World travel returns to normal post-Covid

Around 1.1 billion tourists travelled internationally in the first nine months of 2024, as the global tourism sector recovered to 98% of pre-pandemic levels.

The latest World Tourism Barometer released by UN Tourism this week, says a full recovery from the biggest crisis in the travel sector’s history is expected by the end of the year, despite economic, geopolitical and climate challenges.

Four years after the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic, which brought global tourism to a standstill, the Barometer reflects the sector’s remarkable recovery, with most regions already exceeding 2019 arrival numbers in the period January to September 2024.

The report also shows outstanding results in terms of international tourism receipts, with most destinations with available data posting double-digit growth compared to 2019.

UN Tourism secretary-general Zurab Pololikashvili said: “The strong growth seen in tourism receipts is excellent news for economies around the world.

"The fact that visitor spending is growing even stronger than arrivals has a direct impact on millions of jobs and small businesses and contributes decisively to the balance of payments and tax revenues of many economies.”

The Middle East (+29% compared to 2019) continued to enjoy record growth this nine-month period, while Europe (+1%) and Africa (+6%) also exceeded 2019 levels. The Americas recovered to 97% of its pre-pandemic arrivals, while Asia and the Pacific reached 85% of 2019 levels.

The summer season in the northern hemisphere was generally strong, with arrivals worldwide reaching 99% of pre-pandemic values in Q3 2024.

Among the world’s top earners, Japan (+59%), Türkiye (+41%) and France (+27%) all recorded double-digit growth through September.

Image: Jerome Quek, Scop.io

US scraps inbound Covid testing requirements

Heading for the US?

The news is all good with no more mandatory Covid-19 tests required for passengers entering the US from tomorrow morning.

The US Government has officially announced the lifting of its requirement for air travellers to test negative to Covid-19 prior to entering the country.

The Centre for Disease Control and Prevention said it was going to lift the requirement after officials determined that the widespread adoption of vaccines and treatments for Covid-19 no longer make it necessary, the New York Times reported.

In a press release explaining the decision, Dr Rochelle P Walensky, the CDC director, cited booster shots and the milder Omicron variant, which she said had “generally caused less severe disease among those who are infected”.

The measure has been in place since early 2021, and its removal will be subject to a 90-day review, which could see testing reintroduced if new variants arise.

The mandatory test has been seen as a major obstacle to tourism to the US and has been widely criticised by the travel industry.

Marc Casto, chairman of the board of the American Society of Travel Advisors (ASTA), an industry group, said: “It’s huge. It’s monumental.”

Cashed-up travellers ready to splurge post-Covid

Luxury travel is set to boom in the second half of 2022 in the wake of Covid-19 with more travellers looking at private aviation services, large villas and boutique hotels. 

A new report by GlobalData: Luxury Travel Market Trend and Analysis of Traveller Types, Key Destinations, Challenges and Opportunities, 2022 Update reveals that as luxury travellers resume travelling both domestically and abroad they may begin to seek experiences that are more immersive and more exceptional than in previous years.

“With travellers determined to make up for lost time, 2022 could see an increase in holiday budgets for luxury travellers, with an uptick in demand for ‘once in a lifetime’ adventures," says Hannah Free, Travel and Tourism Analyst at GlobalData. 

"According to a GlobalData poll, when respondents were asked if their holiday budgets had changed due to Covid-19, 16% reported that their budgets were ‘a lot higher than pre-Covid-19’, while 12% of respondents stated that their budgets were ‘slightly higher than pre-Covid-19’.”

Despite the demand for luxury travel, there is a growing demographic of socially conscious, high-net-worth consumers who are rejecting overt displays of wealth in favour of inconspicuous and responsible consumption. 

Their approach to luxury is driven by ethical living, artisanship, authenticity and sustainability.

Experiences are the new currency for these holidaymakers, who seek self-fulfillment through greener travel and eco holidays, while wanting to ‘do good’ for people and the planet. 

If luxury travel brands ignore this trend, it could put them at tremendous risk of total disconnect with an audience who are looking for sustainable options, GlobalData says.

“While Covid-19 has changed many aspects of luxury travel, there are still several defining features which sets the sector apart from mass-market tourism," Free says. 

"This includes hyper-personalisation, exclusivity, unique experiences, intuitive service and the ever important ‘human touch’ element.”

GlobalData offers data, expert analysis and innovative solutions in one platform for industries including the healthcare, consumer, retail, financial, technology and professional services sectors.

Americans have the freedom to spread diseases

 Americans love their God-given freedoms. 

The freedom to bear arms despite almost daily mass shootings. The freedom to invade other nations to save them from communism.

And now the freedom to spread disease with the greatest of ease. 

Now a federal judge in Florida, an appointee of deluded dunce Donald Trump, has ruled that a US Government mask mandate on public transportation is unlawful, overturning a Biden administration effort to reduce the spread of Covid-19.

US health officials last week extended by 15 days the mandate requiring travellers to wear masks on aeroplanes, trains, and in taxis, ride-share vehicles or transit hubs. 

But US District Judge Kathryn Kimball Mizelle ruled the mandate unconstitutional.

A win for freedom. Americans are now free to sit in close proximity to complete strangers who may, or may not, have Covid. And to share their air.

US Travel Association Executive Vice President of Public Affairs and Policy Tori Emerson Barnes said: “The current decision to halt enforcement of the federal mask mandate effectively returns the choice of mask usage on planes and other forms of public transportation to travellers and travel industry workers, a further step toward endemic management of Covid.

“We also continue to urge the administration to immediately end pre-departure testing for vaccinated inbound international passengers, which discourages travel and provides limited public health benefits.” 

They are among us. 

Fortunately, sensible folk have not yet been banned from wearing masks should they choose to do.

# The US Travel Association is a national, non-profit organization representing all components of the travel industry. See ustravel.org 

How drinking red wine "might" help you beat Covid

Drinking wine could reduce the risk of Covid infection, a study in Britain has found.

The picture is less rosy for beer and cider drinkers, as the same study found they face a higher Covid infection risk compared with those who didn’t drink alcohol.

Details of the study conducted by UK Biobank were published by influential trade magazine Drinks Business.

The study, published in Frontiers of Nutrition, looked at the medical records of 473,957 people - tracking alcohol consumption and Covid infections throughout the course of the pandemic.

“Adverse effects of alcohol consumption have been widely documented," the survey found.

"The observed relationships between alcohol consumption and diseases are often non-linear, with low-to-moderate alcohol consumption being protective and heavy alcohol consumption being harmful.”

It found that compared with non-drinkers, the Covid-19 risk was 10–17% lower in red wine consumers, and 7-8% lower in white wine and Champagne drinkers.

Beer and cider drinkers were found to be at a 28% increased risk of Covid infection compared to those who didn’t drink at all.

Drinks Business reported that Polyphenols in red wine could be an influence.

Scientists noted that these have antioxidant properties and this would explain why red wine was found to represent the greatest fall in Covid infection risk.

“Studies have shown that wines exhibit beneficial properties which are independent of the presence of alcohol, and should be attributed to their polyphenolic contents,” the study says.

“Red wine provides additional benefits to other alcoholic beverages probably due to its higher polyphenolic content, by decreasing blood pressure, inhibiting the oxidation of low-density lipoprotein particles and other favourable effects on the cellular redox state, improving endothelial function, inhibiting platelet aggregation, reducing inflammation and cell adhesion, and activating proteins that prevent cell death.”

The authors noted in conclusion that: "“Our study suggests that subjects who usually consumed red wine and white wine and Champagne above guidelines, and sometimes consumed 1-2 glasses/week fortified within the guidelines appear to have chances to reduce the risk of Covid-19.”

Food (or wine) for thought. But all things in moderation.

 Image: Manu Saez, Scopio

Americans and Europeans warned: Stay away from Australia

Oops. Despite assurances from Crime Minister Scott Morrison that everything is going "according to plan", the rest of the world is being told to stay away from Australia because Covid-19 is "rampant". 

From the Wall Street Journal to the US Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, reports are encouraging potential visitors to stay away. 

"Australia Had Covid-19 Under Control- - Omicron Changed That," The Wall Street Journal reported this week, adding "frustration among citizens is mounting as test kits run low, vaccination programs stumble and labour shortages bite". 

Not the image Mr Morrison and his henchman Greg Hunt want for Australia globally. 

It may also have slipped under your radar that the US Government has told its residents to “avoid travel to Australia” after the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention upped rating of the Covid-19 levels globally. 

Australia joins a long list of nations deemed to have “level four: very high” levels of coronavirus by the CDC. 

“Because of the current situation in Australia, even fully vaccinated travellers may be at risk for getting and spreading Covid-19 variants,” the CDC website says. 

“Travellers should follow recommendations or requirements in Australia, including wearing a mask and staying 6 feet apart from others.”

Australia was one of 22 countries to be added to the “very high” levels of coronavirus list this week.

Authorities in Europe, meanwhile, have designated Australia, Canada and Argentina as Covid “danger zones,” advising member states to adopt tougher restrictions on arrivals such as new testing and/or isolation requirements, regardless of vaccination status. 

Belgium has placed Australia on its “red list”, meaning visitors must present a negative test less than 72 hours before departure and get a PCR test on the first and seventh day after arrival. 

Image: Michele Princigalli, Scop.io 

Japan keeps its doors shut tight

It has apparently been a great ski season in Japan - but no visitors have been able to enjoy it.

And anyone wanting to visit will have to wait a little longer after the Japanese government further extend its entry ban on non-resident foreigners until the end of February.

The extension was announced by Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, Kyodo reported.

The ban has been in place since November 30 after the Asian nation confirmed its first case of the highly transmissible Omicron Covid-19 variant.

The Government introduced measures initially for about a month by barring entries for non-resident foreigners and requiring returning Japanese nationals and foreign residents to quarantine in Government-designated facilities.

The only exception to the blanket ban will be 87 Government-sponsored foreign students.

They will still be required to quarantine for 10 days after arrival at hotels prepared by their schools, the Japan Times reported.

Tokyo decided on the exception “considering public interest and the urgency of the matter,” Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno told a press conference.

The 87 students have less than one year left until they graduate or finish their studies and the Government decided to allow them in so they can finish their schooling, Matsuno said.

The Government has said it will ease the entry restrictions if there are “special circumstances,” including visits to those who are seriously ill or for funerals.

International flights to and from Japan have been drastically reduced.

The tourism industry in Australia has reasons to be optimistic

The Australian travel industry has reason to be confident judging by the results of a new survey into consumer sentiments. 

Two years into the pandemic, Australia has high vaccination rates and most of its domestic borders are open. 

Savvy asked 1000 Australians if they would be travelling within their backyard and how they feel about planning their travel. 

It found 77% of respondents are likely to travel in 2022 if able, despite new Covid-19 variants. 

Half of respondents said they find it easy to locate Covid-19 travel information and Queensland and New South Wales are the top two destinations, attracting 46% of tourists between them, with 43% preferring to travelling by car and 34% choosing to fly. 

Visiting family and friends was the number one reason to travel, but many were keen to discover parts of their own country. 

The top choice of all respondents planning on going on holiday was a combination of regional and interstate travel (33%), followed by solely interstate travel (31%).

Hitting the road in a caravan or motorhome was most popular with respondents in the 45+ age group (the grey nomads), but also remains a choice for many younger age segments.

That 77% of respondents said they are likely to go travelling this year, suggests Australians are learning to live with the virus. Only 5% said it was extremely unlikely they would travel.

Some 12% of respondents cited that it will be just too difficult or expensive to travel overseas, so they will trade international holidays for vacations at home.

Full survey results www.savvy.com.au/three-quarters-of-australians-will-holiday-domestically-despite-covid-19-hesitancy-2022/

Stay away: France closes to the door to Brits

Bad news for any British passport holders hoping to enjoy Christmas in France.

The door is shut from now on.

And it has nothing to do with Brexit, French officials insist.

France has imposed travel restrictions on travellers from Britain due to surging Covid-19 cases there as plans for Christmas celebrations have been thrown into disarray by the rapid spread of the highly infectious Omicron variant, which emerged in Hong Kong and southern Africa last month.

The French Government has said that only certain categories of travellers, including truck drivers, would be allowed between the two countries. Anyone arriving from Britain would have to self-isolate.

"Our goal is to limit as much as possible the spread of Omicron across our territory," French Government spokesman Gabriel Attal said. "Tourism and business travel for people who are not French nationals or Europeans, people who are not French residents, will be limited."

Officials at Dover said France's new travel curbs had dampened already significantly reduced tourist numbers.

Tourism industry body AITO has called for a rescue package for the sector as it said the French ban on travel will have a “devastating effect”.

Chris Rowles, the AITO chairman, told Travel Weekly the ban was an “extremely unwelcome pre-Christmas gift”.

“It is a simply devastating situation for the UK’s travel industry, destroying as it does both long-planned Christmas holidays and the many ski businesses which operate in French ski resorts,” he said.

“Pent-up demand from UK-based skiers unable to travel last winter has meant that bookings were at higher-than-normal levels this Christmas/New Year, to add insult to injury.

“Now operators are having to contact thousands of would-be skiers/other UK holidaymakers to explain that travel for holiday purposes, regardless of vaccination status, is not considered an ‘essential reason’ for travel by the French Government and is therefore banned with effect from this Saturday.”

Pointing out that French and EU nationals, and residents in France, are exempt from this rule, he added: “Unfortunately, this seems very much like a French ‘tit for tat’ Brexit-related rebuttal.

Image: Andreas Steidlinger (Scopio) 

Austria slams doors shut to tourists

Talk about bad timing.

Just as Austrian tourism businesses were gearing up for the winter snow season, the entire European country shut down again.

Yes, it is Austria we are talking about, not Australia.

Austria has become the European nation to reimpose a national Covid lockdown. It also plans to become the first country on the continent to make Covid-19 vaccinations mandatory for all eligible people as positive test reports rise.

The decision was announced by Austrian Chancellor Alexander Schallenberg, who said that the lockdown would last for a period of 20 days from November 22 to December 13.

"We don’t want a fifth wave,” the Chancellor said.

At the same time, the country is set to impose a legal vaccination mandate from February 1, 2022, becoming the first country in the world to make vaccination mandatory. 

So bad luck ant-vaxxers who want to hit the slopes like those at Schladming (above, where I covered the world alpine skiing championships back in 1982) next year.

The lockdown means that no travel to Austria will be possible for a period of 20 days unless for essential purposes.

“In Austria, due to the current Coronavirus infection situation, a temporary lockdown will come into effect from November 22 until December 13 at the latest. Travel to Austria for touristic purposes will only be possible again after this period,” Austria’s official travel website says.

Viewing Melbourne from a different perspective

Now this looks fascinating. 

I haven't yet seen in it, but a new photography book that has just been released called Abandoned Melbourne: Lockdown, portrays the Victorian capital at its most vulnerable.

Described as "his hauntingly beautiful". it is a collection of photographs of Melbourne while it  was deserted during the Covid-19 lockdown.

Abandoned Melbourne depicts Melbourne as vacant, with the CBD’s places and spaces, customarily buzzing, rendered motionless and without life. 

Landscape photographer Gavin John, a long-term resident of Melbourne, turned his camera and his focus to vistas of a different nature to usual and reveals downtown Melbourne as it has never been witnessed before.

The book is published by Australia Through Time and retails for $24.99 paperback. 

See https://woodslane.com.au/Book/9781925868715/Abandoned-Melbourne-Lockdown

How the pandemic has forever changed travel

The global Covid-19 pandemic has changed the way people think about travel, a new report from the Hilton Hotels group reveals.

The 2022 Traveller: Emerging Trends and the Redefined Traveller, a Report from Hilton describes how over two years people’s lives were dramatically altered and radically changed.

As a company that has welcomed over three billion guests in its more than 100-year history, Hilton showcases within the report how it is evolving alongside the changing traveller.

“The world – and the hospitality industry – went through so much in the last two years - and as we’ve uncovered in this report, travellers’ needs and interests have shifted too,” said Chris Nassetta, president and chief executive officer, Hilton.

“At Hilton, we’ve been incredibly focused on delivering the experiences our guests are looking for, through every up and down we’ve faced. As we look to the future, I am optimistic about what lies ahead – travel is certainly returning, and we’re excited to build on that momentum.”

The Report highlights dozens of eye-opening travel and behavioural trends that are leading to innovations both inside and outside of the hotel industry.

While each trend details specific insights and data driving change, four consistent themes emerged that summarize the new, pandemic-changed traveller:

# Amid Chaos, People Found Efficiencies – And Will Be Looking for the Same in Travel: People have embraced efficiencies in many aspects of life and will be looking for similar conveniences in their travels, like contactless check-in and check-out and digital keys.

# Overall Focus on Wellness Will Span Beyond the Gym: With a reimagined workplace and new routines and habits in place, travellers will be looking for more grounding and balance in their travel schedules.

# New and Existing Passions and More Refined Tastes and Preferences: New and refreshed hobbies are leading to a more informed, sophisticated, and, in some cases, in-shape 2022 traveller. People are anticipated to pack their passions, driving demand for new trends in fitness, culinary options and unique travel experiences.

# A New Sense of Caring Has Emerged - And Is Expected to Strengthen: The pandemic separated families and friends, which is leading to a prioritisation of reunion and reconnection travel in 2022. Beyond their inner circles, travellers are expected to care more about sustainability and community efforts – and are looking to remain loyal to brands, companies and organizations that align with their values.

“The pandemic’s impact on the travel industry has been well documented, however, it is equally important to recognize the psychological impact the pandemic had, and will continue to have, on travellers for years to come,” said Dr Kate Cummins, a clinical psychologist who recognises travel as an important component of mental well-being.

“The traveller may have changed, but the benefit of travel remains the same - increased emotional health and wellness, and after a tough two years, that’s something we all need.”

Unvaccinated visitors told: stay away from the US of A

If you are not fully vaccinated against Covid-19 then you can forget about entering the United States any time soon.

The administration has outlined the entry requirements for foreign travellers visiting the US as it opens to visitors on November 8, Business Traveller reported. 

US President Joe Biden signed a proclamation this week imposing new vaccine requirements for most foreign air travellers. 

The new rules replace the 212 (f) restrictions that began at the outset of the pandemic and banned travellers from countries including the UK, Ireland, all Schengen countries, Brazil, South Africa, India, and China.

From early November, travellers must provide proof of double vaccination, as well as a negative Covid-19 test result taken within three days of departure. Both PCR and antigen tests can be used for entry.

Biden’s proclamation states: “It is in the interests of the United States to move away from the country-by-country restrictions previously applied during the Covid-19 pandemic and to adopt an air travel policy that relies primarily on vaccination to advance the safe resumption of international air travel to the United States.”

Airlines will be required to check travellers’ vaccination status before they can board flights to the US, confirm that the proof of vaccination comes from an “official source” and that it was received at least two weeks before departure.

 The US is currently accepting any vaccines approved by the Federal Drug Administration and World Health Organisation.

Airlines operating flights to the US will also need to collect personal information from passengers for contact tracing purposes. This information will be kept on file for 30 days to allow health officials to get in touch with anyone who may have been exposed to Covid-19.

Travellers under the age of 18 will be exempt from the vaccine requirements, in addition to those with medical conditions, but they must still provide proof of a negative Covid-19 test.

How online tastings have become the new normal

Before the Covid-19 pandemic hit in 2020, online wine and food tastings were a virtually unknown concept. 

Over the past 18 months I've done dozens of Zoom tastings - offering the chance to chat with winemakers and chat with fellow communicators while tasting new releases without travel. 

It's not quite the same as checking out the vineyards and enjoying the wines in situ with local food. But it is certainly a good alternative. 

Rather than flying across the country for a tasting you save hours of time. 

And it is also true that virtual tutored tastings have become popular with wine drinkers and home cooks. 

With many employees in the corporate sector now choosing to work from home on a permanent or hybrid basis, virtual wine experiences have become a favoured activity for teams to re-connect and unwind in a relaxed online setting.

“Online wine tastings were the silver lining for Australian wineries during the pandemic and it's clear they're here to stay,” says Kate Shilling, executive officer of Ultimate Winery Experiences Australia.

“With Aussies unable to visit their favourite wineries, this allows the winery to meet them in their own homes, with virtual tastings becoming a popular way for businesses of all sizes to incentivise their employees and provide effective team bonding opportunities.”

Katrina Pizzini (above), from Pizzini Wines in Victoria's King Valley, runs wine tastings and Italian cooking classes via video conferencing and believes these types of virtual activities break up the mundane for corporate teams, allowing employees to learn a new skill, sample great wine and have some fun.

“We had never run any online wine tastings or cooking classes prior to the pandemic. In fact, the closest we came was conducting job interviews via Skype,” says Katrina.

“When the pandemic hit, it quickly became clear that there was a need for friends, families and colleagues to communicate and interact with each other in a meaningful, Covid-safe way.”

In addition to regular virtual wine tastings, Katrina runs online cooking classes through the Pizzini A tavola! cooking school, where she teaches the art of making the perfect pasta, gnocchi and risotto in real time.

“We have run cooking classes for groups that incorporate as few as six households, and up to 35 households at a time, with each one receiving an ingredients pack in the mail beforehand, including produce, essential utensils and Pizzini wine,” says Katrina.

“While we can't wait for visitors to fill our cellar door, we know that the convenience and cost-effectiveness of online winery experiences will remain a relevant part of our offering.”

Visit www.ultimatewineryexperiences.com.au

Air NZ says no vaccination certificate: no flight

Air New Zealand is to impose a blanket ban on unvaccinated passengers on all its international flights.

Customers intending to fly internationally with Air NZ must be fully vaccinated from February 2022, or will be refused access to the plane.

Air New Zealand CEO Greg Foran said the airline is working on a system to verify passengers' vaccination status.

"At the moment we have a card that we get, but obviously the plan is to move that to a digital solution," Foran said.

"The Government is working on the Travel Health Declaration, which will be required to be filled out.

"We're staying close to the industry body IATA, and they have something called the Travel Pass, so there'll be a combination of forms here that will be developed over the next four months to make it as seamless as possible.

"Being vaccinated against Covid-19 is the new reality of international travel – many of the destinations Kiwis want to visit are already closed to unvaccinated visitors."

The Air NZ website says customers who are not vaccinated will be required to present proof that vaccination was not a viable option for them for medical reasons.

"Mandating vaccinations for both our employees and customers on our international flights will provide the peace of mind that everyone onboard meets the same health requirements as they do," the airline said.

No news yet on the implementation of a similar plans for domestic flights.

In September, Qantas, Australia's national carrier, said it will require that all passengers on international flights to be vaccinated.

Image: TA Ho on Scop.io

Cruise industry carries on carping

Despite many Covid-19 cases being traced back to infections on the Ruby Princess, the cruise industry continues to snipe at Australian authorities.

The Cruise Lines International Association is unhappy that the Australian Government has announced the reopening of international borders next month but given no date for cruise ships to resume sailing from Australian ports.

It says that presents the "absurd" position of Australians being able to fly overseas to go cruising but still being unable to sail from a home port, Travel Mole reported.

CLIA Managing Director Australasia Joel Katz said the announcement on the opening of international travel was welcome news for many parts of the Australian travel industry, but a lack of government action on cruising meant the jobs of more than 18,000 Australians were still in doubt.

"Australia is now one of the only major cruise markets in the world with no clear plan for cruising's revival," Katz said.

"Australians love to cruise, but we now face the ridiculous possibility that we will be able to travel overseas to take a cruise but won't be able to sail in our own waters."

Katz said health protocols had allowed a successful resumption of cruising in dozens of countries overseas, where almost two million passengers had sailed since last year.

"We need detailed discussions with Australian governments so we can break the cycle of inaction and agree upon a detailed framework for cruising's resumption," Katz added.

"The health protocols introduced overseas are working and we need an opportunity to introduce them in Australia so we can plan a careful and responsible recovery."

CLIA and cruise line members have proposed a phased resumption of cruising in Australia beginning initially with limited domestic operations for local passengers only.

Fiji readies to open its doors to tourists

Fiji plans to reopen its borders to international tourists by November, aiming to rebuild a pandemic-devastated economy. 

"Our goal is to free our country - and our economy - from the rut of the pandemic," Prime Minister Frank Bainimarama said in a statement.

Once 80% of Fiji's eligible population has been vaccinated, it will offer quarantine-free travel to visitors from a "green list" of locations.

Of Fiji's eligible population, 66% is currently fully vaccinated and Bainimarama predicts the country's target will be met by November 1, the Agence France Presse news agency reported. 

Fiji's current green list includes Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Canada, Korea, Singapore and parts of the United States.

Visitors would need to be fully vaccinated and test negative for Covid-19 prior to their departure en route to Fiji.

Once in Fiji, they would stay in designated zones where all contacts, from hospitality staff to tour operators, would be fully vaccinated.

Reviving tourism, which government figures estimate accounts for 40% of Fiji's economy, is seen as crucial to containing rising poverty in the  islands nation of under one million people.

Fiji was free of community transmission for a year before a Delta outbreak emerged in April.

The bulk of Fiji's tourists come from Australia and New Zealand, from where foreign travel is currently banned, and travellers from both countries would currently face a two-week quarantine at their own expense upon returning home.

# Image: Likuliku Resort, Fiji 

Asian tourism gearing up for post-Covid re-start

Industry leaders across the Asia Pacific region are planning a co-ordinated re-start of tourism across the region.

During this week's 33rd joint meeting of the World Tourism Organization's Commission for East Asia and the Pacific and its Commission for South Asia, tourism ministers and other stakeholders discussed the challenges ahead and the impact of the pandemic.

The region was the first to be affected and remains the hardest hit with UNWTO data also showing that Asia continues to have the largest proportion of destinations closed to tourists.



The region experienced a 95% fall in international arrivals in the first five months of 2021.

Member states focused on the co-ordination of policy measures to get tourism activities up and running again.

They will also work on a co-ordinated phased lifting on travel restrictions and the implementation of travel corridors.

Post-pandemic, they agreed to develop programs for upgrading the skills of the tourism labour force and digital transformation.

UNWTO Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili said: "The Asia and Pacific region has a proven record as a dynamic tourism destination. With the right policy measures and strong coordination, destinations can start safely welcoming back international visitors."

Singapore leads the way in Covid-19 vaccination race

 Singapore leads the way in the global race to get people fully vaccinated with well over 80% of its 5.7 million people fully vaccinated against Covid-19. 

Leaving countries like the US and Australia in its wake, Singapore's Covid-19 vaccine booster shot program will begin next week, The Straits Times newspaper reported. 

Booster shots will available for seniors aged 60 years and above, as well as residents of aged-care facilities, the Ministry of Health (MOH) announced. 

Seniors who have completed their two-dose vaccination regimen at least six months ago will be invited to receive their booster dose. 

A booster dose is meant to increase the level of immunity and ensure that a high level of protection from severe disease is maintained across a longer period. 

Finance Minister Lawrence Wong, co-chair of a multi-ministry task force on Covid-19 in the Asian nation, has said that the possibility of giving vaccine boosters to younger adults was also being studied.

Airline fires tardy cabin crew over failure to vaccinate

Hong Kong-based international airline Cathay Pacific has sacked cabin crew who failed to get vaccinated against Covid-19. 

The airline had set an August 31 deadline for cabin staff to provide proof of vaccination or face disciplinary action.

On September 1, it began proceedings against an estimated 80 unvaccinated cabin crew who had not presented vaccination proof or medical exemptions for not receiving the vaccine.


The airline said it let go "a small number' of cabin crew employees.


"It is clear to us all now that Covid-19 is a terrible virus and that keeping our customers, communities and families safe is of the utmost importance," the airline told The Standard newspaper.


"The pandemic has also had a huge impact on us operationally and border controls around the world have dramatically reduced our ability to operate with unvaccinated aircrew."

Bravo! 

Cathay said all its flights have been operated with fully vaccinated crews as standard since September 1.


The airline's ground crew have until October 1 to supply vaccination proof or a valid exemption.