Working hard

Health security is another major concern, with the pandemic rampant in other parts of the world. Even in Southeast Asia, attempts to control the spread of COVID-19 have been uneven.

The Philippines and Indonesia are still working hard to contain the disease, while infection curves in countries such as Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia and Brunei indicate they have it under control.

Song, the associate professor, said, "The prerequisite for normalized cross-border travel is to ensure people's health and safety during the pandemic. It's far too early to announce a full recovery and say that the region and the world have emerged from the shadow of the pandemic."

Wu said that even though Thailand has done a good job in containing COVID-19, there is still a risk.

"There is no need to take such a risk if it is not necessary," he said, adding that nearly all the passengers taking the chartered flight he was on were heading to Thailand for essential business.

Getting hold of an air ticket is also not easy. Only a limited number of chartered flights between China and Thailand are currently available and tickets must be sold by authorized travel agencies.

The staff member from China Youth Travel Service said, "We only have one more chartered flight available from China to Thailand this year, but the number will gradually rise as the situation improves."

Experts voiced optimism, saying that after vaccines become available, the tourism industry will start to recover.

According to a survey by global management consultants McKinsey, Chinese travelers are increasingly warming to the idea of foreign travel, with nearly one-third of respondents from eight Chinese cities saying they are ready to make such trips for their next vacation.

Song said: "Out of the depth of misfortune comes bliss. It's been hard in recent months, but hopefully pent-up demand will help the tourism sector catch up fast."