BANGKOK (Reuters) – Thailand’s prime hoteliers on Tuesday urged the government to simplify entry rules to assist alongside an in any other case sluggish restoration of one of many nation’s highest incomes sectors.
Thailand has been forward of its Southeast Asian neighbours in easing entry rules, after imposing strict quarantine and entry necessities for greater than a 12 months.
It began a calibrated reopening to vaccinated vacationers from July final 12 months with two island “sandbox” programmes as pilot initiatives, earlier than totally reopening in November, when guests have been required to take checks on arrival.
This helped increase January arrivals to practically 134,000 from about 7,700 in 2021, a 12 months when complete arrivals have been lower than 0.5% of the pre-pandemic figures.
But trade members mentioned extra should be performed if Thailand desires to entice the form of numbers that made it one of many world’s most visited nations.
“The rules are too difficult,” mentioned Bill Heinecke, chairman of Minor International Pcl, which operates hotels in Thailand, Australia, the Maldives and in Europe.
“We’re not going to regain the primary spot again by making up our personal rules on how to deal with vacationers,” he instructed a Bangkok tourism discussion board.
Thailand in 2019 had a file 40 million arrivals, when tourism accounted for about 12% of its economic system.
But the pandemic-battered sector continues to flounder even as the nation reopens. The state-planning company expects simply 5.5 million arrivals this 12 months.
In a programme known as “Test and Go” https://www.tatnews.org/2022/02/thailand-reopening-exemption-from-quarantine-test-go, Thailand permits vaccinated travellers who’ve sought prior entry approval to minimise quarantine to only one night time.
They should current a unfavourable pre-departure take a look at, proof of vaccination, lodge bookings and COVID-19 insurance coverage protection of $20,000, and take two extra checks after arrival.
Businesses are involved travellers will go for nations with simpler entry rules.
“We’re behind different Asian nations who’re in a position to tackle barely extra threat,” mentioned Hilton Hotels and Resorts, senior vp, Clarence Tan.
A government spokesperson didn’t instantly reply to a request for remark.
More than 70% of individuals in Thailand have been vaccinated in opposition to COVID-19.
(Reporting by Chayut Setboonsarng; Editing by Kanupriya Kapoor)
