Beyond the Mekong

The Problem With Travel in Southeast Asia and COVID-19

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Beyond the Mekong | Society | Southeast Asia

The Problem With Travel in Southeast Asia and COVID-19

A conversation with travel and culture writer Marissa Caruthers.

The Problem With Travel in Southeast Asia and COVID-19
Credit: Marissa Caruthers

Marissa Carruthers is a British journalist who spent 10 years working on newspapers in England before moving to Cambodia in 2012. Since then she has edited various publications in Cambodia and contributed to many regional publications.

She currently freelances for various newspapers and magazines, specializing in travel, lifestyle and culture, is the Cambodia, Myanmar, Laos and Vietnamese correspondent for travel trade publisher TTG Asia and often writes for the South China Morning Post.

But the travel industry has taken an unprecedented hit from the new coronavirus and Carruthers says the challenges facing destinations, hotels and small business operators are daunting but could be overcome if there’s no second spike with the COVID-19 virus.

She says a lack of coherency over what’s required for travel remains a sore point.

Regulations governing quarantines, medical certificates and the costs involved vary greatly between nations and in her base country, Cambodia, visitors must deposit $3,000 into a local bank account to cover any COVID-related costs.

Carruthers spoke with Luke Hunt about the future of travel in a COVID-19 world.

Luke Hunt can be followed on Twitter @lukeanthonyhunt.