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As COVID-19 swept across the Asia-Pacific last year, it dealt a body blow to tourism in the region. Governments tightened borders, restricted commerce, and limited mobility with lockdowns and quarantines in an effort to stop the virus’ spread. The number of international visitors declined sharply. The World Tourism Organization reports that Asia-Pacific experienced a stunning 82% decrease in international tourist arrivals between January and October of 2020.
For many Asia-Pacific countries, the travel and tourism industry represents a huge part of their economies. The World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) estimated that travel and tourism contributed, directly and indirectly, to 42 million jobs in Southeast Asia in 2019. Before the pandemic struck, the industry accounted for more than 15% of total employment in Macau, Maldives, the Republic of Georgia, Cambodia, the Philippines, Thailand, New Zealand and some other Pacific island economies. Many micro, small and medium enterprises that depend directly or indirectly on tourism have gone out of business or currently see their fortunes hanging by a thread.
In mid-January 2020, the president of the ASEAN Tourism Association warned that 70% of travel agents in Thailand would cease to operate in 2021 if the Thai government did not provide more assistance.
