Indonesia Fire Haze Cuts Bookings at Singapore Agencies by 30 to 80%
Haze caused by forest fires in Indonesia cut bookings at some Singaporean agencies by 30 to 80% and disrupted 2,604 domestic flights, alongside 19 days of unhealthy air.
Haze caused by forest fires in Indonesia has reduced travel bookings in Southeast Asia and disrupted hundreds of flights, as unhealthy air spread to Singapore and Malaysia.
Singapore recorded unhealthy air levels for 19 consecutive days from October 5 to 23, according to local reports, including The Straits Times. Bookings at some local travel agencies dropped by 30 to 80% from normal levels, with cancellation rates reaching 30 to 50%, while agencies began replacing walking and cycling tours with indoor programs or rescheduling trips.
In Indonesia, 2,604 domestic flights were disrupted as of October 19, including 1,420 flights canceled or postponed and 1,129 delayed, in addition to 14 international flights, including routes connecting Singapore with Pontianak and Palembang, according to the Ministry of Transportation. Cancellations accumulated at Tanjung Puting National Park in Kalimantan, famous for orangutan watching, with Trans Borneo Adventure stating that all bookings last week were canceled due to flight suspensions.
In Malaysia, agencies are replacing outdoor programs with indoor venues such as shopping malls and museums. Local economic losses are estimated at 20 to 50 million ringgit per day, and Sunway University Professor Yeah Kim Leng predicted losses could reach 1.5 billion ringgit if the haze crisis continues for a month. The haze is attributed to forest and peatland fires in Sumatra and Kalimantan. The ASEAN Specialised Meteorological Centre (ASMC) expects it to gradually recede with rain in late October, though the risk of fires and transboundary haze remains due to forecasts of below-normal rainfall until December.
What Do These Terms Mean?
Haze: A mixture of smoke and fine particulates resulting from widespread fires, carried by the wind to lower air quality over long distances.
Peat Fires: Subsurface fires in carbon-rich organic soil that persist for long periods and release large amounts of smoke.
Air Quality Index: A metric that determines how clean air is from pollutants, with high values classifying air as unhealthy.
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