The hopes for a swift rebound in inbound tourism have taken a hit with China effectively locking its citizens within its borders until 2023:
“Nobody will go to Australia because nobody wants to take the risk of getting the COVID-19. There are the high costs of flights, not to mention that tourists from overseas need to pay for an expensive three-week hotel quarantine after coming back to China” [said Feng Hong, a retired businessman].
China is doubling down on its zero-case strategy despite a wave of outbreaks in the lead-up to the Winter Olympics, which has forced it to lock down several major cities and ramp up mass testing and travel restrictions. The border is expected to remain closed until late 2022 or beyond…
