When news broke of Japan subsidizing travel costs for visitors a few weeks back, it was exciting news, at least until it came out that the Japan Times misquoted a minister and it wasn’t going to be nearly as exciting as hoped for international visitors. But now, it’s Thailand’s turn, and rather than relying on quotes from the press, Thailand’s Tourism Authority (TAT) has unveiled their own plans for rebooting tourism in Thailand, in their own words.
Among the many things you’ll find in the multi phase plans to safely bring visitors back to Thailand, there’s one section of particular interest, and it’s where Yuthasak Supasorn, Governor of Thai Tourism states…
“Encouraging international tourists to travel to Thailand must be affordable by subsidizing hotels and tour operators, so that they in turn can reduce the price of tickets for transportation and accommodation for international tourists and fuel a sustainable, long-term recovery.”
International tourism has always been a key sector for Thailand, and authorities looking to create prices that draw visitors back in numbers is exciting stuff. Why would the country care so much? Because like everywhere else, Thai tourism isn’t just about hotels, buses and planes, but also restaurants, cafes, parks and the vitality of many neighborhoods and regions themselves.
Thailand currently plans to welcome early tourists in July, with broader entry from September.
THE BEST: The New Normal of Thai Tourism – Tourism Driven under the Supervision of Public Health.
Booking (in advance): Best practices would mean advanced bookings will be required. Travel plans will become a necessity, including the number of people, date, time, and expenses, which will need to be calculated beforehand ulnder the restriction of numbers and social distancing conditions.
Environmental (enthusiasts): Participate in promoting responsible tourism for society and the environment to help manage the quality of the environment and solve problems caused by tourism; such as, waste and pollution, so as to conserve and heal the recovering environment.
Safety (comes first): Tourists will pay more attention to safety in order to protect themselves and prevent the spread of the virus to others.
Technology (enhanced tourist experiences): Digital technology will include Mobile Track and Trace: a tracking system, which verifies and tracks each individual and/or devices in real time, whereby digital technology becomes a tourism necessity.
Thailand has made reopening islands, such as Koh Samui, and those largely dependent on tourism a primary early focus. The country cleverly avoided the “q” word in early reboot announcements by suggesting “long stay” discounts for those who plan to stay a while. Quarantining on a Thai Island doesn’t sound so bad, at the moment.
For any budding influencers, future trips could even enjoy five finger discounts. Thailand plans to use influencer marketing to reach audiences quickly, particularly those able to promote safe enjoyment of Thailand’s boundless natural wonders and sights. Maybe it’s time to start a blog?
(Thailand) Supports the provision of money incentives to airlines and tour operators to use in public relations or conducting tourism marketing. The incentives can be also used with influencers to promote tourism traffic into and in Thailand.
If you enjoyed Thailand before, it’s hard not to imagine enjoying it more than ever with fewer tourists, subsidies on hotels and tours and after months of nature revitalizing. When travel bans are dropped, expect eyeballs to turn to Southeast Asia, and when they do, for Thailand to be at the top of the list…
The bigger problem is just being allowed in
Despite the happy optimism of the headline Andy feigned enthusiasm of the author, the plan described is not one to encourage or facilitate bringing tourists back to Thailand. It is designed to limit tourism. Pre-booked everything, all expense to be calculated in advance, and digital tracking of your activities? Sounds dystopian to me. Oh the joy.