The wheels of Thailand’s tourism industry are slowly turning again as domestic travellers head for beach resorts close to the Thai capital.
Weekends in Hua Hin hotels for instance are close to capacity (with some resorts experiencing 90% occupancy and some even higher). Being close to Bangkok, the weather, air quality and the fact that you can drive from the metropolis definitely help.
But two out of seven days are not enough and our islands away from Bangkok are suffering the most. Domestically they receive very few guests and are extremely reliant on international travellers. The same could be said of Bangkok that relies on international business and leisure travellers to fill thousands of hotel rooms rather than domestic tourists from the provinces.
International flights into Thailand are currently not allowed for tourists. The only flights in are largely carrying repatriated Thai nationals or those with jobs here and holding a work permit or are invited government guests. All have to enter 14 days of quarantine on arrival.
We need international arrivals to support our tourism industry but they will not travel without flights and on arrival, they will be reluctant to spend two weeks in quarantine. We cannot survive on domestic tourism alone. Last year Thailand welcomed 39.8 million guests.
Everyone in the travel industry is asking for your support. To all our industry friends and professionals, we ask you to talk about what our industry decision-makers, government and tourism agency/association colleagues can do to help restart flights. We need to reopen our skies urgently.
We are grateful for the Royal Thai Government’s leadership in controlling COVID-19. Thailand was recently ranked second in the Global COVID-19 Recovery Index after Australia, and is first in Asia in the same index.
Thailand is regarded as a leading light, a flagship of Asia tourism. Its medical and sports tourism for instance are world class and leaders in their field. Thailand’s tourism industry needs flights to recover and, in turn, protect valuable jobs. Opening up a dialogue to help make it more accessible for foreign visitors to travel to Thailand is vital.
The industry requests the help from Tourism Authority of Thailand Governor Yuthasak Supasorn and Tourism and Sports Minister Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn. Prime Minister Prayut Chan-ocha announced that international travel is possible on a bilateral basis. No further details, however, have been released.
The Royal Thai Government has done an excellent job in controlling the COVID-19 pandemic with only 3,232 infections and just 58 deaths*. They are to be congratulated. It is encouraging to note that Thailand has logged no new local COVID-19 infections for the past 50 days*. As we move into the recovery phase we need to now restart international flights into and out of Thailand.
Thailand’s tourism industry is a major employer, which directly and indirectly affects millions. For almost two decades, the industry has been providing employment for 20 percent of all workers here.
The peripheral grey market that supports tourism has also been widely affected. The street vendors, for instance, and other low paid informal workers struggle daily.
It is important to all business owners to keep our valued employees and maintain trust with them. Please help support the tourism industry’s call to allow international tourists to once again revisit these shores.
In your webinars and Zoom meetings; in your social media interactions and discussions and industry meetings, please ensure that your opinion on restarting international flights and protecting tourism jobs are made known.
* as of 15 July 2020
About the author
Andrew J Wood was born in Yorkshire England, he is a professional hotelier, Skalleague and travel writer. Andrew has 48 years of hospitality and travel experience. He is a hotel graduate of Napier University, Edinburgh. Andrew is a past Director of Skål International (SI), National President SI Thailand and is currently President of SI Bangkok and a VP of both SI Thailand and SI Asia. He is a regular guest lecturer at various Universities in Thailand including Assumption University's Hospitality School and the Japan Hotel School in Tokyo.
Andrew J Wood was born in Yorkshire England, he is a professional hotelier, Skalleague and travel writer. Andrew has 48 years of hospitality and travel experience. He is a hotel graduate of Napier University, Edinburgh. Andrew is a past Director of Skål International (SI), National President SI Thailand and is currently President of SI Bangkok and a VP of both SI Thailand and SI Asia. He is a regular guest lecturer at various Universities in Thailand including Assumption University's Hospitality School and the Japan Hotel School in Tokyo.
Paul Poole (South East Asia) Co., Ltd. is an independent marketing consultancy based in Bangkok, Thailand specialising in commercial sponsorship and partnership marketing, working with both rights holders and brands - acting as a catalyst by bringing them together and maximising the relationship.
We have packaged, sold and managed sponsorship and partnership opportunities for a wide range of rights holders and worked with many of the world’s leading brands to source and engage the right sponsorships and partnerships for them to maximise.
