Welcome to our ‘Experience Asia’ News Update for February 2022
Please find below are the travel updates for our destinations
THAILAND
Thailand Opens up for a return to ‘Test and Go’ entry from 01st February
After suspending the quarantine free entry program to the Kingdom on 23rd December 2021, Thailand has re-introduced the scheme as from 01st February 2022
Visitors must test on arrival and again five days later and have their whereabouts tracked via an app
Fully vaccinated travelers from all countries can apply for a Test & Go Thailand Pass up to 60 days in advance. Applicants must submit proof of prepayment for two separate nights accommodation at government-approved hotels on Day 1 and Day 5. They must undergo PCR tests on Day 1 and Day 5.
The prepayment for Day 1 must include accommodation, a test and a prearranged transfer from the airport to the hotel.
Travelers can book two different hotels for the accommodation on Day 1 and Day 5. However, on both Day 1 and Day 5, they must stay within the room awaiting the PCR test result
Newsflash: It is expected that as from April, entry conditions will be eased again for travelers to Thailand, with only one PCR test on arrival required, but this has not been officially announced as yet
'Sandbox Scheme' Expands
Thailand has allowed Phuket and Samui to remain open under a separate Sandbox programme
The list of approved destinations has now been expanded to include: Krabi, Phang-Nga, Koh Phan Ngan, Pattaya, Hua-Hin and Koh Chang.
Important links
To apply for the Thailand Pass Thailand Pass Registration System
Thailand Information portal new tourism portal
Hotels – ‘Club Med’ to reopen in Phuket
Club Med has announced plans to reopen Club Med Phuket with redesigned spaces, upgraded facilities and refreshed programming.
Slated to open on 11 March this year, Club Med Phuket is located on Kata Beach, southwest of the island, just 45 minutes from the Phuket International Airport
Hotels – 'Melia Phuket Mai Khao'
The Meliá Phuket Mai Khao, Thailand’s largest island’s first wellness-inspired resort, has opened with a laid-back beach club and private pool villas on Phuket’s longest sandbar.
Hotels – 'First Andaz Hotel' will open in Thailand
Hyatt Hotels Corporation has entered into a management agreement for the debut of the 'Andaz' brand in the capital city of Thailand.
The 244-room luxury lifestyle hotel is expected to open in 2023 as part of One Bangkok, Thailand’s largest integrated development in a central business district
Hotels – 'The Standard Bangkok'
The Standard Bangkok Mahanakhon will be the Standard brand’s flagship hotel in Asia once it opens on 11 May.
Located in Bangkok’s central business district, the hotel is located in the landmark King Power Mahanakhon Building, a 78-story mixed-use building that is one of the tallest in Thailand.
Hotels – 'Outrigger Khao Lak'
Outrigger Khao Lak Beach Resort in southern Thailand opens this month. The 158-key property is located on Bang Sak beachfront
Apart from its resort in Khao Lak, Outrigger opened the Outrigger Surin Beach Resort in Phuket in late December. The Outrigger Koh Samui Beach Resort is scheduled to open by July 2022
Airlines – 'AirAsia'
AirAsia Group Berhad has changed its name to Capital A Berhad to reflect the push into non-airline activities.
The change reflects the group’s evolving business strategy as an investment holding company with a portfolio of synergistic travel and lifestyle businesses
Airlines – 'Singapore Airlines'
Effective from 4 March, Singapore Airlines will operate Vaccinated Travel Lane (VTL) flights from Phuket to Singapore.
Under the VTL scheme, vaccinated travellers who meet the criteria gain quarantine-free access to Singapore.
INDONESIA
Bali has announced it is to open its doors to all international tourists starting 4 February, according to a statement made by the country’s tourism minister
Visa and health insurance requirements will be released by the opening date. Travelers will still need to comply with the current quarantine and testing rules in Bali.
Double vaccinated travelers need to quarantine for five days, but if they have booster shot already, quarantine is only3 days
International travelers will be able to enter the island on either direct or connecting flights. Garuda Indonesia has already confirmed it will resume direct flights from Tokyo, Japan to Bali, and travelers will also be able to travel to Jakarta on Garuda and then connect with flights to Bali.
CAMBODIA
Tourists will need a visa to enter Cambodia and tourist visas can be applied for online.
Also they will require a certificate of negative COVID-19 (PCR) within 72 hours of arrival in Cambodia, from a competent health authority stating a negative Covid result
Tourists should be fully vaccinated on arrival and a lateral flow test will be administered at the airport
If no passengers on the same flight test positive, then there is no need to quarantine.
Airline News
Thai Vietjet will resume flights from Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport to the Cambodian capital city Phnom Penh, starting 16 March 2022.
The airline will operate three flights weekly every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday
VIETNAM
The Vietnamese government has announced on February 16, 2022, that the country will reopen for tourist arrivals from March 15, 2022.
* Regarding entry visas, the government resumes the unilateral visa exemption policy for 13 countries (please contact us for a full list)
* The E-visa is also available from March 15, 2022.
* International tourists do not need to book tour packages with designated travel agencies, but only need to fully meet the health regulations as follows:
– Vaccination certificate: Tourists from 12 years old and above must have received at least two doses of COVID-19 vaccines, with the second dose administered not more than six months at the time of entry
– Have negative test results before boarding flights (within 24 hours for rapid test method, 72 hours for RT-PCR method);
– Complete the Vietnam Health Declaration form at https://tokhaiyte.vn/.
– Install Vietnam’s COVID-19 app and the app would need to be on during their entire stay in the country.
– Medical or travel insurance including coverage for Covid-19 treatment worth at least US$20,000, instead of the previous US$50,000
ASEAN
The 'Association of Southeast Asian Nations’ (ASEAN) tourism arm has released a new logo and tagline to power the region’s tourism recovery. The new tagline is ‘A Destination For Every Dream.’
It will allow ASEAN to ‘market itself ‘as a single destination and raise awareness of the region’s incredible diversity of offerings.’
Our pricing tariffs are now available for 2022, so if you wish to receive a password to access our products, please contact me at stephen@experiencetravel.asia
Safe Travels and 'Sawasdee Khrup' from our team in Bangkok
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