Singapore will lift its border restrictions for visitors from the Chinese mainland and Australia's Victoria state, starting from November 6.
Applicants must have remained in either the Chinese mainland or Australia in the last 14 consecutive days before they go to Singapore. They are required to travel to Singapore on direct flights without transit as well.
The travelers will undergo a COVID-19 polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test upon arrival at the airport. If the result is negative, they will be allowed to travel in the country without a 14-day home isolation notice.
This is a new move for Singapore to restart its tourism industry, following lifting of border restrictions for visitors from Brunei Darussalam, New Zealand and Vietnam in August.
Other Asian countries are taking similar actions.
Japan will lift its entry ban on foreign travelers from China, South Korea and six other countries as well as China's Taiwan region from November for non-tourist arrivals, officials said on Friday.
Thailand has also welcomed two flights with Chinese visitors on the new Special Tourist Visa. It's a first step after a seven-month ban on international tourists, although most of the visitors are either on a business trip or visiting relatives.
The outbreak of the coronavirus has brought deadly disaster to the world's tourism. World Tourism Organization predicted that the global tourism won't see a rebound until the third quarter of 2021, while 20 percent of the experts said the rebound may occur in 2022.
