Here are some tourist attractions that were greatly affected by the COVID-19 outbreak. Take a look at the current situation of these iconic spots in this gallery.
The Great Wall of China was overflowing of tourists in mid-January. But recently, due to COVID-19 outbreak that reportedly started in Wuhan, this famous historical landmark became unusually empty. A section of the Great Wall was closed since January.
The Forbidden City has a great historical value for China. As one of the most visited sites in Beijing, the tourist attraction was closed temporarily at the end of January due to COVID-19.
Last January 25, the colorful and fun-filled Shanghai Disneyland in China was also indefinitely closed due to the deadly disease outbreak.
Hong Kong Disneyland also closed its doors to the public on January 26 as a precautionary measure against COVID-19. According to a report from Business Insider, the iconic theme park “will let the government use its sites as quarantine facilities for people it fears may have caught the deadly coronavirus.”
The Ngong Ping 360 is one of the main activities to try in Hong Kong. But because of the alarming virus wreaking havoc in China and around the world, The New York Times reported that some cable cars “hung motionless and empty.”
Gyeongbokgung Palace is one of the popular tourist destinations in Seoul, South Korea. The two photos show the contrasting situation in the historical royal palace before and after the COVID-19 outbreak.
The Venetian and The Parisian are two famous luxurious resorts in Macau that recently appear to be almost empty due to COVID-19.
Sanrio Puroland in Tokyo, Japan, before and after it was temporarily closed due to COVID-19.
The Arashiyama or Sabano Bamboo Forest in Kyoto, Japan is recently free from tourists, making it look more peaceful and serene than usual.
The always vibrant Pattaya Floating Market in Thailand looked dull and empty. According to Business Insider's report, the COVID-19 outbreak slowed down Chinese tourism resulting to an empty food court at the Floating Market in Pattaya.
This is the current situation of the usually crowded St. Mark's Square in Venice, Italy. The New York Time recently reported that hotels in Venice have lost almost 70% of their international visitors since the global COVID-19 outbreak.
The Duomo Cathedral in Milan, Italy was closed last February 24 due to COVID-19. The Duomo Square looked very spacious compared to its usual busy state.
New York City's Chinatown seems to have lost its spirit lately because of the COVID-19 outbreak, and the few people who are seen in the neighborhood are all wearing a face mask. According to The Guardian, “The decline in business in Chinatown coincides with an uptick in xenophobic attacks against people of Asian descent around the world.”
The Temple of Heaven in Beijing, China is open to welcome locals and tourists amid COVID-19 outbreak. However, based on these photos, take during the final week of January (left) and on late February (right), fewer tourists have been visiting the heritage site.
The Temple of Literature in Hanoi, Vietnam experienced a big impact from the coronavirus outbreak. Visitors have become fewer and most of them were wearing surgical mask.
Tokyo Disney Resort have closed the doors of its two popular theme parks, Tokyo Disneyland and Tokyo DisneySea, until March 15 due to COVID-19. As stated in their website, the temporary closure is “a precautionary measure in line with prevention efforts taking place across Japan and in response to the recommendations of appropriate authorities.”