Europe dumping Covid curbs puts its travel rebound ahead of Asia

Marquee transit hubs of Hong Kong and Singapore are being shunned as travellers seek to avoid hotel isolation

Passengers in the arrivals hall, following the end of the requirement for vaccinated travellers to take a Covid-19 test after arriving in England, at London Heathrow Airport.

A global travel divide is deepening as some countries ditch Covid-19 restrictions including quarantines, isolation, and even mandatory testing for good, while others cling to years-old curbs.

Lingering barriers to travel in Asia, in particular, are isolating the region and its tourism-reliant economies, just as the recovery in Europe and the US accelerates.