The Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) has predicted that visitor numbers to the region will continue to remain below 2019 levels in two years’ time. These new findings have been published in the Asia Pacific Visitor Forecasts 2021-2023 report. The document also lays three growth prospects for international visitor arrivals into and across the 39 Asia Pacific destinations between 2021-2023. It will cover mild, medium and severe scenarios. 

The Asia Pacific Region Will Be Struggling With Visitor Numbers Due To The Pandemic

The report states that even under a mild scenario, the Asia Pacific region will continue to have around four percent fewer arrivals compared to 2019 in 2023. The medium scenario predicts that foreign visitor numbers in 2023 could be only three-quarters of the 2019 volume. The severe scenario shows that numbers will reach less than half of the 2019 volume of international arrivals.

PATA chief executive, Mario Hardy, explained: “While growth in international visitor arrivals into and across Asia Pacific remains difficult in 2021, there are promising signs for 2022 and 2023.

A return to near pre-Covid-19 levels of arrivals, while possible by 2023, appears now to be feasible, at least if conditions as they are now, abate quickly and permanently.Much however, will depend on events during this present northern winter and the arrival and management of the more traditional flu season.”

He continued: “Given the speed with which conditions can change, the PATA forecast report this year does not have the same destination-specific detail as previously published in the past, but rather focuses on regions and sub-regions. They are however more flexible as they will be updated twice over the coming 12 months, to factor in developments, as and when they occur.”

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