Monday, April 27, 2020

Thailand’s Tourism Likely Won’t Improve Until Vaccine Found


The Tourism Authority of Thai land (TAT) has said a vaccine for covid-19 is needed to help reverse the plunge in Thailand’s tourism. Tourism numbers are set to tumble 60% to only 16 million tourists this year. Almost halving foreign tourism income.

Furthermore those numbers could go even lower as the world waits for an inoculation or if a second wave of infections materializes, according to Bloomberg.

“Everyone is waiting on a vaccine,” TAT Governor Yuthasak Supasorn said in an interview April 24. “People are expecting that it will take at least 18 months. Which also means we’ll have to remain in a state of fear and worry.”

Thailand has been particularly reliant on tourism spending, especially by Chinese visitors. The lack of Tourism leaves Thailand with one of Asia’s  bleakest economic outlooks.

Yuthasak said the tourism industry needs to restore confidence in the safety of leisure travel. Predicting that October is the earliest he expects holidaymakers from China to return.

“We must all enter into a new normal after Covid-19,” he said. Also estimating foreign-visitor receipts this year may amount to only 1 trillion baht. Down by almost half from the 1.9 trillion baht in 2019.
Tourism will look again to Chinese Visitors

Yuthasak said “There could also be an opportunity within the crisis for us to improve. So in the future revenue will be more sustainable and wealth can spread to smaller communities.”

Meanwhile, The Thaiger reports Thailand’s tourism recovery trajectory is expected to be initially centered on domestic and local corporate travel. Before radiating back into into international and regional travel.

When borders open and international travel bans are lifted, China will almost certainly resume its dominant role in Thailand’s inbound tourism sector. How this major feeder market for Thailand is expected to begin travelling again will offer strategies for those suffering through today’s crisis.

Findings by Chinese travel giant Trip.com have long ranked Thailand among the first outbound destinations Chinese travelers want to visit post-coronavirus.

Source - Chiang Rai Times