Indonesia travel agencies offer queue-beating US 'vaccination tours'
After not securing a COVID-19 vaccination in the home, Indonesian Muhammad Risqy Putra booked a vacation to america to get inoculated there on his first overseas trip because the pandemic.
With rich nations like the USA rolling out vaccinations far more quickly, wealthier residents in developing countries - from Indonesia to Thailand to Mexico - are prepared to head abroad to get a shot more quickly
"It just so happens that I haven't gotten the vaccine here, so I may as well get a trip and get yourself a vaccine there," Muhammad Risqy, 25, told Reuters.
This will be his first to America. He'll be accompanied by his parents, who also plan to get vaccinated.
Only 5 %, or 8.8 million people, in Indonesia have already been fully vaccinated, government data shows, as authorities struggle to meet a target to inoculate 181.5 million by year-end. Rising COVID-19 cases in the world's fourth-most populous country also mean vaccinations have been prioritized for "red zones".
ATS Vacations, a travel agency offering "vaccination tours", estimated it had lost 75 % of its business as a result of pandemic and says the trips are advantageous to both industry and consumers. "We are helping those that need to get vaccinated, but are experiencing difficulties (getting a shot). Since they want to travel at the same time, why not incorporate both," said Lilik Budiman, ATS Vacations' sales director. The agency's advertising flags "the chance for a free of charge vaccine" next to a photograph of vials of the single-shot Johnson & Johnson vaccine.
More than 100 people up to now have booked the tours, which are because of run from June to November and so are contingent on persons getting visas to visit.
The cost of a minimum eight-day trip can range between US$1,100 to US$3,700 based on whether it is an organization or private tour.
Each group tour can accommodate up to 30 people.
