Transport Minister: S’pore is Still Actively Looking for New Travel Bubbles Even with HK Setback

It’s official: Singapore’s first attempt at a travel bubble isn’t going too well.

From 22 Nov 2020, the Hong Kong-Singapore travel bubble has been shifted to 6 Dec, and subsequently to next year after the Covid-19 situation in Hong Kong escalated.

But is that going to stop Singapore from going down the Travel Bubble route? Apparently not, if our transport minister has anything to say about it.

Transport Minister: S’pore is Still Actively Looking for New Travel Bubbles Even with HK Setback

On 6 Dec 2020, Singapore’s newly-minted transport minister, Ong Ye Kung, said that Singapore will still be actively looking for more travel-bubble buddies.

That’s even though the Singapore-Hong Kong travel bubble hasn’t taken off yet (pun intended).

As for which countries are the likeliest, it seems that Singapore is looking at countries which we have opened our borders unilaterally to (read: we opened ours to their people, they hasn’t opened theirs to us).

Read again: friendzoned.

This includes New Zealand, Australia, Brunei and Vietnam.

Previously, Singapore deemed these countries to have a well-established health system in place to curb Covid-19 outbreaks and allow short-term visitors (read: tourists) from these areas to fly to Singapore for leisure purposes.

Unfortunately, they didn’t do that for us, which led some to call it a “one-sided love story“.

Hoping For Reciprocity

Currently, travellers from these countries do not have to serve a Stay-Home-Notice (SHN) but have to fulfil a few requirements.

This includes providing a negative Covid-19 test result, apply for an Air Travel Pass and downloading and using the TraceTogether app while in the country.

Hopefully, Mr Ong pointed out, these countries will respond to Singapore’s overture.

He hopes that they “can look at Singapore’s numbers” and see that Singapore is controlling the coronavirus situation “quite well for now”.

He also expressed optimism that next year, more will be willing to partner up for travel bubbles.

“We can’t close forever. Everybody knows that.”

The Hong Kong-Singapore Air Travel Bubble

As for the HK-Singapore travel bubble arrangement, it’ll likely happen next year.

The minister revealed that they’ll be reviewing the situation again between Christmas and New Year.

Over the last few weeks, Hong Kong suddenly had an increasing trend of unlinked cases.

It got so bad to the point where face-to-face activities in kindergartens and childcare centres had to stop, all the way to 27 Nov.

In-person classes for primary one to three students had to be stopped for two weeks as well from 23 Nov.

On 5 Dec 2020, the country reported 101 new cases.

Previously, it was reported that the travel bubble arrangement between Singapore and Hong Kong will be suspended if there are more than 5 unlinked cases on average over the past seven days in either city.

As for those who are excited at the thought of an air travel bubble with Taiwan, they have reportedly hinted that there won’t be one anytime soon due to winter.

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