Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia (Photo by CK Yeo on Unsplash)

Five Trends That Can Propel ASEAN’s Growth in Post-Corona Era

The coronavirus pandemic hit Asia first, but its countries including emerging ASEAN—Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Thailand, and Vietnam—have to date recorded considerably lower transmission and fatality rates per capita than other regions in the world. “As of August 20, 2020, transmitted cases per million people stood at approximately 582 across emerging ASEAN countries compared with 16,737…

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Short-Term Rentals Outperforming Hotels in Pandemic Era

Both hotels and the short-term rental market are reeling from the coronavirus-driven travel collapse, but industry reports show that the latter is weathering the health crisis more successfully due to its different nature. “The features that differentiate short-term rentals from hotels—such as full-service amenities, living space, larger properties, and inventory in more remote destinations—have proven…

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COVID-19: $1 Trillion Loss Could Set Global Tourism Industry Back 20 Years

The economic damage to the global tourism sector as a result of the coronavirus pandemic is likely to exceed $1 trillion this year, which would set the industry back two decades, according to a new report from the United Nations. “Depending on when travel restrictions will be fully lifted, the World Tourism Organization expects international…

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Ending COVID-19 Lockdowns Not Enough for Economic Rebound: Report

Lifting coronavirus lockdown restrictions may not by itself be sufficient to restore confidence or growth and economic recovery will start only when the pandemic is under control, according to McKinsey & Company. “The evidence heavily suggests that a multifaceted public-health response that goes well beyond a simple transient lockdown is a necessary first step to…

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Six Imperatives to Thrive in Asia-Pacific’s Retail Future

Asia-Pacific will remain the retail industry’s growth engine in the post-corona world. Retailers need to prioritize action in several key areas if they want to gain a sustainable edge over rivals, analysts from consulting firm Bain said in a recent report. According to the report titled “The Future of Retail in Asia-Pacific: How to Thrive…

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How Has COVID-19 Affected Global Economic Sentiment?

Executives in North America and developing markets have become less hopeful about their countries’ economies, while Leaders in China and India are growing more upbeat, according to McKinsey & Company. A July survey of more than 2,000 global executives by the global consulting firm highlights the magnitude of the challenges triggered by the coronavirus pandemic,…

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IATA Urges Europe to Lift Border Restrictions, Warns of 60% Drop in Air Passenger Numbers

The global aviation body has urged governments across Europe to coordinate to lift border restrictions and find alternatives to COVID-19 quarantine measures in order to help save the industry from sinking into a deeper crisis. “Although the European market has seen an increase in the number of flights in recent months, supported by the reopening…

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Short-Time Work: A Beacon of Hope Amid COVID-19 Layoffs

Short-time work policies hold the promise of helping countries combat the economic crisis caused by COVID-19 if they are aided by high uptake, generous wage replacement, incentives, and higher flexibility, says an economist. Michael Wolf from the Deloitte Global Economist Network cites short-time work—sometimes called a work-sharing program—as a policy that has gained considerable popularity…

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