Pata UK & Ireland chairman Chris Crampton hails the region’s recovery
With the recent flurry of border reopenings in the Pacific Asia region, Pata is optimistic about the return of multi-centre holidays.
The relaxation of Covid-19 entry requirements to many popular countries will see an increase in enquiries and bookings for multi-destination itineraries, as they are hugely popular ways to explore the region.
Previously, the rules made multi-centre tours complicated for agents and were a barrier to selling.
The latest countries to reopen to tourists without the need for quarantine are Vietnam, Bali, Hong Kong, Singapore and South Korea.
They join countries that had already scrapped quarantine rules such as Sri Lanka, Maldives, India, Oman, Malaysia, New Zealand, India, Australia, Cambodia and the Philippines.
Open with varying entry requirements are the likes of Brunei, Laos, Taiwan and Thailand which are easing rules over the coming months.
This brings some much-needed hope to our members and the wider travel industry – and gives consumers the confidence to book their long-awaited holiday.
These positive developments in the region, coupled with the recent removal of the UK’s Covid rules, means travel is becoming much easier for the summer and beyond.
According to our recent travel trends report, Pata Patterns, multi-centre itineraries were identified as popular for 2022-23.
The region lends itself well to adventurous itineraries and it is easy to combine several points of interest and explore the diverse scenery offered in neighbouring countries.
There are popular individual destinations to which travellers are keen to return – but as a region, we are excited to see multi-centre trips on the increase with multiple countries benefiting from international tourism again.
For example, Sri Lanka or the Middle East plus the Maldives are very popular with honeymooners.
Singapore and the Philippines are great stopovers for Australia-bound travellers – and New Zealand and Australia are popular twin-centres for those with more time to explore.
The Middle East is an easy stopover to Thailand, while Cambodia is a great add-on destination.
Those who enjoy a slower pace can take the train from Bangkok through Thailand, Malaysia to Singapore for an oriental adventure.
This year, Pata has a full calendar of training events to get travel agents involved and learning more about the region.
The next virtual quizzes start in June, followed by several in-person roadshows, with amazing prizes to win.
Travel agents can get information about Pata’s training events by emailing events@pata.org.uk.