developmentWhile travel may seem like a far and unthinkable idea right now with COVID-19 on everyone’s mind, some countries are taking steps to revive tourism. After some months of lockdown imposed in a lot of the countries around the globe, there are a few countries who are offering incredible travel discounts and subsidizing vacation for post COVID-19 travels, and many are looking at how the international borders will open again. I’m sure some of you are looking forward to the next time you can buy a plane ticket out for a post pandemic getaway, so don’t forget to bookmark this article for future reference. I will be updating the page more as new information comes in, keep an eye out!
All Singaporeans and residents of Singapore are still advised to defer all travel abroad but it’s never late to plan or look for inspiration! The government has announced that Singapore’s borders will open gradually, allowing essential travel in limited numbers. At the current moment, if you’re returning to Singapore from overseas, a health declaration must be submitted, issued a mandatory Stay-Home Notice (SHN) at home, and you will be tested for COVID-19 as an additional precautionary measure. More information on the government website is here!
1. Thailand
Thinking of the next time you’ll be able to get your authentic tom yum goong, visit the night markets, or swim in the turquoise beaches of the Andaman Sea? Plans to launch discount travel coupons from 40 to 50% by the Thai Office of the National Economic and Social Development Council are currently underway for when the pandemic starts to stabilize. This could include hotel stays and resort accommodations in the different parts of the country!
2. Hong Kong
If Hong Kong is on your travel list, the flag carrier Cathay Pacific is offering flight ($100) and hotel package ($50) vouchers when you fly from Singapore. The promo vouchers are for a limited time period only if you book on or before the end of this year, and travel completed on or before 31 March 2021.
3. Greece
Santorini will always be one of the islands that have me coming back for more…. Though it won’t be anytime soon for me.
But for you if it’s in your plans, Greece is already receiving tourists from around 30 countries by air, sea and land. With safety and health as their number one priority, the country is also planning to temporarily cut value-added taxes on transport tickets, coffee and other beverages from 24% to 13%. Hotels have already been open since the start of June and international flights into the country will start from July.
With social distancing policies and other safety measures in place, the government wants to make it the safest country in Europe to visit.
If you want to plan for a Muslim-friendly trip to Greece for when it’s safe, have a look at my 6D5N budget itinerary to Greece!
4. Italy
Italy is now planning to boost tourism when it’s safe to travel. The beautiful island of Sicily which is the largest island in the Mediterranean has set aside approximately $54 million to sponsor part of tourists’ expenses. The national government will be paying 50% of airfares and a third of accommodation for travellers who want to visit the island. On top of that, there will be free tickets into many of their archaeological sites and museums! The country has already opened their borders to visitors from the European Union, UK and the Schengen region since June 3, and there is the coordinated opening of Europe itself which started in mid June.
5. Egypt
If you have always dreamt of exploring the pyramids and get into your history nerd mode, then it could be a sign! The price of tickets to visit all of the archaeological sites and museums will be discounted, and the cost to apply for a tourist visa is waived. There will also be measures put in place such as limiting the total number of people visiting the sites at any particular time.
6. Mexico
Several destinations in Mexico such as Cancun, Quintana Roo and Los Cabos have announced free hotel stays and car hire in a bid to incentivize people to visit this year, as well as discounts on theme parks, spas and golf courses. Latin America as a whole is a new epicentre for the pandemic, so I’d recommend not to visit the continent at the moment.
Domestic Travels
Japan
Japan is one of the countries which is looking to boost domestic tourism with incredible travel discounts. Called the” Go To Travel” Campaign, the Japan Tourism Agency is planning to subsidize travel vouchers only for locals up to a max of ¥20,000 (~S$260) per person, per stay.
Vietnam
Domestic travel is on the post-lockdown agenda elsewhere in Southeast Asia. This includes Vietnam, which is launching a “Vietnamese People Travel in Vietnam” initiative to revive domestic tourism. And yes, they are even seeing those ads in their commercials on TV.
Switzerland
Ahhh Switzerland.. The mere thought of it conjures up dreamy mountainous landscapes, scenic lakes and rolling hills. While international travellers are restricted to enter the country, the government is proposing to distribute vouchers for their citizens to spend on holidays at home. Borders are due to open to EU and EFTA countries and the UK. Travel from countries beyond this could resume from mid-July.
Some other countries around the globe are also introducing less glamorous approaches to reassure travellers. Iceland will offer travellers entering the country the choice of free COVID-19 test for the first two weeks till July, or a home quarantine.
As the situation evolves hopefully for the better, travel might not seem like a far-fetched idea anymore in months to come. With some of the countries putting new healthy measures to deal with the new norm, airlines also have safety protocols to reassure and restore our confidence in travelling (although I won’t be flying just yet!). Even if you can’t travel now, you can still keep these destinations in mind!
