Travel bubbles, travel corridors and air bridges
COVID-19 has wreaked havoc on the global tourism industry, causing millions of job losses, salary cuts and uncertainty. If we take the hierarchy of needs – Maslow’s five-step hierarchy or the subsequent seven-step one, tourism would not fall into the bottom two of biological, physiological and safety needs – under which the basics such as air, food, drink, sleep, security and protection lie. Tourism would more likely fit higher up the hierarchy – particularly if it is leisure tourism.
Whilst local tourism has already re-commenced in a somewhat cautious manner, we are seeing regional and global tourism opening up in stages and phases globally, with varying degrees of success, and as a result, we are starting to hear three terms emerge. These are ‘travel bubbles’, ‘travel corridors’ and ‘air bridges’. What do these terms mean?
Travel bubbles are arrangements between countries that typically are geographically close to each other that allow citizens of either country to travel to each other relatively unhindered and risk-free. Australia and New Zealand are a prime example of a bubble that may open in the near future, as are several EU countries. Travel bubbles are said to be the future of international travel in the COVID-19 era.
The key factor of travel bubbles is that quarantine regulations at either end are more relaxed than they normally would be or removed altogether. Imagine having to quarantine for fourteen days when you reach your holiday destination and another fourteen when you return to your home country? In this economy, few will be able to afford the sheer monetary and opportunity costs. The countries partnering in a travel bubble would not subject their citizens to this, instead placing the onus on them to provide proof of a valid PCR test taken before boarding the aircraft, upon landing at the destination and at periodic stages during their vacation. This is important, given that up to 20% of COVID-19 victims show zero symptoms and may be unaware that they are infected.
So how does one travel within travel bubbles? That’s the job of travel corridors and air bridges. Travel corridors typically cover land-based methods of travel such as road and rail, while air bridges cover the air routes between these countries. In the case of Australia and New Zealand, an air corridor would be established between the two countries with direct flights between them. In an air corridor you want to avoid transiting in a third country, especially if that country is not part of the travel bubble.
Sri Lanka, being an island doesn’t have any possibility of a travel corridor as the conduit for establishing a travel bubble, so air bridges is the sole option. Whilst the airport opening is delayed till September at the time of writing, it would be prudent to establish the prospective travel bubble partners at this stage.
So how do we identify our travel bubble partner countries? We should not just look at historical traffic and proximity, but also consider their COVID-19 infection figures, death rates and success at fighting the pandemic. For example, India, our closest and most populous neighbour has, in the past, provided us with significant tourist traffic but is currently experiencing difficulties in fighting and containing the pandemic due to its sheer population size and density, whilst Singapore, which is slightly further away has and historically contributed lower tourist figures, is having better success due to stricter measures and better management. A prime candidate would be the Maldives, since hotels are spread out among islands; they become natural quarantine centres separated by sheer distance.
COVID-19 is here to stay for the foreseeable future. Whilst vaccines are in development and we hear glimmers of hope, one must be pragmatic and recognise that until a proper vaccine is developed, tested and proven to be successful, the pandemic will continue to circulate amongst the world. At the same time, the desire to travel will continue. Tourism cannot allow COVID-19 to bring it to its knees, but must focus on ways to rise back and prosper in the environment of the new normal. Travel bubbles are one way to do it.
Hospitality Sri Lanka
The above article is from our video series “19-Hospitality Related Questions on Covid-19", which can be viewed on our Youtube channel here Why not take a moment to share your experience with us, or if you have a question you'd like answered, get in touch through reachus@hospitalitysrilanka.com We hope to hear from you, and in the meantime, check out our social media feeds on Facebook and Instagram. Shafeek Wahab - Editor, Hospitality Sri Lanka
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