Indonesia among 10 Tourist Destinations in Asia Pacific: Mastercard

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Mastercard Economics Institute revealed ten most popular tourist destinations for Asia Pacific travelers, including Indonesia, in its latest report.

It stated that after two years of the COVID-19 pandemic and restrictions, business and leisure flight bookings have exceeded the pre-pandemic levels of 2019 from January through April 2022.

The chief economist for Asia Pacific and Middle East Africa of the Mastercard Economics Institute, David Mann, said the increase in travel spending indicated that 2022 would be a significant year for the travel industry in Asia Pacific. 

“As border restrictions relax, we have witnessed an accelerated return to travel that indicates cause for optimism, with the region poised to swiftly catch up with the rest of the world,” said Mann.

Since the COVID-19 pandemic occurred, travelers have chosen destinations that were less complex to reach given entry requirements, quarantine procedures, travel restrictions, and various tests that must be passed. In this issue, the United States remained the most popular choice for travelers from Asia Pacific regions.

Here are the top ten travel destinations in Asia Pacific:

1. United States
2. Australia
3. Singapore
4. United Kingdom 
5. Canada
6. United Arab Emirates
7. Indonesia
8. Germany
9. Malaysia
10. Philippines

However, the report also noted that there would be a shift in the travel trend in the next few months. “The trend is likely to shift in favor of intra-regional travel as restrictions are relaxed and domestic travel picks up again,” said David Mann.

RINI KUSTIANI

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