


COVID-19 SITUATION & TRAVEL RESTRICTIONS12 November 2020 |
COVID-19 Cases Worldwide: 52,484,945
Deaths: 1,290,567
Recovered: 36,707,467
Many countries in Asia are now battling second and third waves of the coronavirus infections. National governments are continuously implementing travel and movement restrictions for both domestic and international tourists; though some have already opened their borders for official and business travels limited to very select nationalities. In general, inbound tourism is unlikely to restart within the year.
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VIETNAM
Positive COVID-19 Cases: 1,152
Active Cases: 130
Recovered: 1,087
Death: 35
CAMBODIA
Positive COVID-19 Cases: 301
Active Cases: 13
Recovered: 288
Death: 0
LAOS
Positive COVID-19 Cases: 24
Active Cases: 1
Recovered: 23
Death: 0
THAILAND
Positive COVID-19 Cases: 3,852
Active Cases: 99
Recovered: 3,693
Death: 60
MYANMAR
Positive COVID-19 Cases: 64,453
Active Cases: 14,441
Recovered: 48,532
Death: 1,480
INDONESIA
Positive COVID-19 Cases: 448,118
Active Cases: 54,300
Recovered: 378,982
Death: 14,836
CHINA
Positive COVID-19 Cases: 86,299
Active Cases: 413
Recovered: 81,252
Death: 4,634
JAPAN
Positive COVID-19 Cases: 110,156
Active Cases: 9,207
Recovered: 99,108
Death: 1,841
SINGAPORE
Positive COVID-19 Cases: 58,102
Active Cases: 84
Recovered: 57,990
Death: 28
SOUTH KOREA
Positive COVID-19 Cases: 27,942
Active Cases: 2,051
Recovered: 25,404
Death: 487
HONG KONG
Positive COVID-19 Cases: 5,408
Active Cases: 141
Recovered: 5,159
Death: 108
PHILIPPINES
Positive COVID-19 Cases: 402,820
Active Cases: 32,682
Recovered: 362,417
Death: 7,721
MALAYSIA
Positive COVID-19 Cases: 42,872
Active Cases: 11,497
Recovered: 31,073
Death: 302
HEALTH & SAFETY MEASURES POST COVID-19
Our passion for discovering and introducing Southeast Asia is as strong as ever, and we remain committed to providing you experiences of a lifetime. The purpose of the following guidelines is to help mitigate the spread of contagious diseases on trip.
HEALTH & SAFETY COMMITTEE
Trails of Indochina has appointed a health & safety committee to oversee and implement these new health & safety measure in all destinations. The committee will meet regularly to review the policies and vendors to ensure we are doing everything possible to achieve the necessary health & safety preparedness.
SOCIAL DISTANCING
In accordance with travel restrictions and health advice offered by government advisories worldwide Trails of Indochina will work with partners and customers to apply social distancing where possible.
GROUP VEHICLES
For larger vehicles and coaches, we will have the option for larger vehicles and less guests per vehicle thereby creating more personal space for each guest.
FIT VEHICLES
For smaller vehicles, we will approach this on a case by case basis. As smaller FITs are normally family members, there is no requirement for social distancing. There will be different requirements.
BOATS
We aim to provide appropriate social distancing for our guests when using boats while on tour. There are many considerations, so each trip & booking must be reviewed on a case by case basis. For private charter vs join-in, day boat & overnight boats we are working with these vendors to understand their on-board procedures and will act accordingly to ensure safety consideration for our guests.
HOTEL LOBBY DURING CHECK-IN
We will ask hotels to ensure physical distancing will be implemented in the event of queues or waiting and all keys and pens used to complete the check-in procedure should be sanitized. Where possible and appropriate, our guide can assist guests checking in and keep an eye for social distance
and hygiene.
SIGHTSEEING
Trails of Indochina have always aimed to avoid the crowds when we do our sightseeing to popular locations. We will continue to visit at off-peak areas, use alternative entry & exit points and apply other measure to avoid crowds.
PLANES
Different airlines apply their own policy for social distancing and hygiene. We are currently working with all airlines in Asia to advise and collect this information and make it available for all business partners.
HYGIENE IN VEHICLES
At a minimum, clean & disinfect all hard non-porous surfaces within the interior of the vehicle such as hard seats, arm rests, door handles, seat belt buckles, light and air controls, doors and windows, and grab handles.
Empty any waste baskets regularly. TOI will provide hand sanitizer in the vehicles for guests to use during the trip, before and after visiting sightseeing locations.
MASKS & SANITIZER
We will aim to make Masks & Hand sanitizer available for all guests traveling with us in 2020 and 2021.
RESTAURANTS
Trails of Indochina will work with restaurants who have appropriate and strict health & safety guidelines including cleanliness & hygiene. Where possible, TOI will keep a copy of the hygiene certificate on file.
BOATS & HOTELS
Trails of Indochina will work with overnight boats and hotels who have appropriate and strict health & safety guidelines including cleanliness & hygiene. Where possible, TOI will keep a copy of the hygiene certificate on file.
DAILY HEALTH CHECKS FOR GUIDES & DRIVERS
Guides and Drivers will be required to take their temperature each morning and report to the operations manager before starting their day. If they have a fever, they cannot work and the company will find an alternative.
GUIDE & DRIVER HYGIENE
Guide and driver will wash their hands frequently throughout the day and use hand sanitizer each time they get in the vehicles with guests. Guides and rivers should do this in view of guests so guests will feel secure that hygiene is being taken seriously. Drivers should also wipe down and sanitize the hard surfaces in vehicles at each stop. This includes hard seats, arm rests, door handles, seat belt buckles, light and air controls, doors and windows, and grab handles.
CRISIS MANAGEMENT
Guides and key Customer Care Staff will be briefed and trained on how to respond to travelers with symptoms of COVID-19. These measures are also covered in TOI’s Crisis Management Plan which is
updated regularly.
GENERAL HEALTH AND SAFETY PRECAUTIONS FOR TRAVELERS IN SOUTHEAST ASIA
Guests are encouraged to take sensible precautions against COVID-19 during their trips with Trails of Indochina. The World Health Organization outlines these basic practices to keep yourself and your loved ones safe:
1. Avoid travelling if you have a fever and cough. If you have fever, cough, and difficulty breathing, alert health care services and share with them your recent travel history.
2. Maintain social distancing. Where possible, stay a metre or more away from others, especially those who are sneezing or coughing, or have fever.
3. Wash your hands regularly with soap and running water. You can also use an alcohol-based hand-sanitizer to spray your hands as often as you like.
4. Cover your mouth and nose with tissue when you cough or sneeze. Dispose of dirty tissues immediately and wash your hands after coughing or sneezing.
5. Avoid contact with live animals. Wash your hands with soap and water if you touch live animals or animal products in markets.
6. Eat only well-cooked food. Make sure your meals especially animal proteins and dairy products are thoroughly cooked and prepared in a sanitary environment.
7. Discard single-use masks. If you choose to wear a single-use mask, ensure it covers your nose and mouth, avoid touching the mask, and wash your hands after removing it. Bring masks from home as they can sometimes be difficult to buy in Southeast Asia.
DEALING WITH SICKNESS (FOLLOWING ECDC GUIDANCE)
TOI representatives to look for symptoms
Guidelines established for trip representatives with Medical input on what action should be taken and when. https://www.ecdc.europa.eu/sites/default/files/documents/COVID-19-resourcesforcontact- tracing-2-March-2020.pdf
We encourage our guests to stay up to date on government advice from their own countries. Here are some helpful links to get started:
• USA, CDC: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html
• Public Health England: https://www.gov.uk/coronavirus
• Australia Dept of Health: https://www.health.gov.au/news/health-alerts/novelcoronavirus-2019-ncov-health-alert
• New Zealand Ministry of Health: https://www.health.govt.nz/our-work/diseases-andconditions/covid-19-novel-coronavirus
To prevent the further spread of COVID-19 in Southeast Asia, some hotels and resorts have temporarily closed down. These hospitality companies are taking this time to renovate their properties, upgrade facilities and train their workforce to serve guests better in the future. View the list of hotels from this LINK.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Asia now open to international leisure travelers?
As the number of coronavirus infections continues to rise in Asia, international borders and ports remain closed for general tourism as of this time. The World Health Organization and all local governments do not encourage non-essential travel to prevent the further spread of the coronavirus. However, countries such as Japan, Vietnam and Singapore have already allowed business travelers to enter their ports, with COVID-19 tests and quarantines implemented. Thailand is also now allowing travelers into Phuket through a special 90-day visa.
How do you ensure the safety of your guests?
The safety of our guests is out top priority. As such, we have established a detailed Health & Safety Policy in all of the destinations we offer. These precautionary measures are in accordance to World Health Organization policies. Social distancing, wearing of masks, sanitation and many other measures will be implemented for guests, tour guides, drivers and everyone involved in your trip.
Is it safe to travel to Asia this year?
While some destinations in Southeast Asia have the health crisis under control and have started offering special visas for travelers, the global pandemic is still very much present. Therefore, it is really not safe to go on leisure trips this year. Several restrictions are still in place, which may hinder you from enjoying your holiday. We will definitely inform you of when our part of the world will reopen to international travelers.
What are your booking and cancellation policies?
We offer most flexible terms at the moment with no cancelation charges. However, we do not recommend to book any trips between now until Q4 2021 to avoid wasting our resources for booking and then canceling due to border closure and on-going pandemic in the world. For further information, please contact our Sales Team.
When is the most practical time to travel?
We don’t know yet but we hope our borders will reopen towards the end of 2021. We will continue to update you on this through our monthly newsletter, social media updates and virtual meetings.
Our team of Travel Experts are dedicated to responding to client's needs and requests in a timely manner. With our 24/7 Customer Care Hotline, travelers can be assured that assistance is available for any last minute requests and emergency