www.channelnewsasia.com Open in urlscan Pro
104.109.94.227  Public Scan

Form analysis
1 forms found in the DOM

POST /commentary/china-reopen-tourist-singapore-southeast-asia-covid-economy-travel-3200501?cid=FBcna

<form class="subscription-form-1" data-drupal-selector="subscription-form-1" action="/commentary/china-reopen-tourist-singapore-southeast-asia-covid-economy-travel-3200501?cid=FBcna" method="post" id="subscription-form-1" accept-charset="UTF-8">
  <div class="subscribe-form-wrapper">
    <div class="js-form-item form-item">
      <div class="form-item__dropdown"><select data-drupal-selector="edit-newsletter-shortcode" id="edit-newsletter-shortcode" name="newsletter_shortcode" class="form-select form-item__select">
          <option value="" selected="selected">Choose a newsletter</option>
          <option value="CNA_Partners">Morning Brief</option>
          <option value="CNA_EveningBrief">Evening Brief</option>
          <option value="CNA_BreakingNews">Breaking news alerts</option>
          <option value="CNA_Insider">CNA Insider</option>
          <option value="CNA_Commentary">CNA Commentary</option>
          <option value="CNA_Partners,CNA_EveningBrief,CNA_BreakingNews,CNA_Insider,CNA_Commentary">All of the above</option>
        </select></div>
    </div>
    <div class="js-form-item form-item">
      <input placeholder="Enter email address" data-drupal-selector="edit-email" type="text" id="edit-email" name="email" value="" size="60" maxlength="128" class="form-text form-item__textfield">
    </div>
    <input data-drupal-selector="edit-subscription-div-identifier" type="hidden" name="subscription_div_identifier" value="subscription_form__1556" class="form-item__textfield">
    <input autocomplete="off" data-drupal-selector="form-phx87exo2lqfgisct6-gtyb8vsc9ww365hcittsdvfa" type="hidden" name="form_build_id" value="form-pHX87ExO2LqfGIsCT6-GtYb8vsc9wW365hcitTsdVFA" class="form-item__textfield">
    <input data-drupal-selector="edit-subscription-form-1" type="hidden" name="form_id" value="subscription_form_1" class="form-item__textfield">
    <div class="submit-wrapper"><input data-drupal-selector="edit-submit" data-disable-refocus="true" type="submit" id="edit-submit" name="op" value="Subscribe Now" class="button js-form-submit form-submit form-item__textfield"
        data-once="drupal-ajax">
    </div>
  </div>
  <div id="form-error-subscription_form__1556" class="inline-error"></div>
</form>

Text Content

Skip to main content
Best News Website or Mobile Service
 
WAN-IFRA Digital Media Awards Worldwide
Best News Website or Mobile Service
 
Digital Media Awards Worldwide
 * Sign In
 * Account
 * My Feed
 * Search

Hamburger Menu
Close
 * Top Stories
   
   * Singapore
     
   * Asia
     
   * World
     
   * Commentary
     
   * Sustainability
     
   * Business
     
   * Sport
     
   * COVID-19
     
 * Latest News
   
 * Discover
   
 * CNA Insider
   
 * Watch
   
   * Live TV
     
   * News Reports
     
   * Documentaries & Shows
     
   * TV Schedule
     
 * Listen
   
   * CNA938 Live
     
   * Podcasts
     
   * Radio Schedule
     
 * Special Reports
   
   * Singapore Parliament
     
   * Mental Health
     
   * Interactives
     
   * World Cup
     
 * Lifestyle
   
   * Entertainment
     
   * Women
     
   * Wellness
     
   * Living
     
   * Style & Beauty
     
   * Dining
     
   * Travel
     
 * Luxury
   
   * Experiences
     
   * Obsessions
     
   * People
     
   * Remarkable Living
     
 * CNA Eyewitness
   
   * Send us a news tip
     
 * Branded Content
   
   * Business Blueprint
     
   * Health Matters
     
   * The Asian Traveller
     
 * Weather
   

Edition:
 * Singapore
   
 * Asia
   

Close
Close
 * Top Stories
   
   * Singapore
     
   * Asia
     
   * World
     
   * Commentary
     
   * Sustainability
     
   * Business
     
   * Sport
     
   * COVID-19
     
 * Latest News
   
 * Discover
   
 * CNA Insider
   
 * Watch
   
   * Live TV
     
   * News Reports
     
   * Documentaries & Shows
     
   * TV Schedule
     
 * Listen
   
   * CNA938 Live
     
   * Podcasts
     
   * Radio Schedule
     
 * Special Reports
   
   * Singapore Parliament
     
   * Mental Health
     
   * Interactives
     
   * World Cup
     
 * Lifestyle
   
   * Entertainment
     
   * Women
     
   * Wellness
     
   * Living
     
   * Style & Beauty
     
   * Dining
     
   * Travel
     
 * Luxury
   
   * Experiences
     
   * Obsessions
     
   * People
     
   * Remarkable Living
     
 * CNA Eyewitness
   
   * Send us a news tip
     
 * Branded Content
   
   * Business Blueprint
     
   * Health Matters
     
   * The Asian Traveller
     
 * Weather
   

Edition:
 * Singapore
   
 * Asia
   

SEARCH



TRENDING TOPICS


China COVID-19 Elon Musk FTX Ukraine invasion climate change Malaysia CNA
Explains Snap Insight Wellness

FOLLOW CNA


FOLLOW OUR NEWS

 * Facebook
 * Twitter
 * Youtube
 * LinkedIn
 * RSS



RECENT SEARCHES



TRENDING TOPICS


China COVID-19 Elon Musk FTX Ukraine invasion climate change Malaysia CNA
Explains Snap Insight Wellness



MAIN NAVIGATION

 * Top Stories
   
 * Latest News
   
 * Discover
   
 * Singapore
   
 * Asia
   
 * Commentary
   
 * Sustainability
   
 * CNA Insider
   
 * Lifestyle
   
 * Watch
   
 * Listen
   
 * + All Sections
   

Commentary

COMMENTARY: STAYING OPEN TO CHINA TRAVELLERS IS A HUGE ECONOMIC GAMBLE FOR
SOUTHEAST ASIA

Bookmark Bookmark Share
WhatsApp Telegram Facebook Twitter Email LinkedIn
Close
Close
 * Top Stories
   
   * Singapore
     
   * Asia
     
   * World
     
   * Commentary
     
   * Sustainability
     
   * Business
     
   * Sport
     
   * COVID-19
     
 * Latest News
   
 * Discover
   
 * CNA Insider
   
 * Watch
   
   * Live TV
     
   * News Reports
     
   * Documentaries & Shows
     
   * TV Schedule
     
 * Listen
   
   * CNA938 Live
     
   * Podcasts
     
   * Radio Schedule
     
 * Special Reports
   
   * Singapore Parliament
     
   * Mental Health
     
   * Interactives
     
   * World Cup
     
 * Lifestyle
   
   * Entertainment
     
   * Women
     
   * Wellness
     
   * Living
     
   * Style & Beauty
     
   * Dining
     
   * Travel
     
 * Luxury
   
   * Experiences
     
   * Obsessions
     
   * People
     
   * Remarkable Living
     
 * CNA Eyewitness
   
   * Send us a news tip
     
 * Branded Content
   
   * Business Blueprint
     
   * Health Matters
     
   * The Asian Traveller
     
 * Weather
   

Edition:
 * Singapore
   
 * Asia
   

SEARCH



TRENDING TOPICS


China COVID-19 Elon Musk FTX Ukraine invasion climate change Malaysia CNA
Explains Snap Insight Wellness

FOLLOW CNA


FOLLOW OUR NEWS

 * Facebook
 * Twitter
 * Youtube
 * LinkedIn
 * RSS



RECENT SEARCHES



TRENDING TOPICS


China COVID-19 Elon Musk FTX Ukraine invasion climate change Malaysia CNA
Explains Snap Insight Wellness



ADVERTISEMENT










ADVERTISEMENT







Commentary


COMMENTARY: STAYING OPEN TO CHINA TRAVELLERS IS A HUGE ECONOMIC GAMBLE FOR
SOUTHEAST ASIA

Southeast Asia needs Chinese travellers for its post-pandemic economic recovery
but staying open to China is a huge gamble with equally big returns, says
business writer Raini Hamdi.

Chinese tourists arrive at Suvarnabhumi International Airport in Thailand, Jan
9, 2023. (AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit)

RAINI HAMDI

Raini Hamdi
13 Jan 2023 06:00AM (Updated: 13 Jan 2023 03:37PM)
Bookmark Bookmark Share
WhatsApp Telegram Facebook Twitter Email LinkedIn


SINGAPORE: Having pined for a return of Chinese tourists, the global tourism
industry must now deal with the headaches of having its wish come true. 

Countries are now choosing whether to participate in the Great Reopening
immediately, or wait to see how the risks of a fresh COVID-19 wave play out
elsewhere. There is already a clear divide.


ADVERTISEMENT





Southeast Asia seems all for it, with most not imposing any measures. On Monday
(Jan 9), Singapore Health Minister Ong Ye Kung affirmed no changes to
Singapore’s border measures – all travellers are required to be fully vaccinated
or have a negative pre-departure test (PDT) result. 

Malaysia is an outlier, announcing on Tuesday it would operate special lanes for
China travellers at its international entry points with on-arrival
testing. Elsewhere, the United States and some European Union countries have
imposed a PDT requirement on travellers from China.

But this is not an East and West divide: Japan was among the first countries to
announce a negative PDT requirement; Morocco makes history by being the first
country to ban all arrivals from China.


A HUGE ECONOMIC GAMBLE

What it is, is a huge economic and political gamble. Southeast Asia needs
Chinese travellers desperately for its economic recovery.

Countries are expecting a gradual increase in China tourists after China lifted
border measures. (Photo: TODAY/lli Nadhirah Mansor)

In 2019, the region received around 32 million Chinese visitors, or 23 per cent
of its total arrivals, according to ASEAN Statistics Division. Thailand, Vietnam
and Singapore were the top three ASEAN destinations for Chinese arrivals, in
that order.


ADVERTISEMENT





By 2020, all received only a fraction of what they used to get in 2019:
Thailand, just 1.2 million in 2020 down from 11 million in 2019; Vietnam 900,000
down from 5.8 million and Singapore, 357,000 down from 3.6 million pre-pandemic.

Thailand would be happy if it received just 5 million Chinese tourists this
year. A Singapore Tourism Board spokesperson said forecast figures are not
available currently. 

But there could be unintended consequences. Could others be deterred from
travelling for fear of increased exposure to COVID-19 infection? Will China
squeeze out markets such as Indonesia and India, which supported Singapore’s
tourism industry last year?

Every country is weighing up the potential economic gains against the
possibility of offending China. Beijing, bristling from entry restrictions by a
string of countries, has warned it would apply “countermeasures based on the
principle of reciprocity”, saying the restrictions imposed “lack scientific
basis”. On Tuesday, it suspended visas for South Korea and Japan arrivals.

What narrative the science sells depends on where you are. Western politicians
and health experts argue that millions of Chinese increase the risk of another
“game-changing” variant emerging.


ADVERTISEMENT





Those in Southeast Asia assuage such fears by flagging high immunity and
vaccination rates, along with more than two years of experience in handling
COVID-19. Singapore said about 40 per cent of the population have been
infected, 56 per cent with up-to-date vaccination, while healthcare capacity has
also been boosted.

RELATED:

COMMENTARY: BY NOW, SINGAPORE HAS PLENTY OF EXPERIENCE IN ENSURING COVID-SAFE
TRAVEL

COMMENTARY: CHINA’S COVID-19 SITUATION IS DIRE - BUT IT SHOULDN’T POSE A BIG
RISK TO OTHER COUNTRIES


NO GREAT REOPENING PLAYBOOK

But there really isn’t a crisis management playbook for the Great Reopening. If
Southeast Asia is taking this big gamble, what is left is for it to deal with
the decision, prepare and adapt to reopening as it unfolds. 

There will be confusion. Thailand announced on Saturday a requirement for all
international arrivals, not just from China, to be fully vaccinated – only to
rescind it just two days later, on the day it was to take effect, after the
tourism sector pointed out the fallout.

There will be unease. One is the psychological discomfort of serving Chinese
travellers among frontline workers, which Arthur Kiong, CEO of Far East
Hospitality Management, told me “is real”.

“We assure them that Singapore has herd immunity and that all incoming
travellers are vaccinated while those who aren’t are tested prior to entry. We
ensure they have received their latest booster shots. It is natural to have the
psychological fear initially but our team members will be masked up and their
medical costs are relatively well covered in the unlikely event anyone falls
ill,” Kiong told me.


ADVERTISEMENT




The hope is that any anxieties will gradually fade as the momentum of Chinese
travellers gradually picks up. Singapore currently runs less than 10 per cent of
the pre-pandemic number of weekly flights from China and is looking to
“carefully restore” air connectivity.



SOUTHEAST ASIA COULD WIN BIG

But what do Chinese travellers think of the world’s reaction to their regained
travel freedom? If they are anything like avid and intrepid tourist Wendy Min,
international trips by Chinese will shoot up faster than Thailand’s about-turn.

Min works with an online travel agency, but speaking as a traveller, told me
that she would rather go through the paperwork and COVID-19 tests than be stuck
without any international travel after all this time. 

She described new border measures as “only temporary”, adding that her Chinese
friends are more worried about losing their luggage, facing flight delays and
cancellations in Europe, and experiencing bad customer service due to labour
shortage. Just like all travellers.

“Personally, I think there's a significant drop in Chinese-speaking staff such
as drivers and guides, and rehiring them to meet the demand of Chinese
travellers will be a challenge. I observed this while travelling in Australia
and Southeast Asia,” said Min. 

RELATED:

COMMENTARY: RESURGENT CHINESE TRAVEL WOULD RESET THE COUNTRY’S GLOBAL IMAGE

COMMENTARY: AFTER 3 YEARS, I FINALLY CAUGHT COVID-19 IN CHINA

Unfortunately, not all Chinese travellers may think the same way. Some are
avoiding places that are not letting them in easily, favouring more “welcoming”
countries, according to a CNBC report. 

This could give Southeast Asia a big win, especially if Beijing takes further
retaliatory action against countries that impose new restrictions on Chinese
travellers.

Beijing has in the past issued travel bans or warnings in state media that can
hold Chinese tourists back from specific destinations. In 2019, it warned
citizens not to travel for work or study to the US as trade tensions between the
two economies escalated.

Trip.com Group CEO Jane Sun is “prudently optimistic” travel volumes will be
back by the end of this year. 

But a subsequent COVID-19 wave and how this is portrayed within the differing
reopening narratives might undermine Singapore’s hitherto strong stature in how
we have handled COVID-19 and set our reputation back, as hotel CEO Kiong noted.

No gamble is risk-free.

Raini Hamdi is a Singapore-based business journalist who writes on hospitality,
travel and tourism in Asia. She is Pacific Asia Travel Association Journalist of
the Year and has authored two books on hospitality.

RELATED:

COMMENTARY: LIFTING TRAVEL CURBS MAY NOT REVITALISE HONG KONG ECONOMY

COMMENTARY: LEISURE TRAVEL IS BOUNCING BACK BUT IT’S NOT ALL GOOD NEWS FOR MAJOR
CARRIERS LIKE SINGAPORE AIRLINES

Source: CNA/ch


RELATED TOPICS

China COVID-19 tourism Travel


ADVERTISEMENT






ALSO WORTH READING

CHINA DEFENDS ITS RETALIATION AGAINST SOUTH KOREA, JAPAN COVID-19 CURBS

NO PRE-DEPARTURE COVID-19 TESTS FOR TRAVELLERS FROM CHINA AS SEVERE CASES CAN
ORIGINATE FROM ANYWHERE: ONG YE KUNG

SINGAPORE CLINICS PREPARE FOR POTENTIAL SURGE IN COVID-19 CASES, AS MORE
TRAVELLERS FROM CHINA ARRIVE

FAMILIES REUNITE IN CHINA AS FLIGHTS ARRIVE FROM CANADA, SINGAPORE AND OTHER
COUNTRIES

Recommended by
These students are counting on uplifting words to nudge youth towards better
mental well-being
Wenn Sie über 30 sind, macht dieses Spiel süchtig. Keine Installation nötig
taongafarm.com
Wall St. Legend Warns: "A Big Change Is Coming" Visionary Profit
[Gallery] 27 T-shirt Fails That Went Too Viral HeraldWeekly



ADVERTISEMENT



Expand to read the full story

Fetching more news


CNA SECTIONS

 * Asia
   
 * Singapore
   
 * Business
   
 * CNA Insider
   
 * Lifestyle
   
 * Luxury
   
 * CNA938 Live
   
 * Commentary
   
 * Interactives
   
 * Live TV
   
 * Sport
   
 * World
   
 * Special Reports
   


ABOUT CNA

 * About Us
   
 * Advertise With Us
   
 * Contact Us
   
 * Hotel Partners
   
 * Correspondents
   
 * Presenters
   
 * Mediacorp Network
   


PRESSED FOR TIME? STAY INFORMED WITH CNA'S NEWSLETTERS

Be among the first to know the Breaking news

Choose a newsletterMorning BriefEvening BriefBreaking news alertsCNA InsiderCNA
CommentaryAll of the above




This service is not intended for persons residing in the E.U. By clicking
subscribe, I agree to receive news updates and promotional material from
Mediacorp and Mediacorp's partners.


FOLLOW OUR NEWS

 * Facebook
 * Twitter
 * Youtube
 * LinkedIn
 * RSS



Copyright© Mediacorp 2023. Mediacorp Pte Ltd. All rights reserved.

Official Domain | Terms & Conditions | Privacy Policy















THIS BROWSER IS NO LONGER SUPPORTED

We know it's a hassle to switch browsers but we want your experience with CNA to
be fast, secure and the best it can possibly be.

To continue, upgrade to a supported browser or, for the finest experience,
download the mobile app.



Upgraded but still having issues? Contact us


✓
Thanks for sharing!
AddToAny
More…