Travel Bubbles for the Future
Posted on : May 15, 2021Author : Sagnik Sarkar
The recent opening of a quarantine-free travel bubble between Australia and New Zealand came as a boost not only for the many families and friends who were finally reunited, but also for the airlines on both the sides, who perhaps faced their toughest times during the pandemic. Most airlines have muddled through a tainted pandemic year with a combination of private capital injections, government support and strong demand for freight services. For Australia’s Qantas Airlines and the Kiwi Air New Zealand, this decision hence brings a glimmer of hope, not only for themselves, but for the entire aviation industry, whose optimistic voices hope that a travel bubble could foreshadow a much better year ahead for the Asia-Pacific’s battered airline sector[i].
With the Covid-19 pandemic not looking likely to leave anytime soon, it looks increasingly likely that bilateral travel bubbles are the way ahead for the tourism and aviation industries. The Baltic nations of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania were the first to open their borders for each other since the novel coronavirus pandemic ravaged the entire world[ii]. Talks on the same have also been held on some regional bloc levels. South-East Asian Nations, for example, have discussed the creation of a ‘travel corridor,’ with Indonesian President Jako Widodo revealing that significant discussions were held on this issue during the online meetings of ASEAN leaders on November 12,2020. He added that the corridor, which could become a reality in 2021, would involve coordination and streamlining of strict regional health protocols and would be built on the bilateral travel lanes that have recently been established between various ASEAN countries and nations outside the region. An “ASEAN declaration on an ASEAN travel corridor arrangement framework” has also been issued by the 10-nation bloc[iii] [iv].
In terms of India’s aspirations, the raging Covid-19 pandemic and the concept of travel bubbles did indeed provide the country a unique opportunity to fulfil its long-desired dream of establishing itself as South Asia’s benevolent hegemon, until things took a U-turn and Covid positive graph of the country undertook a mammoth upsurge yet again. Countries gradually recovering from the pandemic have started to quickly establish travel bubbles, wherein intra-regional travel would be allowed even as they remain close to the rest of the world. If India were to establish such a travel bubble, allowing hassle-free movement of people, labour and goods between the countries of the region, it would surely affirm its position as a regional elder, patroller of the seas and borders, and an economy willing to trade during grim times[v].
Things started on a positive note as well, with the opening of an India-Maldives air bubble, the first of its kind in South Asia, which was announced by the Indian foreign minister S. Jaishankar after a virtual meeting with his Maldivian counterpart Abdulla Shahid on August 13, 2020. With India being the second largest and fastest growing tourism market for Maldives, this move came as a blessing for the tiny island nation. It aimed to bring the Indian tourists back to Maldives at a time when the Maldivian economy was suffering, like many others, from a crisis induced by the pandemic. By that time, Maldives had also opened its borders to tourists, and lifted all quarantine restrictions. The travel bubble would also help regularise the flow of Maldivians seeking medical treatment to India[vi].
However, with the second wave of the pandemic causing more disruption and disarray than the first, India’s dream of creating a South-Asian travel bubble looks increasingly uncertain, at least as of now. But had it ever become a reality, or if it ever does, it will surely cement India’s reputation and strength in the region. The travel bubble would come forward as a strong political statement that unleashes New Delhi’s drive for integration of the South Asian region. If India wants to be viewed as a regional hegemony, it will need to provide public goods and services to its friendly neighbours, as well as maintain an open economy. And a post-Covid travel bubble in the region could have been a step in the positive direction, as it would rightfully address the financial difficulties of the nations in South Asia[vii].
The Covid-19 pandemic brought with it a reason for SAARC to revitalise itself. It is indeed SAARC’s biggest challenge, as it has impacted not only public health but also national economies at the same time. One of the major reasons behinds the regional body’s failure is the lack of consensus amongst the nations. For the first time, this global disaster has brought with it, in the form of a blessing, a chance for the body to revive itself, and for its members to work together for a common cause. These tough times have called for unity, and the SAARC nations have supported each other, to go through all of it. India has made sure to extend its help to its neighbouring South Asian countries and spearheaded efforts to empower SAARC – which includes Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, the Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka – to coordinate regional response and pool funds to set up an emergency fund to fight COVID[viii]. Along with this, it can only be imagined that how rightly things could have gone in India’s favour if it were to successfully arrange for a regional travel bubble. The large number of coronavirus cases have indeed made this possibility bleak, at least for the time being. But, after this storm passes away, India should rightly consider this idea once again, as it would lead to the reintegration of the region and give India a firm position in the same.
[i] Tim McDonald, “Is the Australia-NZ Travel Bubble the way forward?”, BBC, 21 April 2021
Is the Australia-NZ travel bubble the way ahead? – BBC News
[ii] “Baltics lauch Europe’s first pandemic ‘travel bubble’,” Al Jazeera, 14 May 2020
Baltics launch Europe’s first pandemic ‘travel bubble’ | Coronavirus pandemic News | Al Jazeera
[iii] Sebastian Strangio, “Southeast Asian Nations Mull ASEAN-wide Travel Bubble,” The Diplomat, November 13, 2020
Southeast Asian Nations Mull ASEAN-Wide Travel Bubble – The Diplomat
[iv] “ASEAN Declaration on an ASEAN Travel Corridor Arrangement Framework,” ASEAN, November 12, 2020
[v]Srijan Shukla, “India can bring post-Covid travel bubbles to South Asia too. Without Pakistan,” The Print, 15 May 2020
India can bring post-Covid travel bubbles to South Asia too. Without Pakistan (theprint.in)
[vi] Dipanjan Roy Chaudhary, “India-Maldives air bubble, first in South Asia, likely to be operational from next week,” The Economic Times, August 21 2020
[vii] Ibid [v]
[viii] Harsh Mahaseth and Saumya Pandey, “Covid-19 Battle revitalized SAARC in 2020; Momentum should not be lost,” South Asia Monitor, December 31 2020
COVID-19 battle revitalized SAARC in 2020; momentum should not be lost | South Asia Monitor
Sagnik Sarkar,
Intern, Asia in Global Affairs
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