Asia-Pacific countries begin relaxing travel bans

SYDNEY - Asia-Pacific countries including Singapore, Australia and Japan are gradually easing some international travel restrictions as coronavirus cases slow, in hopes of helping to revive their economies.

International travel in Asia has collapsed during the pandemic due to border closures, with passenger numbers down 97 per cent in August, according to the Association of Asia Pacific Airlines.

Although European countries that had been more open add fresh travel restrictions as cases rise, in Asia the trend is toward easing, though not always on a bilateral basis.

For now, few people are likely to travel because of testing and insurance requirements, and in some cases the need to quarantine upon return home, meaning the deals offer limited hope for airlines and the tourism industry.

A Singapore-Indonesia deal announced on Monday for essential business and official travel will require an application and COVID-19 swab tests both before and after travel.

Singapore had established similar agreements with China, South Korea, Japan, Malaysia, and opened unilaterally to general visitors from New Zealand, Brunei, Vietnam and most of Australia.

But Singapore transport minister Ong Ye Kung said in parliament this month that the number of travellers remained small, with the country’s main airport serving 1.5% of its usual passenger volume.

New Zealanders will be able to travel to some parts of Australia starting Friday without quarantining, including to New South Wales, Canberra and the Northern Territory.

However, New Zealanders who return from Australia must quarantine for two weeks under government supervision at the cost of NZ$3100 for the first person and more for additional family members.

New Zealand, due to hold an election on Oct. 17, has said it does not plan open its borders to Australians for now.

Australia is also in talks with Japan, South Korea, Singapore and South Pacific nations on reopening travel as coronavirus infections ease, Prime Minister Scott Morrison said on Sunday.

Japan and Vietnam will allow short-term business travel with each other, the Yomiuri daily said on Saturday.

The pact, which will take effect by the end of October at the earliest, follows similar steps to ease business travel restrictions to Singapore and South Korea, the paper added.

Japan is also planning to remove a ban on overseas travel to China and 11 other countries and regions including Taiwan, Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, South Korea, Vietnam and Malaysia next month, the Yomiuri said, though it would still advise against non-essential travel.