Editorial | World needs tourists from China, not more arbitrary travel curbs
- Calm and common sense must prevail as countries introduce anti-Covid measures for travellers from nation now opening up
The return of foreign travel is one of the great benefits for residents of mainland China and Hong Kong as a result of Covid-19 restrictions being lifted. There has been a surge in demand for air tickets now that overseas trips are realistic again.
For three years, travelling abroad was either impossible or fraught with difficulty because of rules at home. Those requirements have been mostly swept away, so residents should be able to enjoy what for many will be a first foreign holiday since the pandemic began.
But now they face curbs overseas.
The rapid spread of the virus on the mainland, following the dropping of the zero-Covid policy, has raised concerns Chinese visitors will cause a spike in cases or introduce new variants. There is a need for calm and common sense.
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South Korea to require Covid-19 tests for travellers from China, joining US and Japan
Japan hastily announced flights from Hong Kong and Macau would be limited to four airports. It later increased the number to seven.