International travel is back on the agenda but Asia-Pacific nations are struggling to turn around declines in visitor numbers due to cost of living pressures and China’s strict COVID-zero policy. Monthly visitor numbers in Oz are still down by a million on pre-pandemic levels, and even places that reopened early are having trouble attracting visitors, with 276,000 tourists coming to Bali in August this year compared to more than 600,000 in the same month in 2019. Overwhelmingly, travellers are going to Western Europe, where occupancy rates in French hotels last summer exceeded pre-pandemic levels. Those planning on heading there for the holidays might find themselves left in the dark, with a number of Christmas markets scaling back their lights this year due to soaring energy costs. And with true white Christmases becoming a rarity in parts of Europe, ice rinks are also being scrapped. As long as the glühwein keeps flowing…