Chinese tourists put off by US violence and worsening bilateral ties, survey shows
>> More mainland Chinese tourists are planning to travel overseas, anticipating further easing of Covid-19 controls on mass movements in the coming few months into the next year, but the US has lost popularity as a destination, a recent survey has found. The poll by Morning Consult, a US-based business intelligence company, was conducted in August among a representative sample of 1,000 adults.
Saudi Tourism, Unionpay take step in facilitating Chinese visitor experience
>> The Saudi Tourism Authority (STA) has taken a step forward by signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with leading global payment services provider UnionPay International. The agreement will support the development and strengthening of Saudi’s positioning as a tourism destination for UnionPay cardholders from China and around the world as Saudi drives forward its ambition to welcome even more Chinese visitors to the authentic home of Arabia.
Shanghai Disney Resort postpones opening times for Disneyland
>> Due to the impact of Typhoon Muifa, Shanghai Disney Resort will postpone the originally scheduled opening times for Shanghai Disneyland, Disneytown and Wishing Star Park on Thursday, September 15. But the hotels will continue to operate normally.
China’s lockdowns could push international air travel rebound to 2026
>> Some aviation analysts now think international air travel may not fully recover until 2025 or 2026 due largely to China’s continuation of its travel-busting “zero-Covid” policy. AeroDynamic Advisory managing director Kevin Michaels thinks China will not, any time soon, ditch its strategy of locking down hundreds of millions of people in the name of countering Covid-19.
Hong Kong to stop moving travelers with Covid to quarantine camp
>> Hong Kong will allow incoming travelers who test positive for Covid-19 to remain in their designated quarantine hotels instead of being transferred to isolation hotels or community facilities. Travelers who choose to remain in their quarantine hotels rather than switch to government isolation facilities must pay for the full stay on their own.
Hong Kong relaxes Covid travel restrictions at airport
>> Hong Kong will end temperature checks for some passengers at its international airport, and relax quarantine requirements for local air crews, after some of the city’s most prominent voices called for an end to virus-related travel restrictions. Hong Kong is also relaxing its three-day hotel quarantine requirement for air crews, again effective September 10.
One of Hong Kong’s richest tycoons calls for end of travel curbs
>> One of Hong Kong’s wealthiest developers made a rare open call for the government to end inbound travel restrictions, in the latest sign that even the loyal property sector is losing patience with the city’s strict Covid-19 policies. Peter Woo, who controls Wharf Holdings and Wharf Real Estate Investment with a net worth of USD 18.5 billion, released an article urging for an end of the restrictions for inbound travelers.
Tiqets partners with travel platform Klook
>> Amsterdam-based tours and activities ticketing platform Tiqets and Hong Kong-based tours and activities online travel agency Klook are entering a strategic partnership to connect their supply channels. For Tiqets, this is the second collaboration in about two months with an Asia-based company, following its announcement in July of integration with Trip.com Group.
China-made airliner C919 to be delivered to China Eastern Airlines
>> Two C919 airliners with registration numbers B-001F and B-001J respectively took off on September 13 from Shanghai Pudong International Airport about half an hour apart. The destination of the two planes was Beijing Capital International Airport.
