New platform helps travellers book ASQ stays in Thailand

A new platform has been launched to help travellers book their alternative state quarantine (ASQ) stays in Thailand, uniting the country’s quarantine hotels on one platform.

Following its soft launch in December 2020 with 15 hotels, ASQ Stay presently has over 50 hotels on its site and has serviced over 200 travellers.

According to founder David Zilber, who comes from a travel start-up background, the idea was born when he was researching hotels to quarantine for himself on his way from France to Thailand.

“I looked up the process of getting into Thailand during Covid and the resources available to book a quarantine hotel. I felt the solutions existing in the market were not very elaborate. I had to call (the hotels) up one by one; there was no customer service and nobody to help in the process,” he explained.

After browsing Facebook groups and checking the feedback of other travellers to Thailand, he found many other confused travellers sharing similar experiences. “There were so many things they had to research themselves. Hotels were also new to the process so they didn’t really have the service or the teams. Hence, I felt there was a gap for a company to help you out – (a cross) between a concierge service and booking platform,” he shared.

On ASQ Stay, each hotel listing details what is included in each package. Travellers can also opt to rent or buy add-ons, such as treadmills, dumbbells and coffee machines, to enhance their quarantine experience.

“It’s really a one-stop shop to all the services; where we stand out is not just the booking process, but the customer support. Sometimes, clients have already checked into the hotel, and they’re not happy with the food. We’ve tried to fix that, for example, by having the hotel provide a microwave in the room,” Zilber elaborated.

ASQ Stay’s prices are the same as booking direct. “We receive a commission from the hotel, so we don’t have to upsell the room,” said Zilber.

He added that the platform is a pop-up product in response to the pandemic, but with more and more customer bookings everyday, ASQ Stay sees further potential in the market and is currently looking to expand to other destinations. “Now, we’re looking at Hong Kong as another destination to launch the platform, as a three-week quarantine is required (for incoming foreign travellers) and there is nothing similar (on the market),” Zilber concluded.

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