysia announced an entry ban on long-term pass holders from India, Indonesia, and the Philippines from next Monday.
Earlier this week, health director-general, Noor Hisham Abdullah, told a press conference that the infectivity rate of Covid-19 has increased in Malaysia, stressing an urgent need to continue tightening border controls. He also noted that the majority of coronavirus cases reported in Malaysia lately were imported cases, amid a global surge.
The ministry is expecting an exponential surge in Covid-19 cases in the months of November and December, following full winter in the northern hemisphere.
A more concentrated push needs to be taken by Indonesia’s government to stimulate domestic travel demand, including focusing its marketing efforts on select few destinations and rolling out a safe travel campaign to shine light on the industry’s crusade against coronavirus.
Irfan Setiaputra, president director of national flag carrier Garuda Indonesia, said that the government should relook its plan to develop 10 new Balis, including five super-priority tourism destinations such as Toba Lake in North Sumatra and Labuan Bajo in East Nusa Tenggara.
Government should shelve 10 new Balis plan for now and target two destinations for rebound, says Irfan
He suggested for the government to follow in the footsteps of neighbouring countries like Thailand and Malaysia who dedicate their marketing resources to specially promoting just a couple of destinations such as Phuket and Penang in the initial Covid-19 recovery phase.
To get the tourism sector back on track, the government should evolve its marketing strategy to focus on two destinations over the next one to two years, including Bali as a top priority plus one of the 10 New Balis to be determined by considering “the interest of the people”.
“If our attention is spread out to ten destinations, we will not get many tourists (due to the lack of focus),” he said in a recent webinar initiated by Indonesia National Air Carriers Association (INACA).
To stimulate demand to the selected destinations, the government needs to play a more proactive role, said Budi Tirtawisata, CEO of Panorama Group. Examples of measures he cited include incentivising tourists and tour operators in source markets, activating travel and trade shows, diversifying attractions in tourist destinations, standardising safety protocols, and providing tax holidays for investment in the tourism sector.
He said that the government also needed to roll out more friendly regulations to air passengers to lure them to fly as well as lobby foreign airlines to reopen direct routes to those destinations.
However, Irfan stressed, health protocols should not be neglected for the sake of expediting tourism recovery, as the pandemic has brought safety to the top of travellers’ minds. Weak enforcement of health protocols along the tourism value chain could lead to a collapse of public confidence in travel and airlines, resulting in a more drawn-out recovery for the sector.
“There was a debate about the necessity to increase airline seat capacity from 50 to 70 per cent, or even 100 per cent. Garuda Indonesia did not want the government to restore full operational capacity because physical distancing has been the concern of the people and the airline industry should be the first to set an example and comply to the health protocols,” he said.
Such industry-led efforts to campaign for safe travel should be more widely publicised via a massive state-run campaign, opined Elly Hutabarat, chair of the Indonesian Travel Agent Association.
Public fear about air travel lingered due to the lack of an effective campaign, Elly said, even though airlines have equipped their aircraft with a HEPA filter, which can purify the air to reduce airborne transmission risk.
According to her observations, many people are unaware about HEPA.
She, therefore, urged the government to collaborate with INACA, airport operators, and other stakeholders to roll out a joint campaign on safe travel, which includes raising awareness about HEPA.
“Why do (businesses) hire a good PR company to make an effective campaign? Because they know how to change people’s minds,” she said.
Muhammad Awaluddin, president director of airport operator Angkasa Pura II, agreed with Elly on the necessity and importance of a publicity campaign to rebuild trust among the flying public.
The Angkasa Pura II, he said, had launched the Safe Travels Campaign on July 27. Since then, he has seen 9,289 aircraft movements and 788,000 passengers across its 19 airports from August 1-12, up 16 per cent month-on-month and 48 per cent from July, respectively. He believed that the result would be bigger if all stakeholders collaborated.
Four Seasons Hotel Tokyo at Otemachi, Japan
Housed on the highest floors of a new 39-storey tower in Otemachi, the hotel offers 170 Jean-Michel Gathy-designed guestrooms and 20 suites including the 38th-floor Imperial Suite. Among the four F&B offerings are Italian restaurant Pigneto and Virtu cocktail bar. An on-site spa offers five treatment rooms, alongside additional facilities such as steam rooms, Japanese baths, gym, and a 20m-long indoor pool. Flexible event space spanning 1,370m² across multiple venues include a Grand Ballroom with six-metre-high ceiling, and several function rooms and outdoor terraces. Separately on the 39th floor, the Social Room is a residential-style venue for executive meetings or private cocktail receptions.
Courtyard by Marriott Penang, Malaysia
The first Courtyard in the country stands along Jalan Macalister in the heart of Penang’s UNESCO-listed George Town. It offers 199 keys, with facilities such as a business centre, 24-hour fitness centre, an outdoor infinity pool, the Gin Library bar, and all-day dining restaurant Penang Kitchen. Event planners may avail the pillarless ballroom good for 150 guests, or eight meeting rooms.
Sheraton Kunming and Delta Hotels by Marriott Kunming, China Marriott has opened the Sheraton Kunming and Delta Hotels by Marriott Kunming, marking the debut of Sheraton Hotels and Delta Hotels by Marriott in the capital city of China’s Yunnan province. Sheraton Kunming offers 427 guestrooms, while Delta Hotels by Marriott Kunming features 639 rooms. Together, the duo boasts 3,000m² of shared conference and banquet spaces, including a 1,352m² pillarless grand ballroom, eight multifunction rooms and a rooftop garden. Recreational facilities include a fitness centre, heated indoor swimming pool and spa, as well as five F&B options ranging from the all-day diner Xiu to Yun Chinese restaurant.
Oval Hotel, Australia
Set to open its doors in September 2020, the boutique hotel located at Adelaide Oval has started accepting bookings. All 138 rooms including two master suites will feature intuitive technology such as keyless entry and electronic room controls for personalisation of climate, lighting and ambiance, curtains, room servicing and privacy settings. Other amenities are the brand’s flagship bar and dining spaces, including the all-new Bespoke Wine Bar & Kitchen.
Countryside excursions trump city breaks when it comes to Japanese travellers seeking domestic getaways in this Covid era, while family and friends are cited as the most popular choices for travel companions.
Those are among the findings of Agoda’s recent GoLocal travel survey, which revealed that nationally, Japanese domestic travellers want to visit the countryside most (57%), while holidays to the cities (47%), and beach (40%) come in second and third.
Hokkaido emerges as the top domestic getaway for Japanese travellers, with more skipping cities and beaches in favour of the countryside; a sunflower garden in Hokkaido, Japan pictured
The survey, which polled 1,000 respondents in Japan, found that Japanese domestic travellers from Hokkaido, Tohoku and Shikoku are most likely to want to visit cities and metropolitan areas (65%), with 37% of Japanese from Hokkaido wanting to travel to Kanto on their next domestic trip.
Travelling with friends is the joint second most popular travel companion choice (18%) aligned with partner (18%), after family at 58% for Japanese travellers surveyed in general, with women more keen on travelling with friends than men (22% and 13%, respectively).
Female domestic travellers are most likely to want to visit the countryside (55%), followed by 49% looking to explore cities and 39% hoping to visit the beaches. Hokkaido again came out tops (48%) as the preferred destination for female Japanese, followed by Kyushu (46%) and Kinki (27%). Kyushu nudges Hokkaido off the top spot for repeat visits for female Japanese, with Kinki in third spot.
According to the survey, Hokkaido come out tops as the local region most domestic travellers would like to visit on their next trip (46%), followed by Kyushu (43%) and Kinki (24%). Those three destinations are also the most popular Japanese destinations to revisit for domestic travellers.
Kanto is the topmost region visited by Japanese travellers, with 83% of Japanese travellers claiming to have visited previously. Kinki (72%) and Kyushu (62%) make the top three, followed by Chubu (57%), Hokkaido (56%), Tohoku (49%), Chugoku (48%) and Shikoku (43%). Interestingly, Kyushu (34%), Hokkaido (31%) and Kinki (21%) are the three destinations that Japanese would want to return to again and again.
Planeterra Foundation has launched its first annual Planeterra Trek Challenge and is inviting the travel industry to join a virtual trek to Everest Base Camp to help rebuild community tourism ravaged by the coronavirus.
This year’s trek spotlights the work of Planeterra’s partners in South Asia, including Nepal, with the challenge being for participants to walk the 65km, or 85,000 steps, it takes to climb to Everest Base Camp. The challenge takes place from September 21-27, with participants ‘reaching the top’ on World Tourism Day, September 27.
Planeterra issues a virtual trek challenge to Everest Base Camp to help rebuild community tourism; rows of prayer flags at a memorial site in the Everest Base Camp, Nepal pictured
Planeterra’s founder, Bruce Poon Tip, has already built his own team, and pledged to match donations from participating teams, and donors, up to CAD$25,000 (US$19,085).
Bruce is inviting agency partners, suppliers, and the wider tourism industry to join the foundation in raising awareness and much-needed funds.
“The Planeterra Trek Challenge is an opportunity for us to come together virtually and create a sense of connection at a time where people are feeling distanced, not just from travel, but from other countries and cultures,” he said. “Most of us are missing travelling and many are looking for a way to give back to the people and communities who have given us life-changing travel experiences in the past.”
Bruce added: “We also want to spotlight this iconic region for travel that is currently void of tourists. These communities need our help, so let’s get away from our home offices for a bit, maybe tackle a personal fitness challenge at the same time, and do what we can to make a difference.”
Funds raised through Planeterra’s initiative will go towards helping its network of 85 community projects around the world rebuild, after the pandemic-induced travel standstill left them without any source of income.
“We are preparing a series of unique content and stories online that will celebrate and highlight community tourism. This includes interviews with travellers who have summited Everest, interviews with community tourism leaders and cooking demonstrations. Anyone who loves travel is going to want to get involved,” added Alanna Wallace, Planeterra’s program and communications manager.
The Planeterra Trek Challenge will be supported across Planeterra’s social media channels and agents can learn more about the campaign and how to sell trips to Everest Base Camp via the Agents of Change Facebook group.
Throughout September, Planeterra will be posting videos, blogs, webinars with special guests, and other information about their work in the region, as well as tips for trekking in Nepal and the unique and inspiring aspects about travel in South Asia.
Donations collected will provide kickstarter funding for communities around the world that need to invest in new health and safety measures, contribute to training for safe reopening, and help to ensure communities remain resilient and safe for years to come.
Register your team to join the Planeterra Trek challenge here.
The inaugural ITB India this April will take on a hybrid model, becoming one of the first exhibitions in India to do so.
The physical exhibition will be held from April 7-9 at the Bombay Exhibition Centre in Mumbai, while the virtual event is set to take place five days later, from April 15-16.
The live event is expected to welcome over 8,000 attendees, more than 400 exhibitors, over 500 buyers, and an array of over 150 top speakers. The virtual event, which will be hosted on ITB Community in Asia, is set to complement the live event by reuniting a much wider audience accompanied with digital innovations to improve audience engagement and connectivity.
“We see how trade fairs are changing as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic. Personal contact remains the heart of a trade fair. At the same time, however, the trade fairs of the future will be hybrid events. Classic meetings of exhibitors and visitors will be accompanied by digital events,” said Sonia Prashar, deputy director general of Indo-German Chamber of Commerce, the organiser of ITB India.
Attendees can expect business matching opportunities. On-site pre-scheduled appointments are coupled with additional virtual appointments connecting exhibitors and buyers during the live and virtual event.
The live event will also feature a line-up of key industry speakers and showcases of innovative technology and solutions. Exclusive access for selected audience profiles and focused sessions on niche topics will also be available in both live and virtual events.
All ITB India exhibitors will also be given a complimentary virtual booth, while all attendees of ITB India live event will be entitled to complimentary access to the virtual event.
Singapore and South Korea have concluded bilateral negotiations on a fast lane that will allow for essential business and official travel between the two countries from Friday (September 4).
The agreement, which will have necessary public health safeguards in place, will help restore connectivity and support economic recovery, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) said in a press statement on Wednesday.
Singapore, South Korea agree on fast lane arrangement to facilitate essential travel; Bukchon Hanok Village in Seoul, South Korea pictured
Eligible travellers will have to abide by the mutually agreed terms and prevailing public health measures in the respective countries, such as health safeguards in the form of pre-departure and post-arrival testing as well as the need to adhere to a controlled itinerary for the first 14 days in the receiving country.
Operational details including the requirements, health protocols and application process will be published on the SafeTravel website by September 4.
Singapore’s foreign minister Vivian Balakrishnan and his South Korean counterpart, Kang Kyung-wha, welcomed the conclusion of the fast lane talks, when they spoke via telephone on September 2, said MFA. The ministers also reaffirmed the importance of bilateral cooperation to jointly overcome both countries’ common challenges amid the pandemic.
Manila-based Rajah Travel Corporation (RTC) will launch a travel management programme covering aspects that are usually not taught in hospitality schools, so as to groom a new generation of industry-ready graduates.
Titled Remote Practicum Mentorship, the programme is touted as an alternative learning activity for tourism and hospitality students aimed at “bridging the gap between what is being taught in schools and what is happening in the workplace”, said RTC chair and president Aileen Clemente.
Slated to launch on October 5, the course is the only one of its kind in the Philippines, as most schools’ curriculum and on-the-job training are less focused on tourism (travel agencies, tour operators), and more on hospitality (hotels, culinary, cruise ships, etc.), Clemente claimed.
In a recent Tourism Industry Board Foundation webinar, Clemente said the online programme will include topics not taught in schools, such as corporate travel, programme management and supplier negotiations.
Sessions will range from understanding the jargon, fares, pricing and tariffs to content platforms beyond GDS. Students will also be able to put theory into practice with application exercises, situational analysis, simple business simulations and complex business situations.
“We are concentrating a lot more on soft skills… Even if you consider booking a menial task, it isn’t really because it is a core business if you put critical thinking into play,” Clemente said.
Practicum advisers, or professors, are allowed to participate in the practicum sessions, she added, so “they can also experience what their students are experiencing and for them to know whether it is a good programme or not”.
Students will be rated based on their analytical skills, critical thinking, attendance and participation, among other things. According to Clemente, the programme with 21 different sessions spanning a total of 540 hours, has been getting a good response from schools.
The Sheraton Grand Mirage Resort, Gold Coast has appointed Keith Massey as its general manager.
Boasting over 25 years’ experience in the hospitality industry, Massey was most recently the general manager of the JW Marriott Khao Lak Resort & Spa in Thailand. Prior to that, he has held various positions across the globe in Singapore, China, India, France, Hong Kong and Malaysia.
Singapore and Brunei have agreed to establish a reciprocal green lane (RGL) to facilitate essential business and official travel between both countries.
This comes after Singapore announced last month that it would ease border restrictions to allow general travel to and from Brunei and New Zealand from September 1.
Singapore, Brunei agree on green lane arrangement to facilitate the resumption of essentialtravel between both countries; Jame Asr Hassanil Bolkiah Mosque in Brunei pictured
Singapore is the first country that Brunei has reopened its borders to, since the sultanate imposed a travel ban in March to curb Covid-19 spread.
Applications are now open. Under the RGL arrangement, travellers will have to adhere to a set of safety guidelines including contact tracing, controlled itineraries, and mandatory Covid-19 swab tests.
For applicants travelling from Singapore to Brunei, and vice versa, the receiving enterprise or government agency in either country need to apply for a travel pass – SafeTravel Pass for Singapore, and Entry Travel Pass for Brunei – on their behalf to obtain an approval letter to enter their host country.
The receiving party will be required to submit the traveller’s controlled itinerary in either Singapore or Brunei for the first 14 days.
In addition, for those travelling to Brunei, the receiving enterprise or government agency in Singapore will have to log onto the SafeTravel Pass portal within 72 hours before the traveller’s scheduled departure to submit his or her negative Covid-19 test result.
Approved applicants travelling from either country who are visa-required passport holders can proceed to apply for a visa for travel to their host country through the usual channels. Those with an existing valid visa need not apply for a new visa as the visa suspension that was in place due to Covid-19 will be automatically lifted when their SafeTravel Pass or Entry Travel Pass is approved.
Eligible travellers must have remained in either Singapore or Brunei for at least 14 days prior to departure. They must undertake a Covid-19 swab test at least once within 72 hours before departure, and obtain a negative Covid-19 certificate from the relevant health authorities. They must also ensure that they are in good health before boarding the flight.
Prior to boarding, travellers from either Singapore or Brunei will be required to produce the approved travel pass (SafeTravel Pass for Singapore, and Entry Travel Pass for Brunei), negative results of a Covid-19 swab test taken within 72 hours before departure, and a valid return air ticket.
They are also required to submit pre-trip health and travel history declarations, and have a valid visa (for visa-required passport holders) at check-in at the airport in either Singapore or Brunei. Additionally, travellers from Singapore to Brunei will also need to show valid proof of payment for post-arrival swab test.
Those who do not meet the requirements may be refused boarding. Users of the RGL between Singapore and Brunei will bear the cost of their respective pre-departure Covid-19 swab tests.
Upon arrival in either Singapore or Brunei, travellers must produce a valid travel pass, negative results of a Covid-19 swab test taken within 72 hours before departure, and a valid visa (for visa-required passport holders) for immigration checks. Otherwise, the traveller may be refused entry.
They are also required to undertake a Covid-19 swab test, and remain in isolation at the pre-declared accommodation until they receive their test results. Transportation from the airport to declared accommodation will have to be provided by the receiving enterprise or government agency, subject to prevailing health measures. Travellers will bear the costs of the post-arrival Covid-19 tests in either Singapore or Brunei and stay in the declared locations.
If the test result indicates that the traveller from either Singapore or Brunei has tested negative for Covid-19, the receiving enterprise or government agency will transport the traveller directly from the declared accommodation to their workplaces or residences.
Travellers are also required to download and use their respective host country’s contact tracing apps – TraceTogether in Singapore, and BruHealth in Brunei – for the duration of their stay.
If the test result indicates that the traveller has tested positive for Covid-19, he or she will be promptly accorded the necessary medical treatment by either the Singapore or Brunei government, with costs to be borne by the traveller.
Travellers must adhere to a controlled itinerary that is supervised by the receiving enterprise or government agency for the duration of or the first 14 days of the visit, whichever is shorter. Returning travellers will be subject to the prevailing health measures for RGL travellers in either country.
The live event is expected to welcome over 8,000 attendees, more than 400 exhibitors, over 500 buyers, and an array of over 150 top speakers. The virtual event, which will be hosted on ITB Community in Asia, is set to complement the live event by reuniting a much wider audience accompanied with digital innovations to improve audience engagement and connectivity.
Slated to launch on October 5, the course is the only one of its kind in the Philippines, as most schools’ curriculum and on-the-job training are less focused on tourism (travel agencies, tour operators), and more on hospitality (hotels, culinary, cruise ships, etc.), Clemente claimed.
Planeterra Foundation has launched its first annual Planeterra Trek Challenge and is inviting the travel industry to join a virtual trek to Everest Base Camp to help rebuild community tourism ravaged by the coronavirus.
This year’s trek spotlights the work of Planeterra’s partners in South Asia, including Nepal, with the challenge being for participants to walk the 65km, or 85,000 steps, it takes to climb to Everest Base Camp. The challenge takes place from September 21-27, with participants ‘reaching the top’ on World Tourism Day, September 27.
Planeterra’s founder, Bruce Poon Tip, has already built his own team, and pledged to match donations from participating teams, and donors, up to CAD$25,000 (US$19,085).
Bruce is inviting agency partners, suppliers, and the wider tourism industry to join the foundation in raising awareness and much-needed funds.
“The Planeterra Trek Challenge is an opportunity for us to come together virtually and create a sense of connection at a time where people are feeling distanced, not just from travel, but from other countries and cultures,” he said. “Most of us are missing travelling and many are looking for a way to give back to the people and communities who have given us life-changing travel experiences in the past.”
Bruce added: “We also want to spotlight this iconic region for travel that is currently void of tourists. These communities need our help, so let’s get away from our home offices for a bit, maybe tackle a personal fitness challenge at the same time, and do what we can to make a difference.”
Funds raised through Planeterra’s initiative will go towards helping its network of 85 community projects around the world rebuild, after the pandemic-induced travel standstill left them without any source of income.
“We are preparing a series of unique content and stories online that will celebrate and highlight community tourism. This includes interviews with travellers who have summited Everest, interviews with community tourism leaders and cooking demonstrations. Anyone who loves travel is going to want to get involved,” added Alanna Wallace, Planeterra’s program and communications manager.
The Planeterra Trek Challenge will be supported across Planeterra’s social media channels and agents can learn more about the campaign and how to sell trips to Everest Base Camp via the Agents of Change Facebook group.
Throughout September, Planeterra will be posting videos, blogs, webinars with special guests, and other information about their work in the region, as well as tips for trekking in Nepal and the unique and inspiring aspects about travel in South Asia.
Donations collected will provide kickstarter funding for communities around the world that need to invest in new health and safety measures, contribute to training for safe reopening, and help to ensure communities remain resilient and safe for years to come.
Register your team to join the Planeterra Trek challenge here.