With few entry tests, Southeast Asia may gain most from China’s travel revival

In 2019, 155 million Chinese travelled abroad, spending US$254.6 billion, or close to the GDP of Vietnam, said Citi, whose researchers expect “meaningful recovery” in mass tourism to start in the second quarter of 2023.

In Vietnam, almost a third of the 18 million foreign arrivals in 2019 were from China, while about a fifth of Singapore’s international arrivals were Chinese who spent S$900 million (US$671 million).

Thailand already expects to welcome 5 million Chinese travellers this year, or about half of the 10.99 million of 2019. Neighbouring Malaysia projects 1.5 million to 2 million Chinese tourists this year versus 3 million before the pandemic.

And the Malaysian Association of Tour and Travel Agents is preparing for a road show in Chinese cities to woo visitors, said its vice president, Ganeesh Rama.

FEW HEALTH WORRIES

Officials have downplayed health worries aired by other countries, such as the United States’ concern over insufficient information and fear that more cases in China could spawn new variants of the virus.

Singapore said it had high population immunity, as about 40 per cent of its people had been infected with coronavirus and 83 per cent had been vaccinated, while it has bolstered healthcare capacity.

Karen Grépin, a public health professor at Hong Kong University, agreed with that approach, adding, “Everyday, countries import thousands of cases of COVID-19 from around the world.”

In Bali, Ida Bagus Agung Parta, the chair of the resort island’s tourism board, said it would “increase our defence”, as workers take a second booster dose of vaccine this month.

Cambodia’s Prime Minister Hun Sen, an ally of Beijing, described other countries’ testing requirements as “propaganda” designed to “scare people”.

“Whatever other country wants to do anything, it’s their right,” Hun Sen said in a recent speech. “But for Cambodia, it’s an invitation to Chinese people: Chinese tourists, come to Cambodia.”