The first impression?if not the best?is certainly an influential impression, as far as doing business is concerned. The first impression of a country, while not being sufficient by itself in deciding future flow of funds, is often one of the important factors in shaping the decision.
The first impression is picked up at the airport. Airports have become effective (or ineffective) ambassadors of doing business. For first timers, airports are important in conveying pleasant impressions, both in terms of their facilities as well as quality of human resources. Indeed, airports across the world have evolved not only in line with the volume of traffic they handle and the infrastructure necessary for doing so, but also for sending positive vibes to tourists and businesses. Modern Asian airports are the best examples. Four of the world?s top airports ranked according to passenger surveys are from Asia. These are Hong Kong, Singapore (Changi), South Korea (Incheon) and China (Beijing). The only non-Asian airport in the top five is Munich. Moving down the ladder, three West European airports, at Amsterdam, Zurich and Copenhagen, figure among the top ten. Auckland is another entry from Asia-Pacific, while the Kuala Lumpur airport also belongs to Asia.
It is interesting to note the countries whose airports do not feature among the top ten. The most notable is the US, with not a single American airport making it to the top ten. Other popular and busy European airports like Heathrow, Charles de Gaulle and Frankfurt are also absent from the list. So are airports from Australia, the Middle East, Central Asia, Latin America and, of course, South Asia. The top order is dominated by East and Southeast Asia and Western Europe. The only presence from the BRICS is China.
Several factors influence the ranking and customer perceptions. These include cleanliness, transit, baggage delivery, shopping, dining, security and immigration. Some apparently simple parameters go a long way in shaping perceptions. The quality of washrooms is an example. Beijing airport is ranked the best in terms of quality of washrooms, followed by Incheon and Hong Kong. Terminal cleanliness is highest in Incheon, Beijing and Changi. Baggage delivery is the quickest in Europe, with Zurich, Copenhagen and Hamburg topping the chart. Changi has the best transit and leisure facilities. Heathrow figures only in the choice for good dining options but behind Hong Kong.
Two other features at airports are important in shaping perceptions. The first is security. Taiwan tops the list in this regard. A comment by the head honcho of the aviation police at Taipei airport mentioning that, in handling security, passengers are treated with ?care?, instead of ?suspicion?, is a telling reflection on how attitudes towards security policing can improve perceptions. This is one of the major factors inconveniencing and irking travellers and can damage some of the positive impressions gathered from visiting the host country.
The other critical factor in shaping perceptions is immigration. Speedy clearance at the immigration counter tops the list of priorities for travellers at the end of long flights. However, this mostly remains wishful thinking. Long waits at lengthy queues are followed by grumpy officials probing deep into passports and entering details into databases at agonisingly slow paces. The torment is prolonged by queries about the purpose of travel despite valid visas and entry permits.
Some Asian airports, fortunately, have succeeded in demolishing the ills of immigration and making it a fast and efficient service. Kuala Lumpur ranks first in immigration services. It is a pleasure to pass through Kuala Lumpur, Changi, Beijing, Incheon and Hong Kong airports, where clearing immigration is literally a matter of a few minutes. Immigration counters at Beijing are unique in that they have rating systems where travellers can rate the quality of service they experienced by punching preferred buttons.
Swank new plush airports are important in giving travellers, particularly the first-timers, a good idea about the country they have arrived at. But the ?feel good? factor can be short lived if immigration plays spoilsport. Immigration services are often taken as a rough benchmark for the quality of public services in the country. While it might be erroneous to judge other services from the immigration experience, a speedy and friendly immigration makes a big difference. It also conveys a warm welcome to the visitor.
It is hardly surprising therefore that the mature economies of Asia?Hong Kong, Singapore, Taiwan, South Korea?all have excellent immigration facilities. China has now joined the league. It is also hardly surprising that leisure and business travel to these countries are among the highest in the world. Clearly, big airports are not enough for luring tourists, immigration also matters. Are others listening?
The author is a visiting senior research fellow at the Institute of South Asian Studies in the National University of Singapore. These are his personal views