As far as warnings go, this is about as stark as you can get. For Korean Air Lines, its very survival really depends on how long the coronavirus crisis lasts.
Current conflicts in Northeast Asia do not stop people from traveling to and from the region, but they do redirect tourism flows, benefiting some destinations and hurting others.
While the government shutdown had not yet had a serious impact on leisure travel business as of last week, many travel advisors became increasingly concerned about what a prolonged shutdown could mean.
Korean tour agencies got a harsh wakeup call last year. This year, they must prove they have a reason to exist alongside foreign online travel agencies and booming travel startups.
An international dispute that forced itinerary changes for China-based cruises threw operators for a loop, but demand seems fundamentally intact. If tensions ease and South Korea reopens, will pricing return to high levels or have lower fares become the new normal?
China outbound travel is booming and has a long way to go before maturity. Individual destinations should pursue the market, but be cognizant of the risks. South Korea serves as an example of what can happen when the Chinese government changes course.
The first episode of season five serves to remind viewers that Bourdain and the ZPZ crew plan to keep traveling and portraying countries in the most interesting way possible for as long as CNN will have them.