While all signs indicate that the hotel industry will continue to make progress in its recovery this summer, the rebound may not be as large as expected as high gas prices could deter some travel.
It's good to be cautious, but Thailand may pay the price of being cautious to a fault. Having already lost out on the first-mover advantage, will the delay in reopening deal a major blow to the already-fragile economy of Southeast Asia's biggest tourism hub?
Southern Vietnam has been afflicted worse than in northern regions, but Hanoi has been super-cautious throughout the pandemic so Sunday's decision to re-establish restrictions is not a surprise.
A new flare-up of Covid-19 cases in northern Vietnam does not change the fact the country has a lot going for it and that its commercial capital in the south, Ho Chi Minh City, is a rising star in Asia.
Traveloka says that transactions are back to pre-crisis levels in Thailand and Vietnam, two of its key markets. The resumption of domestic tourism is a hopeful sign for the sector.
Though seasoned at crisis management, Asian hoteliers are writing the textbook on how to reopen hotels when the only certainty is occupancy and room rates will be low. So why unlock, or when and how?
Astonishingly, Vietnam is the success story in Southeast Asia in the battle with coronavirus. Domestic travel is now kickstarting recovery, while so-called travel bubbles allowing travel with China and South Korea are in the air.
The day of reckoning has come for Sihanoukville as an exodus of Chinese nationals and other tourists occurs. A correction should follow, but can the once popular town regain its soul?
After Indonesia, Grab’s next biggest battleground is Vietnam. No surprise there, it's a rapidly growing economy with all the ingredients for a ridehailing explosion. Naturally Grab is not alone — rivals are aplenty.