Thai immigration reports over 900,000 tourists in Phuket since May

Phuket’s tourism is continuing to make its post-Covid-19 comeback. Thai immigration reported over 900,000 tourists in Phuket from May 1 to November 27.

The total number of tourists that visited the island province in that time frame is 934,164. Of those tourists, 914,746 are foreigners, and 19,418 are Thai.

Meanwhile the Phuket Walking Street Sunday Market, also well known as ‘Laad Yai’ is still full of tourists every week, The Phuket Express reported. The vice president of the Old Phuket Town Community, Somyos Patan, said…

“The market is one of the most important tourism destinations in Phuket which is a must for visitors to visit the signature market in the Phuket Old Town.”

Russians made up Phuket’s largest tourist demographic if November. This month, 55,097 Russians made their way to the island province.

The second largest tourist group in Phuket this month came from India, with 26,525 travellers, according to Phuket Immigration. The third largest group was Australians, with 13,868 tourists. British visitors made up the fourth largest group with 12,340 tourists. Germans came in fifth place, with 11,097 tourists.

The recent swarm of Russian tourists in Thailand has taken the country’s tourism forces completely by surprise. Despite the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine, the Russian tourism market has returned much quicker than expected, according to the president of the Association of Thai Travel Agents (ATTA).

Chartered flights to Phuket and Pattaya are being filled by Russian tourists. Less than two weeks after Russian airlines made their triumphant return to Phuket, Aeroflot announced an increase in direct flights to the island. The flagship airline of Russia announced on November 12 that it would be adding 14 new flights a week from Russia to Phuket.

Last week, TAT’s deputy governor said the number of Russian tourists flying to Thailand is expected to reach 1 million next year.

As of October 26, Thailand witnessed 7,349,843 international tourists arriving, surpassing the seven million mark. It’s put the country within its goal range set by the TAT of seven to 10 million visitors for 2022.

Source - The Thaiger

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Taxi fares going up in Bangkok

The Transport Ministry and taxi drivers have agreed on new fare rates for #Bangkok and its vicinity that will see passengers paying about 7% more for a ride.
It will be the first fare hike in eight years and is expected to be approved by the transport minister before the end of the month.

Wirat Pimpanit, an adviser to the minister, said on Thursday that taxi drivers’ representatives had agreed to a new fare schedule proposed after a study by the Thailand Development and Research Institute.

The flagfall for ordinary taxis would remain at 35 baht, but rise to 40 baht for large cabs, for the first kilometre.

Fares would increase for all taxies from the current 5.50 baht per kilometre to 6.50 baht for the next 1-10km. The next 10-20km would be 7 baht/km; 20-40km, 8 baht; 40-60km, 8.50 baht; 60-80km, 9 baht; and for distances beyond 80km, 10.50 baht per kilometre.

The waiting time metre charge for traffic jams would rise from two to three baht per minute.

The changes would cost passengers 7.34% more on average. The last increase was eight years ago.

Mr Wirat said the new fares would be applied only to taxis operating in Bangkok and its vicinity.

Large taxis are mainly converted sport utility vehicles and normally operate at Suvarnabhumi and Don Mueang airports.

Jirut Wisanjit, the director-general of the Land Transport Department, said the agency would work on the fine details and then forward the fare rate to Transport Minister Saksayam Chidchob for approval.

The entire process would take about two weeks The new fare structure would be announced as a ministry regulation.

Mr Jirut said the new fares had been calculated to reflect core inflation in Greater Bangkok.

The country’s core inflation, which excludes oil and raw food prices, was 3.17% in October, according to the Commerce Ministry. The ministry did not release a breakdown of inflation statistics for the provinces

Source - Bangkok Jack

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Thailand entry rules for vaccinated and unvaccinated tourists

On Monday (Nov 1), Thailand will reopen to international foreign tourists for the first time in almost two years.

With the reopening just days away, the Thai government has provided a little more clarity on the entry process and requirements for vaccinated and unvaccinated foreign tourists.

Anyone arriving in Thailand from November 1 will essentially be grouped into three categories:

1. Fully vaccinated arriving from a ‘low risk’ country

Anyone who is fully vaccinated and arriving from one of the 46 countries deemed to be low risk must stay one night in an SHA+ certified hotel or alternative quarantine hotel for one night while they await the result of a RT-PCR test.

If the test is negative, they are free to travel anywhere in Thailand without restrictions. Thailand is calling this process ‘Test & Go’.

 2. Fully vaccinated from a non low risk country

People who are fully vaccinated but arrive from a country not listed among the 46 low risk countries are required to stay at an SHA+ hotel in a Blue Zone ‘sandbox’ area for seven nights.

If they test negative on day 6 or 7 of their stay, they are free to travel elsewhere in Thailand.

All of Thailand’s main tourist destinations are ‘sandbox’ areas, such as Bangkok and Phuket. However, some provinces are only opening certain districts to tourists.

For example, in Chonburi, tourists are only allowed to visit Bang Lamung, Pattaya, Sri Racha, Ko Si Chang and Bang Saray. In Prachuap Khiri Khan, tourists from non low risk countries can visit Hua Hin and Nong Khae districts.

Thailand is calling this process ‘Living in the Blue Zone’.

 3. Unvaccinated or partially vaccinated

Regardless of which country they are travelling from, anyone who is unvaccinated or only partially vaccinated are required to stay in an alternative quarantine hotel for 10 nights. If they test negative on day 9 or 10 of their stay they can travel to other areas of Thailand.

Before departure to Thailand

Before departing for Thailand, foreign tourists need to make sure they have the required documentation listed below and have applied for a Thailand Pass, which replaces the Certificate of Entry needed previously to enter Thailand.

 The required documents are:

- A Certificate of Vaccination (fully vaccinated) with an approved vaccine at least 14 days before travelling.

- Those previously infected within 3 months must have received 1 dose of an approved vaccine at least 14 days before travelling.

- Travellers under 12 years of age, travelling with parents or guardians, are exempt from the vaccination requirement.

- A Medical Certificate with an RT-PCR lab result indicating that COVID-19 is not detected issued no more than 72 hours before  travelling (all travellers).

- A confirmed payment for a 1-night stay at SHA+, AQ, OQ, or AHQ accommodation, and 1 RT-PCR test.

- An insurance policy with coverage no less than US$50,000.


How to register for Thailand Pass:

Source - Asian Now

 

 VISA AGENT  /  How to register for: THAI PASS

Vietnam to test reopening starting with Phu Quoc Island

Vietnam was one of the earliest countries to lockdown due to Covid-19, a strategy that had done it well until a massive outbreak in April, just like Thailand. And now, also like Thailand, they are looking to relaunch their tourism industry after close to two years of closures. Vietnam is now looking to reopen in late November, starting with the popular resort island of Phu Quoc.

The island aims to reopen to inoculated foreign tourists starting November 20 with charter flights bringing fully vaccinated international travelers to the tropical paradise. Phu Quoc is known for beautiful white sand beaches and clear blue waters on the coast with jungles and mountains inland.

Before the Covid-19 pandemic, the Vietnamese government was angling to turn the island in the Gulf of Thailand about 10 km off the coast of Cambodia into a beach-going tourist hot spot along the lines of Bali and Phuket. Phu Quoc had already been drawing massive crowds with figures from 2019 reporting US $18 billion generated by approximately 670,000 international travellers.

Like Thailand’s reopening, Vietnamese authorities hope to attract travellers from countries that are low risk for Covid-19 infections, citing parts of Europe, the Middle East, Northeast and Southeast Asia, North America, and Australia as their target market.

The reopening was originally planned for October, then postponed due to low local vaccination rates, with only about 20% of Vietnam’s 100 million people having received the full inoculation. But the Vietnam economy is suffering after closed borders and some of the strictest lockdowns in the world, with almost no commercial flights being allowed to land in Vietnam since the beginning months of last year.

So Vietnam is dipping its toe in the water with Phu Quoc, hoping to bring in a few vaccinated tourists next month and, if successful, slowly trickle in another 5,000 foreigners on charter flights between December and the end of March.

Vietnamese authorities hope that the experimental reopening of Phu Quoc Island will pave the way to reopening other popular tourist destinations like Ha Long Bay and Hoi An in the near future, but no timeline or details have been set yet.

SOURCE: Thai PBS World / The Thaiger

VISA AGENT

Nov 1st: Quarantine free countries named - one night must be in SHA+ or AQ hotel - curfew lifted, bars stay shut

The prime minister has ordered an end to the curfew in 17 provinces, including Bangkok, from Oct 31 to support the reopening of the country to fully vaccinated foreign tourists on Nov 1.

The order, signed by Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha, was published in the Royal Gazette late on Thursday night.

It said the Covid-19 situation in the country was improving with stable new caseloads and faster patient recovery, and it was necessary to revive the national economy.

The curfew will therefore end at 11pm on Oct 31 in the "Sandbox" provinces that were declared maximum and strict control zones but have tourism significance and are designated for reopening.

From Oct 16, the curfew has been from 11pm to 3am in maximum and strict control  provinces.

The 17 provinces where the curfew will end are:

- Bangkok

- Krabi

- Chon Buri (only in Bang Lamung, Pattaya, Si Racha, Koh Si Chang and tambon Na Jomtien and tambon Bang Sare of Sattahip district)

- Chiang Mai (in Muang, Doi Tao, Mae Rim and Mae Taeng districts)

- Trat (on Koh Chang only)

- Buri Ram (in Muang district only)

- Prachuap Khiri Khan (in tambon Hua Hin and tambon Nong Kae only)

- Phangnga

- Phetchaburi (in Cha-am municipality only)

- Phuket

- Ranong (on Koh Phayam only)

- Rayong (on Koh Samet only)

- Loei (in Chiang Khan district only)

- Samut Prakan (only at Suvarnabhumi airport)

- Surat Thani (on Koh Samui, Koh Phangan and on Koh Tao only)

- Nong Khai (in Muang, Sangkhom, Sri Chiang Mai and Tha Bo districts)

- Udon Thani (in Muang, Ban Dung, Kumphawapi, Na Yoong, Nong Han and Prachak Silapakhom districts)

The number of people at public gatherings in the tourist reopening zones will be capped at 500.

Entertainment venues in the tourism reopening provinces will remain closed, including pubs, bars and karaoke shops, but operators and officials could begin preparing for their reopening, which would be permitted later.

Source - Bangkok Post

VISA AGENT

PM sets Nov 1 for reopening to foreign tourists from low-risk countries

Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha said on Monday that he will push for the opening up of the country to fully vaccinated foreign tourists from at least 10 countries on Nov 1, as the government earlier planned.

Gen Prayut said in a nationally televised broadcast that fully vaccinated tourists from at least 10 low-risk countries would be allowed to enter Thailand by air with no quarantine requirements.

The prime minister named the United Kingdom, Singapore, Germany, China and the United States among the first group of countries to benefit from the move.

"I have instructed the CCSA and the Ministry of Public Health to urgently consider within this week to allow, as of Nov 1, international visitors to enter Thailand without any requirement for quarantine if they are fully vaccinated and arrive by air from low-risk countries," he said.

He pledged to open the gates for more countries by Dec 1 and targeted others by Jan 1.

Tourists from countries not on the low-risk list would be allowed but they would be required to quarantine, he added.

The announcement came after other countries including Singapore and Australia eased travel restrictions for their citizens to travel overseas.

Gen Prayut hoped the decision to open up the country next month would draw foreign tourists to Thailand over the next three months, including the forthcoming year-end holidays.

They would revitalise the sector and related businesses that involved millions of people in the country, he went on.

The government had earlier planned to open only Bangkok and several provinces for foreign tourists on Nov 1. The other provinces are Chon Buri (Pattaya city, Bang Lamung district, and Sattahip district), Phetchaburi (Cha-am district), Prachuap Khiri Khan (Hua Hin district) and Chiang Mai (Muang, Mae Taeng, Mae Rim and Doi Tao districts).

Monday's announcement indicated that the reopening would cover all parts of the country.

The announcement came after the country saw the number of fatalities drop below 100 in recent days, with new cases hovering around 10,000.

Although the situation was improving in most parts of Thailand, a surge of new infections continued in Narathiwat, Pattani, Songkhla and Yala. The southern border provinces were in the spotlight of health authorities who were mulling additional measures to clamp down on the spike in the areas.

Tourism was the main sector driving the economy before the pandemic floored the industry last year. The sector accounted for about 20% of gross domestic product if both local tourists and foreign arrivals were counted. Revenue from foreign tourists alone was about 15% of GDP, as the country welcomed almost 40 million travellers from abroad, especially Chinese.

The Bank of Thailand estimated only 200,000 foreign arrivals this year with the number jumping to 6 million next year.

Restrictions eased for alcohol sales

The prime minister said the government will allow restaurants and other places to sell alcohol by Dec 1 to promote tourism and the entertainment sector as people plan to celebrate the new year.

"By Dec 1, we will also consider allowing the consumption of alcoholic beverages in restaurants as well as the operation of entertainment venues under appropriate health precautions to support the revitalisation of the tourism and leisure sectors, especially the new year period," he said.

Source - BangkokPost

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Thailand Nov 1 reopening to go ahead providing COVID-19 situation remains stable

The proposed reopening of Bangkok and other major tourist destinations in Thailand will go ahead on November 1, providing the COVID-19 situation does not worsen.

Speaking on Saturday (Oct 10) government spokesperson Thanakorn Wangboonkongchana said the reopening of Bangkok, Chiang Mai (Mueang district, Mae Rim, Mae Taeng and Doi Tao), Prachuap Khiri Khan (Hua Hin and Nong Khae), Phetchaburi (Cha Am) and Chonburi (Pattaya, Bang Lamung and Sattahip) will go ahead as long as there is not a sudden spike in cases or no large clusters are discovered between now and the end of October.

Following the reopening, the government expects to earn 1.5 trillion baht from tourism in 2022, Mr Thanakorn said.

Domestic tourists will account for 850 million baht with Thais expected to make 160 million trips next year.

Meanwhile, the government expects 15 million foreign tourists to visit Thailand in 2022, generating 650 billion baht in revenue.

Mr Thanakorn said the 1.5 trillion baht revenue target is approximately half the amount the country's tourism industry earned in 2019 before the start of the pandemic.

Mr Thanakorn also gave an update on the Phuket Sandbox, which has been hailed a success.

As of Thursday (Oct 7) 43,026 foreign tourists had visited Phuket via the Sandbox program.

Most tourists came from the United States, Israel, the United Kingdom, Germany and France.

Source - ASIAN NOW

Our VISA AGENT

Thai Industry calls 500 Baht tourist fees ‘unsuitable’

 

Tourism operators have raised concerns about the 500 baht fee to be collected from foreign tourists next year, worried that the timeline of this policy may not be appropriate for an industry in dire need of recovery.
Marisa Sukosol Nunbhakdi, president of the Thai Hotels Association (THA), said the concept of setting up a transformation fund for the tourism industry is promising, but there are uncertainties next year that could jeopardize the tourism situation.

Even though the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) predicted that Thailand will win back 10 million tourists in 2022, the latest forecast from the Bank of Thailand (BoT) revised down the number to 6 million, mainly attributed to possible virus spread and new variant, low consumer confidence and stimulus measures that still need consistency.

“Fee collection will impact decision making as the additional cost is considerably high compared with the average expenditure while traveling in Thailand, such as hotel room per night of just 1,000 baht. If the government really has to move forward, it should not implement this policy in the first half of next year,” said Mrs Marisa. (continues)

Source - BangkokJack 

Our VISA AGENT

Thailand to charge foreign arrivals 500 baht “tourism fee” from next year

 

Despite Thailand struggling to reboot its decimated tourism sector, the government is pushing ahead with a proposed tourism fee – and has increased it by 200 baht. The National Tourism Policy Committee originally approved a fee of 300 baht at the start of this year, which would be used to develop tourism destinations and provide tourists with insurance benefits. According to a Bangkok Post report, the fee has now increased to 500 baht.

Yuthasak Supasorn from the Tourism Authority of Thailand says the extra 200 baht will be used to fund projects aimed at transforming the country’s tourism model from mass market to a more high-value, environmentally-conscious model. He’s pretty confident tourists won’t mind paying it.

“The additional cost won’t have an impact on tourists as we want to focus on the quality market. We hope this fund will support a national tourism makeover creating more safe and clean places.”

The Centre for Economic Situation Administration has approved the 500 baht fee, part of a wider “tourism transformation fund” to support transformational projects with a focus on sustainable, high-value tourism. The TAT says the fee will be collected from next year, with officials counting on getting 5 billion baht within the first year, based on 10 million foreign arrivals.

The Bangkok Post reports the TAT and the Tourism and Sports Ministry will hold talks with the relevant authorities to set up a fund committee and agree funding mechanisms, as well as deciding how the fee will be collected from foreign visitors. The fund committee will be tasked with deciding which projects qualify for support. Yuthasak adds that the goal of the fund is not to alleviate the economic devastation of Covid-19, but instead to focus on long-term growth.

Source: Bangkok Post

Our VISA AGENT

#Tunisia opens its beaches for tourists after lockdown

  

Tourists are back on Tunisia’s beaches after charter flights resumed to the North African country following a break of more than three months due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Some 155 mask-clad holiday makers from France, Germany and Luxembourg were greeted late last week on the resort island of Djerba with temperature checks – but also by hostesses offering them bouquets of jasmine.

“We can’t save the whole season, but we will do everything we can to save part of it,” said Tourism Minister Mohamed Ali Toumi, who was at the airport to welcome the Luxair flight.

Tunisia, a country of some 11.5 million people, has officially registered 1,374 novel coronavirus infections and 50 deaths.

It reopened its borders on June 27, and travellers from countries it classifies as “green”, including France, Germany and Luxembourg, are not subject to any coronavirus restrictions.

“You have managed the health crisis better than us,” said Patrick, a Frenchman in his sixties who arrived with his son for 10 days in the Tunisian sun.

Tourism accounts for between eight and 14 per cent of Tunisia’s GDP, and employs around half a million people.

The novel coronavirus crisis has hit the sector hard.

Tourism revenues declined by around 50 per cent between January 1 and July 10, compared to the same period last year, according to official figures.

Authorities are counting on health regulations to reassure tourists and the sector, and have halved hotel capacity in order to comply with anti-coronavirus measures.

“We are determined to strictly apply the health protocol,” the tourism minister said.

Authorities are hoping for a revival of the sector in early 2021.

Elsewhere in North Africa, Morocco announced Sunday a further easing of its own novel coronavirus restrictions, allowing tourist establishments to operate at full capacity but keeping borders closed.

A “third phase” of easing was set to come into effect on Monday, authorities said in a statement, as part of “the continued implementation of measures necessary for a gradual return to normal life and restarting the economy”.

Tourist businesses are now allowed to “use 100 per cent of their capacity, without exceeding 50 per cent in common areas” such as restaurants, pools and indoor sports facilities.

But the kingdom will keep its borders closed “until further notice”, except for returning Moroccans and residents.

Since June, Morocco has allowed cafes, restaurants and shops to reopen and for domestic tourism to restart.

A state of health emergency remains in place in Morocco until August 10.

Cultural centres, libraries, museums and archaeological sites are also allowed to reopen “without exceeding 50 per cent capacity”, the statement said, and gatherings and activities with fewer than 20 people are also allowed.

Wedding parties and funeral gatherings remain prohibited, and cinemas and public pools will stay closed, a statement said.

The country of 34 million has officially registered over 17,000 novel coronavirus cases and around 270 deaths since March.

Authorities placed parts of the northern city of Tangiers back into lockdown last week after new clusters of infection appeared, and locked down the coastal town of Safi earlier in the month after an outbreak at a factory.

Source - Phnom Penh Post

Thai Airways ready to carry foreign tourists

Thai Airways International Plc (THAI) is ready to arrange special direct charter flights from six countries and territories to Phuket under the government’s plan to revive the subdued tourism sector, said THAI acting president Chansin Treenuchagron on August 27.

Thai Airways International Plc (THAI) is ready to arrange special direct charter flights from six countries and territories to Phuket under the government’s plan to revive the subdued tourism sector, said THAI acting president Chansin Treenuchagron on August 27.

The six countries and territories are Denmark, Germany, the UK, the Republic of Korea (RoK), Japan and Hong Kong (China).

The airline can make two flights per month on each of these routes, Chansin said.

THAI is expected to begin these special flights in late November. The airline will even increase the flights on these routes if it sees rising demand, he said.

It is also expected to make special charter flights from China to Phuket.

Chansin said THAI has attached the utmost importance to the security and health of passengers on all these routes.

Tourism businesses have asked the government to open the country to some groups of foreigners to help boost the struggling sector, which is suffering from the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha said on August 26 that he was in talks with state agencies on how to open the country to foreign tourists once the pandemic situation improves./.

Source - PattayaNews
 

UK's Heathrow Airport passenger numbers down 88% amid ongoing travel restrictions

 

 

 

 Britain's Heathrow Airport renewed its call for COVID-19 testing at airports on Tuesday as it reported an 88 percent plunge in July passenger numbers due to ongoing restrictions on travel which it said were strangling the UK economy.

Heathrow, which is owned by a group of investors including Spain's Ferrovial, the Qatar Investment Authority and China Investment Corp, said 60 percent of Heathrow's route network remained grounded, requiring passengers to quarantine for 14 days on arrival.

Despite thousands of Britons holidaying overseas after months of lockdown, the government has already reimposed quarantine on arrivals from Spain, Luxembourg, Belgium, the Bahamas and Andorra.

Last week finance minister Rishi Sunak said the government would not hesitate to add more countries to its quarantine list when asked whether France could also join it.

However, Heathrow believes airport testing of passengers could safely keep routes open and restart others to help the UK's economic recovery.

"Tens of thousands of jobs are being lost because Britain remains cut off from critical markets such as the US, Canada and Singapore," said Heathrow CEO John Holland-Kaye.

"The government can save jobs by introducing testing to cut quarantine from higher risk countries, while keeping the public safe from a second wave of COVID."

Over 860,000 passengers traveled through Heathrow in July - down 88 percent on the previous year, but a slight uplift in traffic since the start of the pandemic, driven by the UK government's creation of the first "travel corridors" on July 4.

Source - TheJakartaPost

EU Opens it Borders to Thailand and Other Covid-19 Safe Countries

The EU (European Union) agreed Tuesday to reopen its borders to 15 safe countries which also included Thailand that gone 36 day without a local covid-19 cases. The EU excluded the virus-stricken US, as covid-19 accelerates globally with more than 505,000 deaths worldwide.

Europe’s piecemeal reopening comes as countries struggle to revive economic activity while fending off new spikes of Covid-19. With hotspots still surging in Latin America and in the United States.

After days of negotiations, EU members finalized the list of countries whose health situation was deemed safe enough to allow residents to enter the bloc starting on July 1st. Furthermore the US was notably excluded, along with Russia and Turkey.

Those on the list are Algeria, Australia, Canada, Japan, Georgia, Montenegro, Morocco, New Zealand, Rwanda, Serbia, South Korea, Thailand, Tunisia and Uruguay.

Travellers from China, where the virus first emerged late last year, will be allowed on the condition that Beijing reciprocates and opens the door to EU residents.

The border relaxation, to be reviewed in two weeks and left to member states to implement, is a bid to help rescue the continent’s battered tourism sector, which has been choked by a ban on non-essential travel in place since mid-Mach.

But with some 10.3 million known infections worldwide, the pandemic is “not even close to being over”, the World Health Organization has warned.

“Although many countries have made some progress, globally the pandemic is actually speeding up,” WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said Monday.

EU Countries try to reboot economies

Even in the EU, where Covid-19 has stabilized in many countries, the lifting of lockdown measures is still touch-and-go. Above all as governments try to reboot economies facing historic recessions.

The UK, home to The EU’s deadliest outbreak, has already seen its sharpest quarterly contraction in 40 years. With its economy shrinking 2.2% from January-March.

The worst is yet to come, with economists predicting a double-digit slump in output during the second quarter, tipping Britain into a technical recession.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson vowed Tuesday to deliver a “infrastructure revolution.” Above all to help the country build its way out of the economic downturn.

In the meantime, his government is employing a “whack-a-mole” strategy of targeted lockdowns.

While the government plans to reopen pubs, restaurants and hairdressers on July 4th. Schools and non-essential shops in Leicester, central England, have been ordered to close. The closure comes after a localized outbreak.

Germany, which has been praised for its handling of Covid-19, also saw its North Rhine-Westphalia state extend a lockdown. On a district hit hard by an outbreak of Covid-19 slaughterhouse.

Covid-19 Continues its havoc worldwide

In Australia, a new spike in covid-19 cases was seen in parts of Melbourne. Spurring new stay-at-home measures affecting some 300,000 people.

In Brazil, which is home to the world’s second deadliest outbreak of Covid-19, was reeling from its worst week yet. It registered a record number of 259,105 cases in the seven days to Sunday.

Peru is also suffering, with more than 9,000 fatalities.

And in Iraq, overwhelmed doctors are struggling with mask shortages, unpaid salaries and dilapidated hospitals as daily infections rise. “We’re collapsing,” said Mohammed, a doctor at a Covid-19 ward in Baghdad.

Iran announced another 150 deaths Tuesday as officials said the virus was still peaking in parts of the country.

Around the world, sporting events also continued to fall off the calendar. Including the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations and the remainder of this year’s World Rugby Sevens Series.

Researchers in China, meanwhile, have discovered a novel swine flu capable of triggering another pandemic.

Named G4, it is genetically descended from the H1N1 strain that caused a pandemic in 2009. According to scientists at Chinese universities and China’s Center for Disease Control and Prevention.

Source - Chiang Rai Times

#US travel industry to see 40% drop in spending: Study

Domestic US travel spending is expected to collapse this year amid the corona-virus pandemic, suffering a 40 percent decline compared to 2019, while international spending will plunge 75 percent, according to new research.

The report, commissioned by the US Travel Association, showed spending by US residents will drop to $583 billion this year from $972 billion last year.

Total travel spending, including domestic and international visitors, is projected to fall 45 percent to $622 billion, according to research by Tourism Economics, a division of Oxford Economics.

That decline follows three years of steady, albeit modest, growth of around four percent a year, although international travel dipped in 2019.

The association labeled the downturn "The Great Travel Depression," and said 8.1 million travel jobs have been lost.

The group is lobbying Congress to provide additional support for the travel industry, including expanding the popular Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) to include organizations that promote tourist or business venues and also provide $10 billion in grants to provide healthy travel practices.

These destination marketing organizations "drive demand and economic development to communities across the country and are vital to recovery," the association said in a LinkedIn post Thursday.

"We need relief, protection and stimulus to revive the travel industry and set America on the path toward recovery."

Other sectors also are seeking more support beyond, and a bipartisan group of lawmakers are crafting legislation to help the food services industry, which has been hard hit by the shutdowns and fears of the virus, leaving businesses struggling to attract customers and remain profitable.

Some businesses may face renewed struggles when the short-term PPP funding runs out if shoppers and diners fail to return.

The National Press Club in Washington -- which has two restaurants and hosts numerous events and luncheons -- told its members Friday it will furlough 50 of 113 employees, and cut the pay of remaining workers by 15 percent after its PPP funds were used up.

Source - TheJakartaPost

EU border app for helps tourists plan in age of virus

Can I go on holiday to Spain? Will I face quarantine? Have the museums and restaurants re-opened yet?

From Monday, as European Union member states accelerate the reopening of their frontiers, tourists' questions will be answered by an official European Union website.

On "Re-open EU" or reopen.europa.eu, travelers can enter the name of the country they hope to visit and find out what the rules are in the wake of the corona-virus lockdown.

The site is available in 24 languages so far covers only the 27 European Union member states -- there is no information for Britain nor the four non-EU members of the Schengen travel zone. 

A resident of France, for example, can consult the site to find out that high speed rail links to Luxembourg are being restored progressively and are at 60 percent of normal.

If he or she wants to go to Austria a face mask is required on the train, and before flying home to France he or she will need to provide a statement of honor that they have no corona-virus symptoms.

The site and an eventual app will be updated as the situation evolves.

Most EU countries reopened their internal borders within the block on Monday, but social distancing rules vary widely across the bloc and some members continue to restrict arrivals from high-risk areas.  

Source - TheJakartaPost

#Europe's beaches steadily getting cleaner

Water quality at Europe's beaches has steadily improved in recent years, with the vast majority boasting excellent quality, a new report said Monday.

Among 22,295 bathing spots studied last year, 84.6 percent had "excellent" water quality, the report published by the European Environment Agency (EEA) found.

Since 2013, the number of sites in this category has risen by 2.2 points to 87.4 percent for coastal bathing waters, and by 2.6 points to 79.1 for inland bathing waters.

Researchers studied the water for bacteria indicating pollution caused by sewage or water drainage from farms.

Water quality can be classified as "excellent", "good", "sufficient" or "poor", depending on the level of fecal contamination detected.

Polluted waters can, if ingested, cause illness, including gastrointestinal problems and diarrhea.

Countries with waters qualified as "poor" should ban bathing or advise against it, the EEA said.

Albania registered the highest number of sites with poor water quality, at 5.9 percent, but the number has nonetheless been halved in four years thanks to the construction of water treatment plants.

Water quality tends to be better in coastal areas, thanks to their capacity for self-purification.

"Moreover, many central European inland bathing water sites are situated on relatively small lakes and ponds as well as low flow rivers, which, especially in the summer, are more susceptible than coastal areas to short-term pollution caused by heavy summer rains," the report said.

Cyprus topped the report, with 99.1 percent of its beaches boasting excellent water quality.

The study covered EU member states as well as Albania, the UK and Switzerland.

Greece, popular with tourists for its beaches, came in fourth at 95.7 percent, behind Austria and Malta.

They were followed by Croatia, Germany and Portugal, while Denmark, Italy and Spain tied in eighth place with 88.4 percent.

The EAA noted that in general, beaches on the Mediterranean tended to have cleaner water.

"The European results show better quality in the Mediterranean, partly explained by low or no rain during the summer, more sun (sunlight kills bacteria) and deeper water at the beaches," EEA water quality expert Peter Kristensen told AFP.

Source - TheJakartaPost

#Greece to open airports to arrivals from 29 countries from June 15

Greece said Friday it would reopen its airports in Athens and Thessaloniki to arrivals from 29 countries from June 15, the start of the tourist season.

Visitors would be allowed to fly into Greece from 16 EU countries, including Germany, Austria, Denmark, Finland, the Czech Republic, Baltic countries, Cyprus and Malta, the tourism ministry said in a statement.

But countries hardest hit by the coronavirus pandemic -- such as France, Spain, Britain and Italy -- were not on the list.

Outside the European Union, holidaymakers from Switzerland, Norway, and neighboring Balkan countries such as Albania, Serbia and North Macedonia will be allowed to land at Greece's main airports from June 15.

The list also includes Australia, Japan, Israel, Lebanon, China, New Zealand and South Korea.

The ministry said that further countries could be added before July 1 when the country's regional airports also reopen.

"The list... has been drawn up on the basis of the epidemiological profile of each country," taking into account the recommendations of the European Aviation Safety Agency and a report by Greece's commission for infectious diseases, the statement said.

Some visitors will be tested at random for the virus, the tourism ministry said.

Since the start of the outbreak in March, there has been a limited number of flights arriving at Athens international airport, with passengers mandatorily tested and ordered to quarantine for 14 days.

Greece began the gradual easing of lockdown restrictions on May 4, and will start reopening its hotels next month.

It has been less severely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic that many EU countries, with 175 deaths and 2,906 infections officially registered so far.

Accounting for around 20 percent of Greece's gross domestic product, the tourism sector is hoping to salvage at least some of this year's summer season. 

Source - TheJakartaPost

#Italy opens ancient Greek site as lockdown eases

Ahead of the Colosseum and Pompeii, the towering Greek temple complex at Paestum near Naples is the first Italian archaeological site to reopen to tourists after the coronavirus pandemic lockdown.

This ancient Greek colony dating back to the 6th century BC reopened on May 18 with temperature checks at the entrance and other health measures implemented around the site as lockdown eases.

A limited number of people are allowed on the site at the same time, they must disinfect hands and wear masks, and one-way routes have been marked out, said site director Gabriel Zuchtriegel.

"But at the same time we also wanted to give cultural content which does not make visitors experience this situation as a limitation but as a chance to finally return to live with beauty, culture, freedom," said Zuchtriegel.

It has also developed a free app to guide visitors through the sprawling site and send an alert when too many people are gathered in the same place.

Zuchtriegel says the post-lockdown phase with fewer visitors to the three remarkably well-preserved temples in the Doric order should be seen as an opportunity.

"We must focus on another type of tourism, another relationship with visitors, more intense, more 'one to one', and who knows, I think this could be a model for developing 'slow tourism' in the future," he said.

So far visitors to the site have been scarce, but the numbers are expected to pick up when tourists are once more allowed to fly in to Italy from early June.

"After spending two months or even more at home, not going out, you really appreciate this freedom to go outside," said visitor Svetlana.

"You realize you've been postponing things, thinking ’let's go tomorrow, or after tomorrow, or in a month, or not now it's too hot'. No, it's not later, it is now!" she said.

Many Italians remain at home after the over two-month lockdown, including schoolchildren, but teacher Maris has brought her pupils to Paestum via a livestream on her mobile phone.

"I came for the weekend and took the opportunity to take my pupils on a virtual trip, my pupils with whom I’ve been doing distance learning! They were all connected, and I took them to Paestum, and they loved it," she said.

Source - TheJakartaPost

#Portugal ready to welcome back tourists, says government

 

 Portugal's doors are open to tourists, the country's Foreign Minister Augusto Santos Silva said on Friday, one of the first European countries to welcome back visitors from elsewhere in the continent.

"Tourists are welcome in Portugal," Santos Silva told newspaper Observador, explaining that some health checks will be introduced at airports but there will be no compulsory quarantine for those flying in.

Portugal, which has so far recorded 30,200 confirmed COVID-19 cases and 1,289 deaths, is slowly easing restrictions in place since it locked down in mid-March.

It has been less affected than its neighbor Spain or Italy, which both plan to reopen next month.

Many shops and restaurants in Portugal have already reopened under strict restrictions as part of an effort to revive the country's export-oriented, tourism-dependent economy.

"Portugal's health system responds well, and this is very important for us to be able to welcome people," Santos Silva said.

The minister's comments came a day after British low-cost airline easyJet, which operates in various Portuguese cities, said it would restart a small number of flights next month.

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Earlier this month Portugal's flag carrier TAP resumed some of its international operations, with flights to London and Paris.

Flights to and from outside the European Union are still temporarily suspended until June 15, with some exceptions, including some routes to and from Portuguese-speaking nations like Brazil.

The Spain-Portugal land border, which has been closed to tourists since March, will also remain shut until then.

"We are gradually going to start looking at easing border controls," Internal Affairs Minister Eduardo Cabrita said on Friday.

The tourism industry, one of the hardest hit by the outbreak, contributed 14.6 percent to gross domestic product in 2018, according to the latest official data, and helped Portugal to recover from a severe debt crisis.

The sector registered a 62 percent slump in the number of people staying in holiday accommodation in March from a year ago and total hotel revenues fell by over 57 percent.

Unemployment in the Algarve region more than doubled in April compared with the same month last year as the lockdown kept foreign visitors away and wiped out seasonal jobs.

Source - TheJakartaPost

#Greek tourism operators see massive drop in 2020 arrivals

Greek tourism operators on Thursday said they expect a 70-percent drop in arrivals this year after the government announced the season could restart in mid-June.

"Arrivals will be down by at least 70 percent," Greek hoteliers chief Grigoris Tasios told SKAI TV, adding that a "maximum" of eight to nine million visitors could be expected.

Irini Toliou, head of the Greek association of congress organizers, agreed with the estimate.

"We have July to September left to work, provided (the virus) does not return in September," she told state TV ERT.

According to Bank of Greece figures, the country in 2019 had over 34 million visitors producing revenue of over 18 billion euros ($20 billion).

The government on Wednesday said the  tourism period would begin on June 15 with the first resumption of international flights through Athens  airport.

Direct flights to the Greek islands will begin July 1.

Restaurants and bars are scheduled to reopen on Monday after open-air archaeological sites opened this week. Museums are to reopen on June 15.

With Greece suffering fewer than 170 COVID-19 deaths over two months into the pandemic, Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis on Wednesday said Athen's prompt response to the virus would be a "passport of safety, credibility and health" to attract visitors.

Tourism Minister Harry Theocharis has said a list of nations resuming flights to Greece would be announced by the end of May, with a focus on reviving a travel front "from the Balkans to the Baltic."

Bulgarians and northern Europeans including Germans will be among the first visitors, the minister said, in addition to Israelis and Cypriots.

Incoming travelers will not be required to undergo virus testing or quarantine, but sample tests will be carried out in tourist areas for epidemiological purposes, the tourism minister said on Wednesday.

Still recovering from a decade-long debt crisis, Greece badly needs tourism income that directly and indirectly accounts for over a fifth of the economy.

Many operators have expressed scepticism about reopening owing to strict spacing rules.

Source - TheJakartaPost