Asia Pacific region tops passport index

THE Asia Pacific region looks set to emerge first from the Covid-19 pandemic next year in terms of travel, according to the Henley Passport Index.

The latest results from the index – the original ranking of all the world’s passports according to the number of destinations their holders can access without a prior visa – provides new insights into the future of travel freedom in a world that has been transformed by the effects of Covid-19.

Without taking temporary restrictions into account, Japan continues to hold the number one position, with passport holders able to access 191 destinations visa-free. This marks the third consecutive year that Japan has held the top spot, either alone or jointly with Singapore.

The Asia Pacific (APAC) region countries’ dominance of the index, based on exclusive data from the International Air Transport Association (Iata), now seems firmly established. Singapore is in second position, with access to 190 destinations, and South Korea held onto third place alongside Germany, with both having a visa-free/ visa-on-arrival score of 189. Slightly further down, but still in the top 10, is New Zealand in seventh place, with visa-free access to 185 destinations, while Australia is eighth, with access to 184 destinations.

Over the index’s 16-year history, the top spots were traditionally held by EU countries, the UK or US, and experts suggest that the APAC region’s strength will continue as it includes the first countries to begin the process of recovering from the pandemic.

“With the US and UK still facing significant challenges related to the virus, and the passport strength of both countries continuing to steadily erode, the balance of power is shifting.

“Due to pandemic-related travel constraints, travellers from both the UK and US face major restrictions from over 105 countries, with US passport holders able to travel to fewer than 75 destinations, while UK passport holders currently have access to fewer than 70,” Henley & Partners said.

Its chairperson and inventor of the passport index, Dr Christian H Kaelin, said: “Just a year ago all indications were that the rates of global mobility would continue to rise … and holders of powerful passports would enjoy more access than ever before. The global lockdown negated these glowing projections, and as restrictions begin to lift, the results from the latest index are a reminder of what passport power really means in a world upended by the pandemic.”

With the first vaccine approved last month, airline industry experts believe that mandatory vaccination before air travel may soon be a necessity.