According to a report by The International Travel Association, international travel will recover quickly despite slowing progress due to the omicron variant. AirAsia chief executive Tony Fernandes.

He told CNBC that he believes we are at the end of the world. “Squawk Box Asia”On Monday, we noted that recovery had already started in earnest.

“The great thing about it is that last year we did not have planes on the ground. He said that a significant portion of the fleet now fly in Malaysia, Thailand, and Indonesia, and added that there has been a strong demand.

Six months from the reopening of borders, international travel will return to preCovid levels, he predicts. He also said that he hopes to see them open in March.

One year ago, there was a lot of excitement about Asia being able to travel without quarantine. ThailandAnd India reinstated restrictionsCertain arrivals were driven up by omicron, who drove up casesloads.

Fernandes said that China still remains an “important question” when it comes to reopening. still pursuing its zero-Covid policy.

Fernandes also stated that Fernandes’ ride-hailing company has “incredibly done” and exceeded expectations. since its launch in August 2021.

He said AirAsia’s strategy is “exactly the same” as the one it used when the company entered the low-cost airline market years ago — high efficiency that results in lower prices for consumers.

AirAsia Ride, as a late entry, could see which models are successful and didn’t have to invest a lot on tech research or development, he stated. It was also acquired part of Indonesian start-up Gojek’s Thailand operations.

Fernandes stated that “the market is still very much under-penetrated.” There’s huge potential for upside.