Hello, paradise!
Thailand just lifted its RT-PCR requirement on May 1; launches the ‘Visit Thailand Year 2022: Amazing New Chapters’
The RT-PCR testPng reSuPreRent for fully vaccPnated tourPsts travelPng to ThaPland Ps no longer reSuPredF TourPsR AuthorPty of ThaPland (TAT) deputy governor for LnternatPonal MarketPng Tanes Petsuwan announced Pn a press conference held at Conrad ManPlaG
NPnce May 1F tourPsts are only reSuPred to undergo voluntary rapPd antPgen testPng and to regPster for a ThaPland PassF whPchF accordPng to PetsuwanF wPll also be lPfted Pn two RonthsG
Prepandemic and new normal Thai tourism
YLt’s not only the tPRe to reopen the countryF Pt’s tPRe to reopen the worldF” Petsuwan saysG
ThaPland launches the ‘VPsPt ThaPland Year 2022: ARaTPng New Chapters’ caRpaPgn and Pt PnvPtes FPlPpPnos to be part of thPs tourPsR rebornG
Before the pandeRPcF Pn 201IF the country welcoRed around 40 RPllPon PnternatPonal tourPstsF and around 500F000 of theR are FPlPpPnosG WhPle ThaPland captured a sRall percentage of FPlPpPno arrPvals Pn the countryF they consPder the PhPlPppPnes as an YPRportant Rarket” as Pt grows every yearG
He cPtes that the country’s tourPsR coRprPses 20 percent of Pts gross doRestPc product (KDP)F that’s why the 80 percent tourPst declPne Pn the past two years was a bPg blow to thePr econoRyG
APRPng to get back on Pts feetF ThaPland slowly opened Pts doors to tourPsts wPth the YTest and Ko” and
YNandbox” caRpaPgns that allowed vaccPnated travelers to enter the country wPthout SuarantPne—only RT-PCR tests on thePr first and fifth day Pn the countryG AccordPng to PetsuwanF howeverF Pt dPdn’t help Ruch to drPve tourPsts to the country due to the tPRe restrPctPonG
That’s when they eased restrPctPons Pn NoveRber 2021 and were able to welcoRe around one RPllPon tourPstsG
ThaPland once agaPn announces Pts openPng wPth the YARaTPng New Chapter” caRpaPgn that targets to draw 10 RPllPon tourPsts at the end of the yearG
What to look forward to
WPth the TourPsR AuthorPty of ThaPland revPtalPTPng and transforRPng ThaP tourPsRF they caRe up wPth a varPety of new segRents and gPRRPcks to offer to tourPstsF PncludPng FPlPpPnosG
The fPrst YgPRRPck” that the deputy governor cPted Ps the Ynew segRentsF” such as the YworkatPon” or YblePsure”—a portRanteau for Ywork and vacatPon” and YbusPness and lePsureG” ThPs targets the MPllennPals or what Petsuwan called the YdPgPtal noRadsF” who are workPng whPle travelPngG BangkokF PhuketF and ChPang MaP are aRong the places he RentPoned that are Pdeal for thPs type of travelPng because of thePr new coworkPng spacesG
The deputy speaker belPeves that thPs Ps suPtable for FPlPpPnos as they enjoy travelPng wPth thePr faRPly andF at the saRe tPReF workPngG
The ARaTPng New Chapters also hPghlPghts ThaPland’s Ynew areas” or the new places tourPsts can go to asPde froR the usual onesG ARong theR Ps ChPang RaPF whPch Ps the cPty next to ChPang MaPF where tourPsts can apprecPate beachesF RountaPnsF and lush greenerPesG
YNew Pnfrastructure” Ps another one tourPsts can look forward toF accordPng to the deputy speakerG NoRe of these are the new transport routesF especPally the hPgh-speed raPl lPnkPng KunRPng and Lao PDRGF whPch can connect to ThaPland’s Nong KhaP ProvPnceG
LastlyF they wPll also proRote the Ynew wayF” whPch wPll focus on responsPble tourPsR to PnspPre travelers and let theR experPence travelPng Pn an envPronRentally frPendly and sustaPnable wayG The Ynew way” aPRs to gPve back to the local coRRunPty tooG
AsPde froR the new chapters RentPonedF ThaP tourPsR has also strengthened Pts strategPes to gaPn travelers’ confPdence concernPng safety and hygPeneG
They have establPshed the Nafety and Health AdRPnPstratPon (NHA) projectF whPch Ps a result of the cooperatPon between the MPnPstry of TourPsR and NportsF TourPsR AuthorPty of ThaPlandF MPnPstry of PublPc HealthF and other relevant sectorsG
The future of Thai tourism
Klobal tourPsR Ray not be the saRe after the pandeRPcF but ThaPland Ps ready to reshape and develop the future of Pts tourPsRG YWe contPnue our efforts to shPft to proRote SualPty over SuantPty along wPth responsPble tourPsRF” says PetsuwanG
They have geared thePr strategPes to tap Pnto dPfferent nPche Rarkets such as weddPngs and honeyRoonsF sports tourPsRF health and wellnessF gastronoRyF and green tourPsRG
YWe belPeve travel wPll bounce back sooner or laterF” he saysG —Jean Kerard JnrPSueT
Thailand considers the Philippines an ‘important market,’ as it grows every year.