Thailand is unlikely to reopen its borders to international leisure visitors this year, predicted a deputy governor of the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT).
Speaking at a webinar hosted by Mekong Tourism Coordinating Office and TravelMole, Chattan Kunjara Na Ayudhya, deputy governor for international marketing at TAT, said that there has been no talk of or timeline issued for reopening the country to inbound or outbound leisure travel during weekly Covid-19 national meetings.
He added that as part of the government’s “very, very cautious” approach to reopening borders, he does not expect Thailand to welcome leisure visitors until 2021.
Noted Ayudhya: “I see no signal from the government that the country will open this year. That’s putting lot of pressure on the tourism industry. The Christmas period, usually the high season, is in jeopardy and I’m looking horribly even to Chinese New Year in February, which is an iffy proposition at best now. Unfortunately, this is not a rosy picture.”
He added that discussions over creating travel bubbles have also been halted. Said Ayudhya: “Last month, there was talk about forming travel bubbles. That talk has not continued so far because of outbreaks in many of the countries we were hoping to get tourists from, unfortunately, including Vietnam.”
However, the list of groups allowed into Thailand under strict measures has been expanded from diplomats, UN officials, as well as business people and investors who have an agreement with the government to include film crews and exhibition personnel.
This is only applicable to visitors from Japan, South Korea, Singapore, China and Hong Kong. Every arrival must spend 14 days in quarantine.
Thailand will also open up to select countries for medical tourism.
Ayudhya added plans are being mooted for when safe bubbles can be formed for leisure travel, with a proposal that all visitors spend a minimum of 30 days in the country. This would be in designated areas – probably islands, such as Koh Samui or Phuket.
“Currently, this is not moving forward as the government is taking a wait-and-see attitude. They want to see how the current groups of foreigners, such as film crews and diplomats, do first. There is still a lot of nervousness,” he said.
With uncertainties surrounding the reopening of borders to international travel, Thai tourism operators are proposing a new inbound tourism plan, called Safe and Sealed, to replace travel bubbles, reported the Bangkok Post.
The scheme is designed to help tourism businesses tide through and avoid layoffs this year, should Thai borders remain shut to international visitors.
During a joint meeting of the Tourism and Sports Ministry and the private sector chaired by tourism minister Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn, tourism-related groups proposed to allow tourists to enter Thailand in 4Q, said the report. As compared to the travel bubble scheme, the plan envisages safer, more flexible screening procedures for many countries, it added.
Under the plan, explained Vichit, only visitors from cities with a record of zero infections for at least a 30-day window will be selected, and they will be able to travel and stay in designated hotels and provinces. Other safety protocols will include a Covid-free certificate 72 hours before flights, as well as insurance and swab tests.
The report also quoted Vichit Prakobgosol, president of the Association of Thai Travel Agents, as saying that although Thailand has started allowing entry for certain group of foreigners, the tally will be below 100,000, which is inadequate to buoy the tourism industry.
The new inbound plan is expected to draw at least 500,000 tourists to Thailand and generate 50 billion baht in revenue, according to the report.
TAT governor Yuthasak Supasorn said Phiphat will forward the proposal to related organisations, said the report. According to Yuthasak, the tourism sector employed four million workers pre-Covid, but with businesses having zero revenue over the past six months, unemployment in the sector could grow to 2.5 million.
Singapore is at the top of the list of travel destinations for people living in India, Indonesia, Thailand, Hong Kong, and the Philippines when it comes to post-lockdown travel, according to a new global study.
These destinations also have considerable pent-up demand for travel. Out of the five, Indians are the most eager to travel internationally in the next 12 months (77 per cent), followed by Thais (70 per cent), Indonesians (60 per cent), Hong Kongers (47 per cent), and Filipinos (46 per cent).
Jointly conducted by social research agency Blackbox Research, data provider Dynata, and language partner Language Connect, Unravel Travel: Fear & Possibilities in a Post Coronavirus (Covid-19) World examined the sentiments, preferences, and expectations of more than 10,000 people across 17 countries regarding travel in a post-Covid-19 world.
The study also found that Singaporeans are keen for the local travel industry to find its footing again. An overwhelming 93 per cent of Singaporeans recognise that tourism is a major industry and contributor to the local economy, with more than half (67 per cent) believing that the country is well-prepared to reopen tourism and leisure activities. More than half (57 per cent) are also comfortable with tourism boards, including their own, promoting their countries amid a pandemic.
On a more global level, the study revealed that one in five will look to avoid business travel in the next 12 months, spelling a challenge for Singapore’s plans to progressively resume essential business travel for executives.
Saurabh Sardana, COO of Blackbox Research, said that both regional interest and citizen sentiment towards restarting local tourism have been encouraging, but establishing traveller’s trust in health and safety protocols is key.
He elaborated: “People across Asia have the most pent-up demand to travel, and Singapore is well-placed to tap into that opportunity given its strategic location as the region’s travel hub. As Asia’s business hub as well, Singapore’s immediate focus on appealing to business travellers by working to establish green lane arrangements with a number of countries will help kickstart the industry.
“However, with concerns on health and safety as well as the increasing prevalence of digital tools replacing in-person business meetings, our study found that a significant percentage of people globally are deterred from business travel.
“With the number of cases in control now, Singapore is well-placed to cut through the fear and noise around pandemic travel, and drive home the safety narrative for its local tourism assets. This includes assurances on health checks during key stages of their itinerary, as well as ensuring that the required safety standards and precautions are in place.”
Singapore also has strong domestic appeal, with 78 per cent of Singaporeans keen to support local travel attractions in the next 12 months.
Sardana said: “Despite being a small island state that does not offer locals different states and regions to explore, our survey demonstrated that Singaporeans’ impression of domestic travel is still relatively robust. Singapore is committed to appeal to local consumers, as demonstrated by its S$45 million (US$32.5 million) SingapoRediscovers campaign, and its offerings are also well-placed to capture the domestic market.
“The next stage will be to further grow the way domestic tourism is perceived by locals, based on a greater understanding of local preferences, sentiments, and expectations.”