Beautiful Virgin Islands

Friday, May 09, 2025

Should travel be reserved for the rich? These countries think so

Should travel be reserved for the rich? These countries think so

As travel restrictions ease, some countries are being more selective about who they welcome post-pandemic.

Last week, New Zealand’s tourism minister reiterated his desire to attract “high quality tourists” rather than those who campervan around the country “on $10 [€7] a day by eating dried noodles.”

Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, tourism boards around the world have been experimenting with selective entry policies. Now, they’re implementing recovery plans - many of which echo this ‘quality over quantity’ mentality.

Reducing overtourism could have a positive impact on the environment and local communities in popular destinations. But does this mean travel will become reserved for the super rich?

With rising fuel costs signalling the end of the €10 flight era, according to a recent BBC Radio 4 interview with Ryanair chief exec Michael O’Leary, the days of budget travel could be behind us.

So here are the countries targeting wealthy visitors as tourism bounces back.


The Cayman Islands welcomes high net worth remote workers


Long a haven for luxury travellers, the Caribbean Cayman Islands sought to secure their high-end image - even during the pandemic.

Launched in 2020, the Global Citizen Concierge Program (GCCP) gives remote workers the chance to make this British Overseas Territory their home. Those earning upwards of $100,000 (€98,666) per year can apply for a two-year visa for an annual fee of $1,469 (€1,449).

Under the scheme, the country’s official tourism website invites “professionals and digital nomads alike [to] embrace a remote lifestyle and immerse themselves fully in the bespoke luxury, adventure, culture and beauty of the Cayman Islands.”


Fiji targets a growth in visitor spend


During the pandemic, Fiji positioned itself as a retreat for billionaires.

Back in June 2020, the country launched ‘Blue Lanes’ for “yachters looking to escape the pandemic in paradise.” In a tweet, Fijian PM Frank Bainimarama invited billionaires with private jets to rent their own islands.


Pre-COVID, the tourism industry made up 38 per cent of Fiji’s economy. To kickstart a revival, the country is placing continued focus on luxury travel.

Tourism Fiji’s Corporate Plan for 2022 to 2024 pledges to “attract and expand high value customer segments” and encourage a “growth in visitor spend” to promote sustainable tourism.


Indonesia dances around a Bali backpacker ban


In September 2021, Indonesia joined the list of countries seeking ‘quality’ visitors post-pandemic.

“We’ll aim for quality tourism in Bali, so we won’t allow backpackers to enter once the reopening plan for international travellers is officially put in place in the near future,” said Indonesia’s coordinating minister of maritime and investment affairs, Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan, according to a report in the Bali Sun.

Bali is shunning backpackers in favour of wealthy tourists.


He later clarified that he was referring to filtering out visitors who might violate the country’s health or immigration rules.

But the 2022 arrival of luxury hospitality brands like Banyan Tree and Jumeirah in Bali suggest the island is tipping further away from its backpacker past.


Montserrat lures lucrative digital nomads


Fancy making the mountainous Caribbean island of Montserrat your home for a year? If your annual income is above $70,000 (€69,000), now you can.

Launched in February 2021, the Remote Work Stamp invites high-earning digital nomads to “work remotely and safely from an exotic location.”

The application fee is $500 (€493).


New Zealand snubs ‘$10-a-day’ campervanners


New Zealand’s post-pandemic tourism recovery scheme has its sights set on high-net-worth individuals.

“These are not the guys that jump in a camper van and…get around our country on $10 [€7] a day by eating dried noodles,” said Tourism Minister Stuart Nash speaking at the Tourism Export Council of New Zealand annual conference in August 2022.

New Zealand's tourism minister has slammed $10 tourists living off ‘dry noodles.’


Instead, he wants to attract visitors who “spend a little more money, stay a little bit longer.”

New Zealand finally reopened its borders in August 2022, with plans to better manage the tourism industry by avoiding overcrowding and improving sustainability.


Thailand tries to shake its backpacker legacy


Thailand’s tourism industry is steadily recovering after months of COVID restrictions, which tested visitors’ willingness to fork out for expensive quarantine schemes.

Keen to capitalise on this and shake the country’s long-standing image as a backpacker haven, government ministers have asked hotels and business to refrain from luring tourists with big discounts.

"We cannot let people come to Thailand and say because it's cheap," said Deputy Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul at a tourism event in July 2022.

Thailand wants to position itself as a premium travel destination.


Instead, he suggested the country should focus on raising its value as a premium travel destination, reports Reuters.

Thailand also hopes to lure high-earning digital nomads with its new 10-year ‘work from Thailand’ visa. Only open to those earning upwards of $80,000 (€78,965) per year, the visa solidifies the country’s push for wealthy visitors.

Newsletter

Related Articles

Beautiful Virgin Islands
0:00
0:00
Close
Historic Papal Conclave Set to Commence in Rome
Huge Copper, Gold, and Silver Discovery in Argentina and Chile — But the Profits Go Abroad
Prince Harry is pleading for reconciliation — but the royals are just as sick of his victimhood as everyone else
The Road to Freedom: She Protested Putin, Escaped House Arrest, and Survived a 2,800-Kilometer Journey
OpenAI's Flip-Flop: No Longer Going Commercial, Back to Nonprofit, After Musk Lawsuit and Backlash
“Trump Supporter” Aims to Bring a MAGA-Style Shift to Romania
First From China: Zhao Xintong Wins the Snooker World Championship
Nvidia Faces Billion-Dollar Losses – Warns: China Is on Its Way to Becoming an AI Superpower
Trump Rules Out Third Term, Names JD Vance and Marco Rubio as Potential Successors
Mexico Says ‘No’ to U.S. Troops: President Sheinbaum Rejects Trump’s Offer to Fight Cartels
Nigel Farage’s Reform UK Storms the Map, Wrecking the Two-Party Monopoly
DOGE: Reimagining Government Operations with AI
Common Sense Returns to Britain's Legal System: UK Supreme Court Declares a Woman Is… a Woman
Beijing Says U.S. Is ‘Reaching Out’ for Tariff Talks Amid Soaring Trade Tensions
U.K. Court Rejects Prince Harry’s Final Appeal Over Police Security
Prince Harry’s Heartfelt Outburst Rocks the Royal Family
Trump Shares AI-Generated Image of Himself as… Pope, Prompting Outrage Reaction
Transgender Swimmer Secures Five Gold Medals at U.S. Masters Championship
Prince Harry: “I Want Reconciliation with My Family”
Germany's Alternative für Deutschland (AfD) party has now been officially labeled “right-wing extremist” by the federal office for the so-called “protection of the constitution.”
Amazon Launches Satellite Internet Service Amidst Competition with SpaceX
Transformative Changes in Women's Wrestling: The Rise of WWE Superstars
The Rush to the White Gold: Global Investment Surge in Natural Hydrogen Exploration
This is a day in Spain without electricity and internet
Reform UK Surprises in British Elections, Challenging Traditional Two-Party System
180-Year-Old Christian University in South Carolina Announces Closure Due to Unmet $6 Million Fundraising Goal
Brazilian Woman Jailed for Fourteen Years for Writing “You Lost, Idiot” on Statue During Protest
Trump Administration Removes National Security Adviser Mike Waltz Amid Signal Chat Controversy
Dutch Politician Eva Vlaardingerbroek Receives Spyware Threat Alert from Apple
Paramount Board Considers Settlement in Trump’s $20 Billion Lawsuit Over "60 Minutes" Interview
U.S. Economy Shrink in Trump’s First Quarter as Tariff Policy Raises Questions
Deadline Looms for RTS Meter Replacement: Hundreds of Thousands at Risk of Heating Disruption
Sweden Grapples with Deadly Gun Violence: Suspect Arrested After Three Young Men Killed in Uppsala Hair Salon
Walz Reveals Why Harris Chose Him as Her Running Mate and Reflects on Democratic Losses
Spain Restores Power After Unprecedented Nationwide Blackout
Carney Secures Liberal Mandate in Canada’s Federal Election
Death Penalty Sought as Luigi Manion Pleads Not Guilty in CEO Murder Case
President Trump contacts Jeff Bezos after reports of Amazon considering listing tariff surcharges; company clarifies no such plan for main platform
Spain and Portugal Recover from Massive Blackout
Liverpool Clinches Record-Equalling 20th English League Title Under Arne Slot
Singapore Politicians Warn Against Foreign Interference in Election
Driver Ploughs into Vancouver Festival Crowd, Killing Nine
Depression, Fear of Defamation, and a Tragic End: New Details on Virginia Giuffre’s Suicide
“Sharia for UK, Allah Akbar!”
Massive Explosion at Iran's Bandar Abbas Port Linked to Suspicious Chemical Shipments
Incident Reflection: A Harsh Reality Check
Pakistani migrants to Danish man: “ “We have 5 children while you have 1 or 2. In 10 years, there will be more Pakistanis than Danes here.“
Clashes Erupt in London as Tensions Rise Between Indian and Pakistani Communities
Specialized anti-drone weapons deployed among security personnel Ahead of Papal Funeral
How do you fix this culture?
×