A year ago, I wrote about Covid-19 and the potential decimation of Asia's tourism sector.

In hindsight, I underestimated the length of time it would take countries to get Covid-19 under control.

In the case of Thailand, a Covid outbreak in the past month centred on markets outside Bangkok, staffed predominantly by migrants, has resulted in a semi-lockdown. Tourist spots which had realigned towards the domestic market have taken a further battering. (How Thailand Was Caught Out)

Thailand has been largely unsuccessful trying to restart international tourism with a quarantine component. (Thailand - No-one Came)

Contrast this approach with Maldives which has been open for quarantine-free tourism for several months. (Maldives Monitors Arrivals)

Across South East Asia, tourism ventures are mothballed or dead in the water. Some companies still operating have opted to give up office space to save costs and are operating from serviced offices.

It is not all gloom and doom. Some OTAs are actively recruiting, seeking to replace some of the staff made redundant last year as they try to position themselves for economies reopening hopefully during 2021 as Covid-19 vaccination becomes more widespread.

There will be plenty of restructuring ahead. Not all tourism players will survive. New players will emerge and everyone will need to adapt to a post-Covid tourism world.

January 2021

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