According to travel firm ForwardKeys, international airline bookings to Southeast Asia had reached 38% of pre-pandemic levels by late March, a significant increase from less than 10% at the beginning of the year. Singapore and the Philippines saw a notable increase in bookings, with Philippines tourism minister Bernadette Romulo-Puyat stating that they were the first to eliminate bureaucratic obstacles for tourists, allowing them to freely explore upon arrival. These countries now mandate that vaccinated travelers only need to undergo a rapid antigen test before arriving, while Thailand's more complex requirements have caused it to fall out of favor as a top tourist destination. According to data from ForwardKeys, bookings in Singapore and the Philippines have reached 72% and 65% of 2019 levels, respectively, while Thailand is only at 24%. Marisa Sukosol Nunbhakdi, president of the Thai Hotels Association, noted that the cost of on-arrival PCR tests in Thailand, which can range from 2,000 to 2,500 baht ($60-$75), can be a significant expense, especially for groups, leading people to hesitate to travel. If another country has fewer entry requirements, travelers are more likely to choose that destination to avoid unnecessary hassle. It is important to note that bookings serve as a forward-looking indicator, and arrival figures also include returning locals. According to Brendan Sobie, an independent aviation analyst, Singapore and the Philippines have larger outbound markets compared to Thailand. Asia is experiencing a slower recovery compared to other regions such as Europe, which lifted restrictions months ago. The International Air Transport Association predicts that domestic and international air traffic in the Asia Pacific will only reach 68% of 2019 levels this year and not return to pre-pandemic levels until 2025, lagging behind the rest of the world by a year. In February, visitor numbers to Singapore increased significantly compared to the previous year due to eased entry restrictions, but this only accounted for 9% of arrivals in February 2020 and included a large number of work visa holders from Malaysia and India. According to the governor of Thailand's central bank, Thailand is expected to fully recover by 2026. In 2019, tourism made up approximately 12% of the country's GDP. Southeast Asia's travel and tourism industry, which is known for its beautiful beaches, historic architecture, and warm climate, contributed $380.6 billion to the region's GDP in 2019, accounting for 11.8% of the total. Chinese tourists, who were once the largest group of international travelers in Asia, are currently unable to travel due to strict lockdowns. In 2019, over a quarter of the 40 million tourists who visited Thailand were Chinese. This year, Thailand is anticipating international arrivals from neighboring countries like Malaysia, with an estimated 5 to 10 million visitors. Japan, currently closed to tourists, has had minimal travelers to Southeast Asia, and Russian tourists have been deterred by the conflict in Ukraine. European travelers make up a third of visitors to Southeast Asia this year, up from 22% in 2019, while North American visitors have more than doubled to 21% from 9% in 2019. Asian travelers accounted for only 24% of visitors so far this year, down from 57% in 2019. Rabil Lian, a tour guide with a leading Singaporean travel agency, noted significant improvements in the tourism industry in Europe. After temporarily working for the government during the pandemic, Lian, 51, has returned to his job and has led five tour groups to Europe in the last four months. He mentioned that Australia is also gaining popularity as a destination, but many are eagerly awaiting for Japan and Taiwan to relax their travel restrictions. Additionally, foreign tourist numbers in Vietnam nearly doubled in the first quarter of this year compared to the previous year. The country recently removed almost all restrictions, but it is anticipated to only have about 25% of the number of international visitors it had in 2019. A Singaporean journalist named Justin Ong visited Vietnam last month and noticed that the famous food stores were still operating due to domestic demand, which made him feel like the absence of tourism over the past two years didn't create a significant gap.