How do you imagine the future of travel? When do you think you may be ready to go abroad again?
While it’s hard for us to answer these questions, we have some news for you from our side of the world. Thailand plans to reopen for next month and introduces a new long-term visa.
During the first stage of reopening, international flights will be limited to three flights a week with 100 tourists per flight or 1,200 tourists per month.
For the new tourist visa, you have to provide all required documents to the Thai embassy, including payment for alternative state quarantine (ASQ) or alternative local state quarantine (ALSQ) facility, post-quarantine accommodation, chartered flights or private jet bookings, COVID-free certificate, and travel and health insurance. Visitors must stay for at least 30 days, the first 14 of which are in quarantine in a hotel or resort. After this, and after two more negative COVID tests, travelers can explore more. Anyone wishing to venture further into Thailand must pass the third test after three weeks.
Southeast Asia includes some of the most iconic destinations for travelers in the world but Vietnam, Malaysia, Myanmar, Indonesia (including Bali), and Laos are not currently open for tourism. While Thailand is teasing the return of tourists next month, Cambodia is admitting foreign nationals. In addition to needing a visa in advance, there is a requirement for proof of a negative test, medical insurance, and a deposit of US$3000 for “COVID service charges” on arrival. Note if one person on your flight were to test positive, all passengers would need to quarantine for 14 days.
Is this the future of travel, or just short-term measures to get some kind of tourism up and running? It’s what we’re probably going to see as destinations open up for the next few months. There are likely to be other versions of this put in place globally but let’s hope all together it will be a start of safe reopening procedures.
Deer is Travelling 