Forming an Air Travel Bubble with Singapore: After Hong Kong, Which Destination Could Be Next?

SINGAPORE: Countries like Thailand, South Korea, and Japan could potentially partner with Singapore to create air travel bubbles in the future, although any decision is likely to hinge on how effectively COVID-19 is controlled in those countries instead. of pushing for tourism revenue, he said. travel experts.

Earlier this week, it was announced that the Singapore-Hong Kong air travel bubble will begin on November 22, with an initial daily flight to each city with 200 passengers each way. This will increase to two daily flights starting December 7.

Travelers, who must test negative for COVID-19, must take the dedicated flights, but will have no restrictions on the purpose of their trip. They do not have to follow a controlled itinerary and will not be subject to quarantine or stay-at-home notice.

Singapore and Hong Kong’s air travel bubble will start on November 22 with 200 travelers per way per day

This arrangement sets a potential blueprint for future air travel bubbles.

“We are proceeding with caution, but if the arrangement is successful and the pandemic remains under control on both sides, we can hope to expand the bubble to more flights and hopefully more destinations as well,” Prime Minister Lee said. Hsien Loong in a Facebook post after the announcement.

“Travelers will have to get used to the new regulations and COVID-19 swab testing, all part of the new normal.”

Speaking to the CNA, Ngee Ann Polytechnic Senior Lecturer in Tourism Michael Chiam said that the countries that could eventually establish a leisure travel bubble will likely be those that currently have fast and green lane agreements with Singapore for leisure travel. essential businesses and officers.

These include South Korea, Japan and China, he noted.

“We have received visitors from these countries and it has allowed us to assess the intensity of the infection there, as well as its effectiveness in infection control to make an informed decision on whether these countries should be included in the leisure travel bubble.” said. additional.

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Kevin Wee, a senior lecturer at the Nanyang Polytechnic School of Business Administration, said it is “difficult” to predict the next destination to have a bilateral travel bubble deal with Singapore.

Two key factors in the Singapore-Hong Kong travel bubble were effective control of the virus and the ability to carry out successful negotiations, he noted.

“In the same vein, countries that have pre-existing agreements with Singapore, such as those with reciprocal green lane agreements like Japan, could have a greater chance of forming a travel bubble with Singapore,” he said.

READ: COVID-19: What is stopping countries from lifting border restrictions on Singapore travelers?

TOURIST RECEIPTS NOT SO ‘CRITICAL’

Experts the CNA spoke to said tourism revenue would not be the top consideration when it comes to a decision on whether to form a travel bubble with a particular country.

According to the Singapore Tourism Board, the top three markets in 2019 based on tourism revenue were mainland China (S $ 4,124 million), Indonesia (S $ 3,704 million) and India (S $ 1,624 million), which contributed 41% of total tourism revenue. Japan ranked fifth, South Korea ninth and Vietnam tenth.

This expense excludes spending on sightseeing, entertainment, and games.

“Singapore, like countries around the world, is moving carefully around the global pandemic. The crucial factor in choosing another country to form a travel bubble should be based on the ability of the selected country to manage and minimize the spread of COVID-19 when residents travel to Singapore, “said Wee.

“Rather, the country will also assess Singapore’s ability to contain COVID-19 within our country, before agreeing to travel bubble arrangements for Singaporeans to enter their country. Therefore, safety is the priority. key consideration, and tourism revenue may not be as critical in this new standard. “

READ: Singapore-Hong Kong Air Travel Bubble – What You Need to Know

Christopher Khoo, managing director of international tourism consultancy Masterconsult Services, told CNA that Japan, South Korea and Taiwan “deserve consideration” for inclusion in the Singapore travel bubbles in the future.

He noted that the main criterion behind such decisions would be “reciprocal trust” in the public health systems of the destination with which a travel bubble forms.

“(For) Singapore and Hong Kong, both sides have shown great success in controlling (the pandemic) and have mechanisms to reduce (the amount of air traffic) if necessary, if there is an outbreak (in the cases). There is trust on both sides, because … it is a public health problem, it is not so much that I want to open my economy, “he explained.

Hong Kong has weathered the pandemic better than most, with more than 5,400 cases so far and around 100 related deaths. However, it reported 23 new infections on Thursday (November 12), the most since September 20.

“The choice of the partner country would really be: do I trust their system? Is there enough business, or is there already enough interaction, generated previously, to justify the MFA (Ministry of Foreign Affairs) or whoever opens a dialogue and speaking,” he said Mr. Khoo.

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ASEAN nations could be potential options for Singapore to form travel bubbles, experts said. Vietnam, for example, could be an option, Khoo said.

“Naturally, given its good preparedness for COVID or COVID suppression, Vietnam would be a likely option very soon,” he said. “The number (of visitors) may not be as large as other ASEAN destinations, but it gives us confidence.”

Vietnam has been praised for its response to the pandemic, with the country of roughly 97 million recording 35 deaths from COVID-19 so far.

Currently, Singapore has unilaterally opened its borders to travelers from Vietnam, Brunei, New Zealand, Australia and mainland China.

Unlike fast lane or green arrangements, this includes all forms of short-term travel, even for pleasure. Visitors must apply for an Air Travel Pass and must have been in the country of departure for 14 consecutive days before arriving in Singapore.

New Zealand and Australia could also be potential partners for a travel bubble in the future, experts said. However, these countries have been more “conservative” in opening their borders to foreign tourists, Dr. Wong said.

“Australia and New Zealand are also in my prediction, but they seem to be more conservative in reopening their borders,” he added. “Although they would like tourists to bring them more GDP, higher GDP, but then they have internal resources, so it’s fine (for them),” he said.

READ: COVID-19: Singapore to lift border restrictions for visitors from mainland China and Australia’s state of Victoria from November 6

Thailand is also a possibility, said Dr. Wong. “Their number of cases is not that high, (and) it is quite stable. Thailand also has a very urgent need to receive more tourists,” he added.

According to recent reports, Thailand has been in talks with China to form a travel bubble.

It also has a Special Tourist Visa program that allows tourists to enter the country under specific conditions. Under the plan, which was first approved by the Thai cabinet in September, foreign tourists who commit to a stay of at least 30 days are given 90-day visas that can be renewed twice.

After arriving, they must remain in government-approved quarantine in a hotel or hospital for 14 days and show confirmation that they have made arrangements for long-term accommodation. They must also have special insurance policies and be tested for the virus before departure.

On the likelihood of an air travel bubble between Singapore and China, experts said it is a possibility, but given the country’s large domestic tourism market, it may not need international travelers as urgently as other countries.

“I think the possibility exists, but they don’t need us … their domestic tourism has already recovered (to) pre-COVID levels. So even if they don’t have international tourists, they are doing fine. They can still talk to different countries, but it’s not their first priority, “said Dr. Wong King Yin, who is a professor of tourism and digital marketing at Nanyang Technological University.

Chinese domestic tourism saw a strong rebound during the Golden Week holidays last month. The tourist sites were visited by 637 million domestic tourists during the eight-day National Day holiday that began on October 1, 79 percent of last year’s total, according to the Chinese Ministry of Culture and Tourism in a statement.

“In fact, they have shown that domestic tourism can start to restart. And I really don’t see any reason why they won’t move on, “added Mr. Khoo.

“(The) COVID-19 (pandemic) will see China’s domestic domestic tourism strengthen … Now, Singaporeans in China is such a miniscule number. So it doesn’t really play a role at all. But China’s opening up to Singaporeans is really part of their overall campaign to open up to trusted partners. “

‘THEY HAVE NO WHERE TO GO’

While there is definitely a demand for travel, experts noted that many continue to have a “wait and see” attitude given the widespread nature of the pandemic.

“There will always be a group ready to travel as they may get bored of staying home. That said, most will be cautious and will probably take a wait and see attitude to assess whether it is safe to travel, based on the experience of other travelers,” he said. Dr. Chiam of Ngee Ann Polytechnic.

READ: No ‘big spike’ in demand expected from Singapore-Hong Kong air travel bubble, say aviation analysts

Wee noted that the appetite for traveling in Singapore has always been strong and continues to be.

“Travel abroad has almost always been viewed as an integral part of many Singaporeans’ vacation plans,” he said. “However, many travelers remain cautious and will opt for private group tours, with a preference for less crowded resorts when leisure travel resumes.”

While the desire to travel persists, the costs associated with flying abroad could also moderate outbound demand, Dr. Wong noted.

“In the past when Singaporeans were traveling to Asian countries, it was much more affordable than (it is) now because airline tickets are much more expensive (now) and also the cost of all the tests you need … for COVID -19 is very expensive, “he said.

“Definitely, the demand for overseas travel … is here. A lot of people really need to escape from their own place, but they just don’t know where to go. They have nowhere to go.”

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