Inbound Travel Research Articles

Halal and Muslim-Minority Countries: A Systematic Literature Review

Muslim-minority countries have emerged among the largest exporters of halal products for the Muslim market and received significant numbers of inbound Muslim travellers. The global nature of the halal industry value chain calls for a thorough understanding about halal, particularly in the context of Muslim-minority countries. To gain this understanding, a systematic literature review was conducted to explore the themes of halal research in Muslim-minority countries. A total of 22 empirical research articles were analysed based on a review protocol adapted from ROSES. The articles were sourced from the Scopus and Web of Science, with Google Scholar as a supplementary database. The study generated five main themes that synthesise the scholarly knowledge about halal in the context of Muslim-minority countries at the consumer, organization, and institution levels of analysis. The findings illustrate the lack of understanding about halal among the industry players and consumers, as well as the lack of central governance and policymaking within the halal industry in Muslim-minority countries. Based on the findings, the study provides future direction for research and practice.

Catering to Luxury Chinese Tourists Demand: Insights from Malaysian Inbound Travel Agencies

ABSTRACT The shift toward luxury tourism has engendered a new class of high-end Chinese tourists, presenting significant opportunities for generating substantial revenue through premium tourism products and services. This study specifically explores Malaysian inbound travel agencies’ perceptions, preparedness, and challenges in attracting luxury Chinese tourists. Through qualitative interviews and thematic analysis, this study delves into nine Malaysian inbound travel agencies’ perspectives on attracting luxury Chinese tourists. The qualitative findings reveal distinct characteristics and preferences of Chinese luxury tourists, notably their substantial financial capability, penchant for shopping activities, preference for authentic local Chinese cuisine, and the significance of Mandarin-speaking tour guides. The Chinese tourists also seek high standards and exclusivity, aspire for unique experiences, and often desire customization in their travel itineraries. However, challenges surface in meeting their unique preferences, including limited infrastructures, the need for customization in luxury services, and bureaucratic hurdles. Despite these challenges, travel agencies assert their readiness to cater to the demands of Chinese luxury tourists, actively promoting and enhancing their high-end offerings. By delving into these aspects, the study provides valuable practical and academic insights into industry strategies and the complexities of serving affluent tourist segments within a multicultural destination.

An observational study on imported COVID-19 cases in Hong Kong during mandatory on-arrival hotel quarantine

BackgroundHong Kong enforced stringent travel restrictions during the COVID-19 pandemic. Understanding the characteristics of imported COVID-19 cases is important for establishing evidence-based control measures. MethodsRetrospective cohort study summarising the characteristics of imported cases detected in Hong Kong between 13 November 2020 and 31 January 2022, when compulsory quarantine was implemented. FindingsA total of 2269 imported COVID-19 cases aged 0–85 years were identified, of which 48.6 % detected on arrival. A shorter median delay from arrival to isolation was observed in Delta and Omicron cases (3 days) than in ancestral strain and other variants cases (12 days; p < 0.001). Lower Ct values at isolation were observed in Omicron cases than in ancestral strain or other variants cases. No Omicron cases were detected beyond 14 days after arrival. Cases detected after 14 days of quarantine (n=58, 2.6 %) were more likely asymptomatic at isolation and had higher Ct value during isolation, some of them indicating re-positivity or post-arrival infections. ConclusionsTesting inbound travellers at arrival and during quarantine can detect imported cases early, but may not prevent all COVID-19 introductions into the community. Public health measures should be adapted in response to the emergence of SARS-CoV-2 variants based on evidence from ongoing surveillance.

Impact of Climate Change on International Tourism Evidence from Baltic Sea Countries

The societal consequences of climate change are still hard to measure, mostly because it is difficult to connect the physical effects of climate change to economic processes and because future climate change and economic estimates are unpredictable. The tourism industry is one of the areas where evaluating the effects of climate change has proven to be especially challenging. The primary influencing environmental elements in the coastal waters of the Baltic Sea are expected to alter as a result of climate change. This study investigates the impact of climate change on the growth of tourism in the Baltic Sea Region, focusing on international tourism. To analyze the possible short-run and long-run impact of climate change on international tourism, a dynamic panel model is used, with data for the period 2005–2022. International tourism is measured through the inbound travel expenditure and the number of overnight visitors. The effect of climate change is captured through the variables of temperature and precipitation, with real GDP and government effectiveness as control variables. Results show a significant negative impact of climate change variables on international tourism in the Baltic Sea countries. There are relatively few studies on the impact of climate change on the tourism industry in the Baltic region; this article complements the existing literature on this very important issue.

Impact of COVID-19 on Small Domestic and Inbound Travel Agencies and Tour Operators in West Bengal, India: Perspectives of Offline Owners-Managers

Purpose: This article delves into the mindset of small family business owners in tourism during the COVID-19 crisis, their strategies, and the barriers they faced in recovery. The study is particularly significant as it sheds light on the experiences of entrepreneurs in both urban and backward/rural areas of West Bengal, providing valuable insights for policymakers and professionals in the tourism and hospitality industry. Methodology: The qualitative research approach involved semi-structured interviews with thirteen family-owned tour operators or travel agency owners/managers. A fixed semi-structured questionnaire was used to explore their views on management operations during and after the crisis, allowing for open discussion and new insights. Principal Findings: The findings underscore the remarkable resilience of small family-operated tour operators and travel agencies. Despite facing multiple challenges, including threats of existence, the pressure of fixed costs, non-performing travel inventories, feeling unethical, uncertainty about the future, and feelings of loss of goodwill with lenders, these entrepreneurs have shown remarkable adaptability and determination. Originality: This research offers unique insights into the mindset of family business owners in the Indian context, particularly the urban-peripheral context. The study also highlights the gap between the government's measures and the needs of entrepreneurs in this post-COVID-19 era, providing a comprehensive understanding of the challenges and opportunities in the tourism industry.

Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on inbound air travel to Canada.

Commercial air travel can result in global dispersal of infectious diseases. During the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, many countries implemented border measures, including restrictions on air travel, to reduce the importation risk of COVID-19. In the context of inbound air travel to Canada, this study aimed to: 1) characterize travel trends before and during the pandemic, and 2) statistically assess the association between travel volumes and travel restrictions during the pandemic. Monthly commercial air travel volume data from March 2017 to February 2023 were obtained from the International Air Transport Association (IATA). National and airport-level travel trends to Canada were characterized by inbound travel volumes, the number of countries contributing travellers and the ranking of the top ten countries contributing travellers across the study period, by six year-length subperiod groupings (three pre-pandemic and three pandemic). Using seasonal autoregressive integrated moving average (SARIMA) models, interrupted time series (ITS) analyses assessed the association between major travel restrictions and travel volumes by including variables to represent changes to the level and slope of the time series. The pre-pandemic inbound travel volume increased by 3% to 7% between consecutive subperiods, with three seasonal peaks (July-August, December-January, March). At the onset of the pandemic, travel volume decreased by 90%, with the number of contributing countries declining from approximately 200 to 140, followed by a slow recovery in volume and seasonality. A disruption in the ranking of countries that contributed travellers was also noticeable during the pandemic. Results from the ITS analysis aligned with the timing of travel restrictions as follows: implementation in March 2020 coincided with a sharp reduction in volumes, while the easing of major restrictions, starting with the authorization of fully vaccinated travellers from the United States to enter Canada in August 2021, coincided with an increase in the slope of travel volumes. Descriptive and statistical results suggest a near-return of pre-pandemic travel patterns by the end of the study period. Study results suggest resilience in commercial air travel into Canada. Although the COVID-19 pandemic led to a disruption in travel trends, easing of travel restrictions appeared to enable pre-pandemic trends to re-emerge. Understanding trends in air travel volumes, as demonstrated here, can provide information that supports preparedness and response regarding importation risk of infectious pathogens.

Analysis of the Role of Hong Kong's Key Industries During the Pandemic of COVID-19

This study investigates the variables that affect and encourage inbound travel to Hong Kong using data from 2019 to 2020. Five important regional source markets for tourism in Hong Kong have been chosen, namely Singapore, Malaysia, Philippines, Japan, and South Korea. Based on the research results, the COVID-19 pandemic had a major destructive effect on Hong Kong's tourism sectors while significantly impact the quantity of inbound tourists due to government response to COVID-19 infection case. The quantity of inbound tourists to Hong Kong is significantly impacted by the government's actions based on the COVID-19 infection cases. Additionally, existence of COVID-19 in the tourism source countries is often considered when defining Hong Kong's travel restrictions. According to the empirical findings, the demand for visitor arrivals was also lowered by the distance to Hong Kong and the expensive cost of travel there, while the expansion of tourism was facilitated by improved aviation services and potential for the tourism sector. These results demonstrate that for the city to be recognized as an attracting and cherished tourist destination, the tourism sector and the government must collaborate to restore after the pandemic. The complementary nature of pandemic control and tourist recovery is highlighted by this study. To establish a positive ripple effect, these operative and budgetary standards must demand the government to provide early recovery support to tourism sectors.

Border effects for domestic travel in China during COVID-19 pandemic

While numerous studies have evaluated the role of international borders, few efforts have been made to assess the influence of domestic borders on travel during COVID-19. In China, the nearly three-year travel control, starting in early 2020, has caused considerable fluctuations in public perceptions and sentiments. Domestic travel behaviors were disrupted, and in some regions, even reshaped. This study evaluates border effects for domestic travel in China from 2019 to 2021. Utilizing short-term intercity travel flow data obtained from Baidu Map, we configured and performed a series of modified gravity models to reveal provincial border effects at three levels of detail. Several major conclusions can be drawn from the results: First, there is a consistent border effect on domestic travel within China, both pre-pandemic and during the pandemic. Second, border effects are directional, as they vary for inbound and outbound travel and depend on the origin and destination. Third, border effects exhibit clear spatial patterns that are associated with location and travel distance. Fourth, the impacts of COVID-19 on border effects are predominantly temporary; however, in some instances, they may be long-term. The results highlight the necessity of considering borders when estimating travel flows using spatial interaction models. This study also sheds light on related policymaking, as restricting or loosening travel controls at borders can have profound impacts on economic activities and disease transmission.

Country-Based COVID-19 DNA Sequence Classification in Relation with International Travel Policy

As viruses evolve rapidly, variations in their DNA may arise due to environmental factors. This study examines the classification of COVID-19 DNA sequences based on their country of origin and analyzes their primary correlation with the country’s international travel policy. Focusing on DNA sequences from nine ASEAN countries, we conducted a two-class classification to distinguish sequences from individual countries and mixed sequences from others. The sequences were initially dissected into 200 base pair units, and a deep-learning method was employed to construct a model. Our results showcase the capacity to differentiate DNA sequences with varying accuracy for each country. Additionally, the index of international travel policy, which reflects how countries implemented varying levels of restrictions regarding inbound travel, several months before the sequence collection date, moderately correlated with the classification accuracy within each country. This finding suggests a preliminary insight that a country’s pandemic management might influence the variation in the DNA virus, determining whether these sequences will evolve distinctly from those of other countries or exhibit similarities.

Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on travel behavior: A case study of domestic inbound travelers in Turkey

Abstract The main aim of this study is to examine post-pandemic travel intentions and the factors affecting domestic tourism in Turkey. For this purpose, a scale adapted to the field of tourism, based on Ajzen’s Theory of Planned Behaviour, was used to collect the data forming the basis of the research. A total of 611 valid questionnaires were collected through the popular social media platform LinkedIn, with the questionnaire prepared between January 10 and April 29, 2022. SmartPLS 3 and SPSS were used for analysis. The resulting data were analysed using Structural Equation Modelling (SEM). It was determined that the variables of Attitude, Subjective Norm, and Perceived Behavioural Control had a significant effect on post-pandemic travel intention. It was determined that domestic tourism participants intend to travel, but have a desire to do preliminary research on pandemic controls in the city they plan to visit.

“Low-risk groups” deserve more attention than “high-risk groups” in imported COVID-19 cases

ObjectiveTo estimate the optimal quarantine period for inbound travelers and identify key risk factors to provide scientific reference for emerging infectious diseases.MethodsA parametric survival analysis model was used to calculate the time interval between entry and first positive nucleic acid test of imported cases in Guangzhou, to identify the influencing factors. And the COVID-19 epidemic risk prediction model based on multiple risk factors among inbound travelers was constructed.ResultsThe approximate 95th percentile of the time interval was 14 days. Multivariate analysis found that the mean time interval for inbound travelers in entry/exit high-risk occupations was 29% shorter (OR 0.29, 95% CI 0.18–0.46, p &amp;lt; 0.0001) than that of low-risk occupations, those from Africa were 37% shorter (OR 0.37, 95% CI 0.17–0.78, p = 0.01) than those from Asia, those who were fully vaccinated were 1.88 times higher (OR 1.88, 95% CI 1.13–3.12, p = 0.01) than that of those who were unvaccinated, and those in other VOC periods were lower than in the Delta period. Decision tree analysis showed that a combined entry/exit low-risk occupation group with Delta period could create a high indigenous epidemic risk by 0.24.ConclusionDifferent strata of imported cases can result in varying degrees of risk of indigenous outbreaks. “low-risk groups” with entry/exit low-risk occupations, fully vaccinated, or from Asia deserve more attention than “high-risk groups.”

Asymmetric effects of economic policy uncertainty and exchange rates on international air travel demand: The case from Hong Kong

Despite the growing body of literature on economic policy uncertainty (EPU) and exchange rate, the potential nonlinear effects of EPU and exchange rate on international air travel demand have been largely neglected. This study aims to investigate the asymmetric effects of EPU and exchange rate on inbound air travel demand in Hong Kong from nine markets (Taiwan, Korea, Japan, Singapore, the UK, Malaysia, Indonesia, Canada, and India). Using monthly data from January 2002 to December 2021, the nonlinear estimation results revealed that EPU has a significant asymmetric long-run impact on air travel demand for Hong Kong, while its effect was negligible in the linear model. Travelers react strongly to EPU in response to rising uncertainty in economic policies, whereas they do not respond similarly to declining uncertainty. Rising uncertainty has a greater effect than falling uncertainty on travel demand from Taiwan, Korea, Japan, Canada, and India. Our findings support that travelers are loss-averse in their response to EPU shocks, providing important policy and managerial implications. This study also found that exchange rate changes have a nonlinear impact on air travel demand, reflecting travelers' asymmetric behavior in response to currency appreciation and depreciation.

Strategic Vectors of Coastal Tourism Development as a Blue Economy Component in the International Dimension

The blue economy covers various scientific areas and types of socio-economic activity that are related to each other: fisheries, shipping, tourism (beach and cruise), transportation, logistics, alternative energy, ecology, water management, climate change and biosphere conservation. It was found that coastal tourism occupies an important place in the system of the Blue Economy. According to the set of indicators: The Travel and Tourism Competitiveness Index, International tourist arrivals, thousands, Travel and Tourism industry GDP, and Employment in the tourism and travel sphere, a cluster analysis has been created for leading countries. As a result of the analysis, 9 clusters have been formed, for each of which strategic vectors of development were determined. The coastline of all countries in the world is 1162.3 million km. The longest coastline belongs to Canada – 202080 km. Relative indicators per 1 km of coastline as international tourist arrivals, international tourism inbound receipts, Tourism and Travel industry GDP have been considered. It has been substantiated that the Spanish coastal tourism industry deserves special attention. There are 17 coastal areas and more than 2,000 beaches in Spain.

Regulating Movement in Pandemic Times

As COVID-19 and its variants spread across Australia at differing paces and intensity, the country’s response to the risk of infection and contagion revealed an intensification of bordering practices as a form of risk mitigation with disparate impacts on different segments of the Australian community. Australia’s international border was closed for both inbound and outbound travel, with few exceptions, while states and territories, Indigenous communities, and local government areas were subject to a patchwork of varying restrictions. By focusing on borders at various levels, our research traces how the logics of medico-legal bordering have filtered down from the international to the intra-national, and indeed, into hyper-local spaces. This is not just apparent in the COVID-19 moment but in previous pandemics of 1918 to 1919 influenza and smallpox, in which practices of quarantine and lockdowns were both unevenly distributed and implemented on multiple scales of social organization. An interdisciplinary approach between history and law reveals that human movement during pandemic times in Australia has been regulated in a manner that sees mobility as a risk to public health capable of mitigation through the strict enforcement of borders as a technology of both confinement and exclusion.

Development of Chinese Industries under COVID-19

The year 2020 saw a global outbreak of the COVID-19 virus. The world economy was hit hard by the COVID-19 outbreak. As China was the first country to experience a major outbreak of the New Coronavirus, its economy was severely affected. In response to the crisis, the Chinese government decided to impose a nationwide closure of the city and restrictions on outbound and inbound travel. As a result, the majority of enterprises within China are affected by COVID-19 to varying degrees. This paper focuses on the impact of COVID-19 on Chinese companies and how Chinese industries are addressing their own existential crisis in this environment. Through methods such as finding data and market research, this article draws out some responses. Companies can increase their digitalisation and integrate it with industry. In addition, companies can respond to unexpected epidemics by partnering with influencers for live streaming and opening online shops. Entrepreneurship is important for business development. The government should also strengthen its support for SMEs.

Solutions for sustainable development of inbound tourism in Khanh Hoa Province after Covid-19

Sustainable tourism development is a top concern in all countries in the world, especially developing countries like Vietnam. Issues of environmental pollution, changes in habits in life and consumption, conflicts of economic interests between parties, a decrease in the number and quality of tourists after the Covid-19 pandemic, and many other problems are other potentially emerging. Khanh Hoa province is a tourist center in the South Central region and the Central Highlands. An interesting stop for inbound tourists when coming to Vietnam. In addition to the achievements, the inbound travel business in Khanh Hoa province has been revealing many factors that lack sustainability in terms of environment, economy, culture, and society. Therefore, to sustainably develop inbound travel tourism in Khanh Hoa province. The author used the research method of secondary documents, and analyzed the current situation of inbound tourism development in Khanh Hoa in recent years, thereby giving urgent solutions: Focusing on re-developing the inbound tourist market, assessing re-evaluate tourism resources in order to build suitable tourism products, have sales promotion strategies, apply information technology, increase investment in human resource development, raise people’s and inbound travel community’s awareness.

Effectiveness of international border control measures during the COVID-19 pandemic: a narrative synthesis of published systematic reviews.

The effectiveness of international border control measures during the COVID-19 pandemic is not well understood. Using a narrative synthesis approach to published systematic reviews, we synthesized the evidence from both modelling and observational studies on the effects of border control measures on domestic transmission of the virus. We find that symptomatic screening measures were not particularly effective, but that diagnostic-based screening methods were more effective at identifying infected travellers. Targeted travel restrictions levied against travellers from Wuhan were likely temporarily effective but insufficient to stop the exportation of the virus to the rest of the world. Quarantine of inbound travellers was also likely effective at reducing transmission, but only with relatively long quarantine periods, and came with important economic and social effects. There is little evidence that most travel restrictions, including border closure and those implemented to stop the introduction of new variants of concern, were particularly effective. Border control measures played an important role in former elimination locations but only when coupled with strong domestic public health measures. In future outbreaks, if border control measures are to be adopted, they should be seen as part of a broader strategy that includes other non-pharmaceutical interventions. This article is part of the theme issue 'The effectiveness of non-pharmaceutical interventions on the COVID-19 pandemic: the evidence'.

Techno-biopolitics under a tentative “state of exception”: the institutional logic of the digital governance of inbound travelers during the COVID-19 pandemic in China

The COVID-19 pandemic propelled many countries into a “state of exception,” under which several regular governance norms were suspended and emergency regulations were enacted. China was no exception. After its initial domestic vacillation, China implemented rigorous measures to control its borders and employed digital technologies, such as health codes and intelligent gate magnets, to streamline inbound travel management. These measures were in place until the end of 2022. Drawing on 30 in-depth semi-structured interviews and public and social media posts, this study examines the multifaceted role of digital governance in the management of inbound travelers during the COVID-19 pandemic in China. Digital governance facilitated and streamlined the quarantining of inbound travelers. Meanwhile, the use of digital measures was entangled with the institutional logic of China’s local governance, which sometimes had to reconcile contradictory goals. Theoretically, the paper enriches our understanding of not only the idiosyncrasies of Chinese digital governance but also of techno-biopolitics under a COVID-19-induced tentative state of exception, which sheds light on a possible future in which digital technologies are deeply integrated into the institutional logic of governance in an increasingly turbulent world.

The impact of multiple non-pharmaceutical interventions for China-bound travel on domestic COVID-19 outbreaks.

Non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPIs) implemented on China-bound travel have successfully mitigated cross-regional transmission of COVID-19 but made the country face ripple effects. Thus, adjusting these interventions to reduce interruptions to individuals' daily life while minimizing transmission risk was urgent. An improved Susceptible-Infected-Recovered (SIR) model was built to evaluate the Delta variant's epidemiological characteristics and the impact of NPIs. To explore the risk associated with inbound travelers and the occurrence of domestic traceable outbreaks, we developed an association parameter that combined inbound traveler counts with a time-varying initial value. In addition, multiple time-varying functions were used to model changes in the implementation of NPIs. Related parameters of functions were run by the MCSS method with 1,000 iterations to derive the probability distribution. Initial values, estimated parameters, and corresponding 95% CI were obtained. Reported existing symptomatic, suspected, and asymptomatic case counts were used as the training datasets. Reported cumulative recovered individual data were used to verify the reliability of relevant parameters. Lastly, we used the value of the ratio (Bias2/Variance) to verify the stability of the mathematical model, and the effects of the NPIs on the infected cases to analyze the sensitivity of input parameters. The quantitative findings indicated that this improved model was highly compatible with publicly reported data collected from July 21 to August 30, 2021. The number of inbound travelers was associated with the occurrence of domestic outbreaks. A proportional relationship between the Delta variant incubation period and PCR test validity period was found. The model also predicted that restoration of pre-pandemic travel schedules while adhering to NPIs requirements would cause shortages in health resources. The maximum demand for hospital beds would reach 25,000/day, the volume of PCR tests would be 8,000/day, and the number of isolation rooms would reach 800,000/day within 30 days. With the pandemic approaching the end, reexamining it carefully helps better address future outbreaks. This predictive model has provided scientific evidence for NPIs' effectiveness and quantifiable evidence of health resource allocation. It could guide the design of future epidemic prevention and control policies, and provide strategic recommendations on scarce health resource allocation.

BRICS INBOUND AND OUTBOUND TOURISM VERSUS SOCIO-ECONOMIC INDICATORS

BRICS assemblies focus on politics and security, economics, and finance, and cultural and people-to-people exchange. Since these areas depend on global air transit and tourism, seamless movement is essential. Tourism fosters cultural proximity and human encounters, benefiting nations and businesses. This study aims to analyse tourism and socio-economic dynamics considering globalisation and socio-economic structural factors. The study examines economic growth, travel, and financial success in BRICS nations. The panel data regression method is applied to highlight the relations between tourism and socio-economic indicators among BRICS and G7 countries. Temporal and territorial aspects and all regression studies were performed using the statistical modelling programme EViews 11. The study found inbound and outward connections between globalisation, dynamic socio-economic indicators, and each country's structural indicators. These tripartite aspects explained BRICS inbound and outward travel, but both are in constant change over time. Results show that the actual globalisation paradigm favours developed nations in the tourism sector, emerging BRICS nations show hopeful socio-economic structures, however they need to find new unique strategies to achieve a fair share of the new emerging world middle class tourism market. The old one is already taken by developed countries and they will fight to expand it.