Saudi Press

Saudi Arabia and the world
Thursday, Sep 18, 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

Saudi Press
0:00
0:00
Close
Trump and Starmer Clash Over UK Recognition of Palestinian State Amid State Visit
Saudi Arabia cracks down on music ‘lounges’ after conservative backlash
Saudi Arabia Signs ‘Strategic Mutual Defence’ Pact with Pakistan, Marking First Arab State to Gain Indirect Access to Nuclear Strike Capabilities in the Region
Sam Altman sells the 'Wedding Estate' in Hawaii for 49 million dollars
Turkish car manufacturer Togg Enters German Market with 5-Star Electric Sedan and SUV to Challenge European EV Brands
World’s Longest Direct Flight China Eastern to Launch 29-Hour Shanghai–Buenos Aires Direct Flight via Auckland in December
New OpenAI Study Finds Majority of ChatGPT Use Is Personal, Not Professional
Kuwait opens bidding for construction of three cities to ease housing crunch.
This Week in AI: Meta’s Superintelligence Push, xAI’s Ten Billion-Dollar Raise, Genesis AI’s Robotics Ambitions, Microsoft Restructuring, Amazon’s Million-Robot Milestone, and Google’s AlphaGenome Update
Indian Student Engineers Propose “Project REBIRTH” to Protect Aircraft from Crashes Using AI, Airbags and Smart Materials
Could AI Nursing Robots Help Healthcare Staffing Shortages?
Turkish authorities seize leading broadcaster amid fraud and tax investigation
Qatari prime minister says Netanyahu ‘killed any hope’ for Israeli hostages
Apple Introduces Ultra-Thin iPhone Air, Enhanced 17 Series and New Health-Focused Wearables
Big Oil Slashes Jobs and Investments Amid Prolonged Low Crude Prices
Social Media Access Curtailed in Turkey After CHP Calls for Rallies Following Police Blockade of Istanbul Headquarters
Did the Houthis disrupt the internet in the Middle East? Submarine cables cut in the Red Sea
Gold Could Reach Nearly $5,000 if Fed Independence Is Undermined, Goldman Sachs Warns
Uruguay, Colombia and Paraguay Secure Places at 2026 World Cup
Trump Administration Advances Plans to Rebrand Pentagon as Department of War Instead of the Fake Term Department of Defense
Tether Expands into Gold Sector with Profit-Driven Diversification
Trump’s New War – and the ‘Drug Tyrant’ Fearing Invasion: ‘1,200 Missiles Aimed at Us’
At the Parade in China: Laser Weapons, 'Eagle Strike,' and a Missile Capable of 'Striking Anywhere in the World'
Information Warfare in the Age of AI: How Language Models Become Targets and Tools
Israeli Airstrike in Yemen Kills Houthi Prime Minister
After the Shock of Defeat, Iranians Yearn for Change
YouTube Altered Content by Artificial Intelligence – Without Permission
Iran Faces Escalating Water Crisis as Protests Spread
More Than Half a Million Evacuated as Typhoon Kajiki Heads for Vietnam
HSBC Switzerland Ends Relationships with Over 1,000 Clients from Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, Qatar, and Egypt
Sharia Law Made Legally Binding in Austria Despite Warnings Over 'Incompatible' Values
Dogfights in the Skies: Airbus on Track to Overtake Boeing and Claim Aviation Supremacy
Tim Cook Promises an AI Revolution at Apple: "One of the Most Significant Technologies of Our Generation"
Are AI Data Centres the Infrastructure of the Future or the Next Crisis?
Miles Worth Billions: How Airlines Generate Huge Profits
Zelenskyy Returns to White House Flanked by European Allies as Trump Pressures Land-Swap Deal with Putin
Beijing is moving into gold and other assets, diversifying away from the dollar
Cristiano Ronaldo Makes Surprise Stop at New Hong Kong Museum
Zelenskyy to Visit Washington after Trump–Putin Summit Yields No Agreement
High-Stakes Trump-Putin Summit on Ukraine Underway in Alaska
Iranian Protection Offers Chinese Vehicle Shipments a Cost Advantage over Japanese and Korean Makers
Saudi Arabia accelerates renewables to curb domestic oil use
Cristiano Ronaldo and Georgina Rodríguez announce engagement
Asia-Pacific dominates world’s busiest flight routes, with South Korea’s Jeju–Seoul corridor leading global rankings
Private Welsh island with 19th-century fort listed for sale at over £3 million
Sam Altman challenges Elon Musk with plans for Neuralink rival
Australia to Recognize the State of Palestine at UN Assembly
The Collapse of the Programmer Dream: AI Experts Now the Real High-Earners
Armenia and Azerbaijan to Sign US-Brokered Framework Agreement for Nakhchivan Corridor
British Labour Government Utilizes Counter-Terrorism Tools for Social Media Monitoring Against Legitimate Critics
×