Donna Mae Ocmeja

Traveling seems to be impossible during the current pandemic. COVID-19 has probably affected the travel industry the worst – travel bans, border restrictions, flight cancellations, visa invalidations, and the list goes on. However, there are still special cases when travel is allowed and acceptable.

Some people were able to go to a few destinations in the past months, mostly because of important reasons such as family emergencies, health concerns, government-related meetings, and the like.

For instance, traveling to Indonesia from the US has been possible for some people during the pandemic. If you happen to be one of the people who are curious about how to get to Indonesia via Jakarta all the way from the US, we have some tips for you.

You need to pay close attention to these tips and steps as the process could be tedious if you don’t.

First, you need two printed documents

1. COVID (PCR) test with a negative result within 7 days after it was issued from the health facility when you land in Jakarta.

There are a good number of testing sites that may be located near you so better do some online search yourself. On the other hand, here is a useful link for testing sites that you can go to. It is important to plan your test accordingly. Test results may take longer depending on lab capacity. Some results take more than a week to arrive, while some may take just a couple of days. You can opt to have an agreement with your chosen testing lab if necessary.

2. Embassy letter (surat keterangan jalan) from KJRI.

You may check with KJRI in your respective US state if this applies to you. According to KJRI San Francisco in July, the letter is only required for those who are traveling outside of Jakarta. Here’s the email address of KJRI San Francisco to check if that information is still valid or if you have any other questions: konsuler@kjrisfo.net.

Second, checking-in at SFO

Flight cancelation is common nowadays. Hence, we suggest you call your airline one to two days before the flight schedule to make sure that it’s still on track. On a brighter note, international flight tickets are way cheaper these days!

Your PCR test will be checked at the check-in counter. Some airlines such as ANA will require a certificate that says “I have no respiratory problems and that I’m fit to travel”, so, just to be sure, might as well request this to be included in your test result.

Third, taking off

Expect that there will be fewer passengers than the usual international flights. The flight from SFO to Tokyo might be less busy than the flight from Japan to Jakarta. Food may be served during the flight but no duty-free shopping.

Fourth, arriving in Indonesia

When you land in Soekarno Hatta International Airport you will:

1. Be prompted to sit in one of the chairs that are set up in rows to fill out some paperwork, mostly related to health and travel history.
2. Proceed to the next counter to get your temperature, pulse, saturation (oxygen level) taken.
3. Continue to another line at the health port counter where they will review your result from the previous step and also give you an approval stamp on your PCR test.
4. Get your health stamp approval and proceed to the final immigration counter. This is the usual immigration counter that will stamp your passport on arrival, after that you are free to pick up your luggage.
5. Go through 3 other checkpoints by military suited officers. At this stage, they will only review the approved health stamp from step 3, and the second checkpoint will ask for your declaration form.

In general, upon arrival, officers will check the validity of all documents and confirm proof of medical tests. Those who have not been tested will be taken care of by a task force and are obliged to be quarantined for 3-5 days before receiving PCR test results. If the results come out negative, travelers are able to continue their journey. However, if the results are positive, they would be transferred to the Wisma Atlet Hospital or another referral hospital.

These steps might be tedious at first glance but if you really plan and prepare well for your journey, the process can actually be pretty easy! If you truly need to get to Indonesia or any other country during the COVID-19 pandemic, you need to have a good amount of patience and motivation.

Have a good journey ahead. Stay safe and healthy!

Malaysia, Thailand, the Maldives, Vietnam, the UAE, and Indonesia are countries RMC promotes opportunities for Hospitality Internship and Management Training Programs in the Hospitality Industry in.

The respective government bodies of these six countries have been working on their own unique ways to combat the spread of the coronavirus, minimize the social and economic effects, and plan for future reopening to international travelers and tourists. Fortunately, these countries are among the good performing ones in doing so!

Here are some positive developments and important updates relevant to the COVID-19 pandemic in Malaysia, Thailand, the Maldives, Vietnam, the UAE, and Indonesia.

We at RMC take great pride at how students and recent graduates who we hire from different parts of the world are enjoying their Educational Travel experience in Asia. It is with their success stories that we get inspired in continuing our actions towards coordinating and executing quality internship and management training  within Asia’s hospitality industry.

Stefanie Repnik from Austria was hired as an intern in the Food & Beverage Department of Havana Social in Bangkok, Thailand. She shares with us some of her insights during her first few months as an Educational Traveler in Asia. Let’s read her amusing narration about her experience below!

ARRIVING AT PROGRAM DESTINATION

Arriving at Bangkok for my journey was very well organized by RMC. A staff from RMC fetched me at the airport and took me to my hotel which they already prepared for me. At the hotel, they offered me a very clean and big room and with a free breakfast!

Bank from RMC was very nice and helpful in finding an apartment for me.  He helped me talk with the locals so I could easily find a decent accommodation. It was quite a challenging day for us but thankfully I ended up the day productively and was finally able to sleep at my new apartment for the duration of my program in Bangkok.

Bank also taught me tips about the local transportation in the city especially the trains, so I did not have any problems familiarizing them. On the other hand, however, I learned that some local motorcycle guys will charge foreigners more than the normal rate for motorcycle rides. This happened to me a couple of times already, so I have learned my lesson to be careful in choosing a motorcycle driver around Bangkok.

LIFE AS AN INTERNATIONAL INTERN

About my work at the host company, I had a funny impression of my Manager, Gabriel, because he asked me some questions which I did not expect. It turns out that he is really a fun and nice person. He is a professional colleague but also a friend at the same time. After more than a month of working for Havana Social, Gabriel already taught me a lot of things about work and about getting by in the city. More importantly, he showed me a new and different perspective of the hospitality industry and I am excited that I am discovering something new every day. It was a bit challenging to adjust during the first few days but it was also very easy to feel at home at the workplace because the people are really nice.

One of my favorite things about this journey so far is my colleagues at work. They are one of the best people I have met so far! Everyone is different and unique in their own way but we always find a way to bond together as a team. Despite the cultural differences and language barriers, everyone is very polite and nice to me. And now after being here for some time, it feels like I have a new little own family here in Asia. It’s nice to know that I am not alone in this  part of the world which is quite far from home.

IMMERSING WITH THE LOCAL CULTURE

I haven’t learned a lot about Thai culture yet but I’m sure I will throughout the duration of my internship program. Some colleagues showed me very nice places and told me stories about their culture, but I don’t know everything about it yet. Thai culture is  way different from our culture in Austria but not in a bad way. I admire the Thai people for embracing their religion and beliefs seriously. On the other hand, I am looking forward to discovering and visiting more of Thai’s most coveted tourist destinations!

ADVICE TO EDUCATIONAL TRAVEL ENTHUSIASTS

If I have to give any advice to other future trainees that RMC would hire for other host companies, be sure to bring extra amount of money if you want to grab the chance to discover the beauty of your program destination or if you want to make the most out of your experience!

Lastly, thank you to RMC for helping me get to where I am right now. Despite the challenges I have experienced along the way, I am enjoying the journey so far!

Stefanie is currently in her 3rd month as an intern at Havana Social. Her 6-month Hospitality Internship Asia Program will be completed by April 2020! Good luck and congratulations in advance, Stefanie!

Vietnam – Timeless Charm. This tagline has given Vietnam a strong international tourism identity over the past years. It signifies Vietnam as a beautiful Asian country with a wide array of charms to offer to its countrymen and foreign visitors alike. This beauty when probed deeper doesn’t only mean tourist attractions but covers wider societal aspects of the Vietnamese community.

Just like any other nation, Vietnam has its strengths and weaknesses yet what makes this country stand out is its perseverance to continue moving forward despite the challenges it has been facing throughout the years – may it be economically, politically, or socially. While it is continuous in its efforts towards development, Vietnam has been excellently stable in terms of its economic performance, which resulted in improvements in many areas including its tourism industry.

AN OVERVIEW OF VIETNAM’S ECONOMY

The international community has clearly seen Vietnam’s remarkable development over the past decades. Economic-political reforms in 1986 led to rapid economic growth, transforming what was then one of the poorest nations into a lower-middle-income country. Between 2002 and 2018, more than 45 million people were lifted out of poverty, significantly decreasing poverty rates from over 70% to below 6%. The GDP per capita also increased by 2.5 times, standing over US$2,500 in 2018.

Vietnam’s economic outlook is positive, despite signs of growth moderation. From its July 2019 data, the World Bank described Vietnam’s economy as “Vibrant
economic growth, albeit moderating”. Following a good year in 2018, Vietnam’s real GDP growth slowed down in the first quarter of 2019. Nevertheless, growth remained significantly higher compared to the first quarter of 2016 and 2017. Moreover, real GDP growth is projected to remain robust at around 6.5% in 2020-2021 while annual headline inflation is stable for the seven consecutive years.

The country’s sustained GDP growth continues to support a dynamic labor market with strong job creation and real wage growth. Job creation remains outstanding in high productivity sectors, such as manufacturing and services, the two sectors which make up the highest GDP contributions.

However, rapid growth and industrialization have not been friendly to the environment and natural assets. This is one factor that the Vietnamese government is looking into. Despite all these, the tourism industry of the country remains excellent and booming. Hotels & Tourism is the 4th top contributor to the country’s GDP as of Q1 2019.

TOURISM IS VIETNAM’S GEM

The global booming demand for tourism has created significant economic opportunities for travel destinations in Southeast Asia. The international tourism demand is projected to grow by roughly 4 percent per annum over the next decade. Southeast Asian destinations have been key beneficiaries of this demand, receiving 130 million international visitors in 2018 (9.3 percent of total global international visitor flows). The region’s share of global demand is also expected to expand further to 10.4 percent by 2030 (187 million visitors).

Vietnam, with its vibrant natural and cultural tourism assets, is expected to benefit from the strong market demand. According to the World Economic Forum’s (WEF) 2017 Tourism Competitiveness Index, Vietnam ranks 32nd globally (out of 120 countries) in terms of the volume and attractiveness of natural and cultural resources, and 3rd within Southeast Asia. Moreover, Vietnam is home to 8 UNESCO World Heritage sites, tied with Indonesia at the top spot for SEA. The country also has premier urban tourism destinations such as Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, and Da Nang, which have been growing rapidly for the past years as well.

Over the past decade, Vietnam has experienced a boom in both inbound and domestic tourism. The number of international tourist arrivals has reached nearly 14.5 million in the first 10 months of 2019 (13% more than the same period last year). Domestic tourism, which is greater in volume than inbound tourism from abroad, has experienced excellent growth as well. In 2018, there was a four-fold increase in the number of domestic traveler trips, from 20.5 million in 2008 to 80 million in 2018, manifested by Vietnam’s rapidly-growing middle class, who have a strong appetite for travel and leisure.

According to the World Bank, the most frequently visited cities/provinces in Vietnam still include Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi, Da Nang, Khanh Hoa, Quang Ninh and Quang Nam. These destinations are either a high-end urban city or a coastal, beach location.

Vietnam’s strong inbound tourism growth has enabled it to capture a growing share of tourism demand in the region. Over both the past 5-10 years, Vietnam’s international visitor growth has consistently outranked that of its competitors in Southeast Asia. With this, Vietnam has been gradually capturing greater market share, not only of total tourism arrivals to developing Southeast Asia, but also of those to the broader East Asian region, including more developed tourism markets such as Japan, Singapore, China, and South Korea.

CHALLENGES IN VIETNAM’S TOURISM INDUSTRY

Since both international and domestic travels have grown rapidly together, tourist destinations are facing increasing over-tourism pressures, especially during high seasons. The is placing strains on Vietnam’s frequently-visited destinations due to risks of overcrowding. This also leads to other issues such as traffic congestion and pollution, particularly in already-densely populated areas. Most tourism-related infrastructure investment in recent years has focused on expanding the supply of accommodation while improvements to other facilities such as electricity, water, waste management, etc. have remained slow.

Meanwhile, the supply of tourism workers is not enough and has been increasingly unable to keep up with the demands of the growing sector. According to the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism (VNAT), the country’s tourism sector directly employed around 750,000 workers in 2017, but will need roughly 870,000 workers in 2020 to keep up with demand growth, or 40,000 per year. However, current tourism schools churn out only around 15,000 graduates nationwide each year.

Despite this, VNAT also reported that tourism education in Vietnam has seen recent improvements. One study stated that Vietnam’s Ministry of Education and Training launched a ‘National Action for Tourism’ strategy resulting in 22,000 students entering tourism training each year in Vietnam (a 22% increase for 2010). Moreover, 80% of tourism graduates find suitable work in the industry. VNAT also claimed to now have 2000 lecturers, teaching, and management staff in tourism education at all levels. Despite all the challenges, the government of Vietnam is still continuously prioritizing tourism as a strategic sector and driver of socio-economic development.

The government aims to convert tourism into a spearhead industry and Vietnam into a leading destination in Southeast Asia. This will be achieved through continuing infrastructure development, strengthening tourism promotion, generating a favorable environment for tourism businesses, developing tourism human resources, and improving State management of the tourism sector. With the government’s consistent support to its tourism industry and with Vietnam’s natural potentials, the economic challenges that the country is facing in terms of tourism are not stopping international hospitality businesses to continue expanding in this striving country. In fact, as the country has witnessed a large amount of tourist influx, so does a growth in the number of international hotel brands over the past few years.

According to the latest figures from a top consultancy firm in Vietnam, the number of international hotel operators has increased from 30 in 2010 to just short of 80 at the end of 2017. This year 2020 and in the next few years, a few more international brands are eyeing at investing more in Vietnam.

Fusion to open 10 hotels across Vietnam in the next 3 years. Fusion, the only fully vertically integrated hospitality company in Southeast Asia, is continuously expanding its presence in Vietnam by tripling the number of properties. Over the next 3 years, Fusion will launch 10 new properties, with 1,385 rooms and private villas, suites, and apartments.

Centara to open 20 hotels by 2024. Award-winning Centara Hotels & Resorts is continuing its expansion in Vietnam, with the goal of opening 20 new hotels across the country in the next few years. Targeted destinations include key economic hubs such as Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi, and Haiphong, and other high-growth areas.

Avani announces a new beachfront resort in Nha Trang. Avani Hotels & Resorts announced the signing of an agreement with TTC Hospitality in Vietnam. Scheduled to open by mid-2020, Avani Doc Let Resort is situated along the stunning shores of Doc Let Beach in Nha Trang. Avani currently operates 27 hotels, resorts, and residences in 16 countries, including two in Vietnam.

Radisson Blu Hoi An Hotel to Vietnam by 2021. Radisson Hotel Group announced one of its newest projects, a beachfront property in Hoi An. Set to open in 2021, Radisson Blu Hoi An will be nestled directly on the soft sands of Hà My Beach, 8km from Hoi An’s UNESCO World Heritage-listed town center. With 734 rooms, suites and villas, this will become the largest property in the company’s Asia Pacific portfolio.

SMART CHOICE: BUILDING A CAREER IN VIETNAM’S TOURISM INDUSTRY

An increasing number of young adults are wanting to move abroad to start a career in a different country. In recent years, Vietnam is a destination that has been a favorite target for many travelers, expatriates, and young professionals. Among the many reasons that could justify this, affordability of living costs, various career opportunities, and vibrant culture and tourism are the top ones!

Vietnam is affordable and easy to live in
Travelers from the West or even from other Asian countries will find living in Vietnam very cheap. Tourists can enjoy an excellent meal, a comfortable accommodation, and decent basic necessities in Vietnam at a relatively very low price. This is the reason why Vietnam is considered by many travelers as one of the most cost-effective travel destinations in Asia!

Vietnam has career growth opportunities
Just like its ever-dynamic economy, various industries in Vietnam have also been striving excellently. There are many opportunities for foreigners in the country; more importantly, foreign applicants are preferred in some industries such as hospitality or tourism. Aside from the availability of various job opportunities, the salary is also not bad for foreigners. In fact, according to a survey by HSBC Expat Explorer, if you want to earn a six-figure salary, head for Asia!

Vietnam’s culture and tourism are stunning
Without a doubt, Vietnam is a haven of beautiful cultural and natural resources. With the most number of UNESCO World Heritage sites in Southeast Asia, any tourist will surely not run out of things to do or places to visit. Moreover, Vietnam’s dynamic culture in art, infrastructure, cuisine, and people is also excellent for those who want to try a different level of cultural integration!

At RMC, our Educational Travel Programs are located in strategic locations in Asia including Vietnam. We offer three (3) program options to hospitality enthusiasts who aspire to have an internship or management training experience in Asia.

Work & Travel Asia (WTA) – 2-4 months hands-on hospitality training for students who desire to broaden their experience in a new cultural setting during the Winter/Summer school break

Hospitality Internship Asia (HIA) – 4-12 months internship program for academic credits for students or recent graduates who need real work experience to enter the global workforce.

Management Training Asia (MTA) – 6-18 months career development program for recent graduates who aim to develop operational and supervisory skills as future business or company managers

This year 2020, our partner Host Organizations in Vietnam (4-5-star hotels and resorts) are on the lookout for aspiring hoteliers who are willing to support them in their operations. These properties have open internship and management training positions in the Food & Beverage, Rooms Division, and Front Office Departments.

Our team of professionals in Thailand, Indonesia, and the Philippines are working intensively to coordinate and execute these programs for young adults seeking for a quality and unforgettable Educational Travel experience in Asia.

For anyone who is interested to know more about our programs in Vietnam and other parts of Asia, you may email us at info@rmcasia.org, visit our website, or follow us on social media!