Hard Truths From Singapore’s Reopening Gambits
Photo Credit: If only it will rain tourists. Rain Vortex at Jewel. Source: Changi Airport Development
Skift Take
Desperation is the new mother of invention and all eyes are on Singapore to see if the slew of measures it is taking will go down in history as forerunners of safe travel reopening — or just despairing moves.
Singapore is desperate to restart international travel, easily the most active country in Asia-Pacific right now in attempting to reopen as it declares one measure after another.
The latest, announced on October 23, is a reciprocal green lane with Germany, which can be a future model between Singapore and other European countries. The two countries are working out mutually-agreed procedures, health protocols, and the application process. So far, Singapore has green lanes with only Asian countries, namely Japan, China, South Korea, Malaysia, Indonesia and Brunei.
Green lanes are for essential or business and official purposes only. They have not produced the numbers as conditions are quite onerous (see examples here), according to industry members interviewed.
But it is Singapore's reciprocal leisure travel bubble with Hong Kong, announced on October 15, that is seen as potentially pushing the envelope, coming as it is when most people have gone flat on the idea of travel bubbl
