Beijing residents get an apology after travel curbs leave some stranded
>> Beijing’s latest Covid-19 travel restrictions have prompted complaints from frustrated residents who say they have been unable to return to the city – and an apology from an official. Official apologized over reports that "members of the public were mistakenly targeted by control measures, which impacted their itineraries".
China won't give up on its zero-tolerance COVID policy soon: experts
>> China will not give up on its zero-tolerance policy towards local COVID-19 cases any time soon, some experts said, as the policy has allowed it to quickly quell local outbreaks, while the virus continues to spread outside its borders. "The policy (in China) will remain for a long time," Zhong Nanshan, a respiratory disease expert who helped formulate China's COVID strategy in early 2020, told state media.
Hong Kong reportedly in advanced talks with China to open border
>> Hong Kong is in advanced discussions with Chinese officials about potentially reopening their shared border, according to local media reports, as the former British colony pushes to overcome the mainland’s hesitancy to revive travel crucial to the city’s economy.
Business travel given priority if Hong Kong-mainland China border reopens
>> Business travel will be given priority if the border between Hong Kong and mainland China reopens but strict quotas and conditions will be imposed. The city’s Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor on Tuesday spelled out the framework for quarantine-free travel being discussed with mainland authorities, while also appealing to those present to promote or even mandate the use of the government’s Covid-19 contact-tracing app for entry into their buildings.
China continues to be vague on permitting return of stranded Indians
>> China continues to be ambivalent about permitting stranded Indians working in the Chinese mainland but stuck back home since last year due to Beijing’s COVID-19 travel restrictions, saying that visas are being given only for essential economic, trade and humanitarian purposes.
Marriott rides leisure travel demand to offset China drag
>> Marriott topped estimates for third-quarter revenue and profit as a strong rebound in leisure travel helped counter a hit from fresh restrictions in Asia caused by the Delta variant. The recovery in Greater China has been choppier, but globally leisure travel remained very strong throughout the quarter, Chief Executive Anthony Capuano said.
Greenland Hotel Group opens Singapore hub to accelerate overseas growth
>> Greenland Hotel and Tourism Group (GHTG) announced a plan to accelerate the growth of its overseas operations through the launch of its Overseas Operations Centre. Located in Singapore, the centre will be the group’s designated APAC hub for international business and expansion opportunities. The hotel and tourism arm of Greenland Group will focus on expanding its hotel management portfolio in the Southeast Asian region, eyeing Indonesia, Thailand and Vietnam as immediate top growth markets.
