Travel Winners and Losers in Northeast Asia’s Conflicts
Skift Take
Current conflicts in Northeast Asia do not stop people from traveling to and from the region, but they do redirect tourism flows, benefiting some destinations and hurting others.
Northeast Asia is looking like a hellhole where, everywhere you turn, there’s an Asian tiger snarling at another.
South Korea is locking horns with Japan in a months-long quarrel that began when Japan started restricting exports of vital manufacturing materials to South Korea.
China is isolating Taiwan and its independence-leaning president Tsai Ing-wen by banning individual tourists from 47 Chinese cities to travel to Taiwan.
Hong Kong is facing its worst crisis since the British handover in 1997.
The current troubles in Northeast Asia show how travel is a geopolitical weapon, or a victim of geopolitics. Hong Kong tourism is suffering from 10th weekend of protests. Taiwan tourism will bleed as a result of the China’s travel cut. Japan may end up with fewer Koreans with a #BoycottJapan trending in South Korea.
“Geopolitics has always been at the forefront of North Asia, particularly relating to China’s stance on a number of fronts including Taiwan, Hong Kong, Nor
