Visitors barred from Phi Phi islands until Sept 18 to contain Covid
Krabi’s Phi Phi islands will be temporarily closed to visitors from Saturday until September 18 to curb the spread of Covid-19, the islands’ Tourism Business Association announced on Friday.
“The closure will not apply to tourists under the Phuket Sandbox campaign, who can still travel to the islands provided they comply with the programme’s requirements,” said the association.
“Exceptions will be made for medical emergency, transportation of consumer products, drugs and other necessities as well as urgent police business. Certificate of vaccination and/or Covid-19 test results may be required before an entry is granted.”
The Krabi public health office reported on Friday that 104 new cases had been found in the province, bringing cumulative cases to 2,104 patients, 1,529 of whom have been cured and discharged. The areas that have reported the most infections are Khlong Thom district at 49 patients, followed by Nua Khlong district 27, Ko Lanta district 19, and Muang district 9. As for the Phi Phi Islands, so far seven cumulative cases have been reported with 36 more people currently in quarantine as they had close contact with infected persons.
The province has supplied 45,000 sets of self-test kits to Koh Phi Phi Administration Organisation to use for active testing on the islands.
Phi Phi Islands came to worldwide prominence when Ko Phi Phi Le was used as a location for the British-American film “The Beach”. An increase in tourism was attributed to the film’s release, which resulted in increased environmental degradation.
Samui Plus Model misses the target on number of foreign visitors
The island of Samui in Surat Thani province has seen only 628 foreign visitors as of September 7, lower than the target of 1,000, per month, since the launch of the “Samui Plus Model” on July 15.
Among foreign visitors to Samui, the top three countries are France (118 visitors), Germany (96) and the United Kingdom (95).
The Samui Plus Model is a more liberal tourism “sandbox” programme that aims to promote the local tourism industry by reopening certain areas of Surat Thani to foreign visitors. Under the programme, vaccinated visitors are required to stay on the property of a participating hotel for the first three days. From day 4 to 7, only travel to specific routes and destinations are permitted. From day 8 to 14, tourists can travel anywhere in Samui, and even go to Koh Phangan, and Koh Tao. On the 15th day, a visitor can leave Samui and travel anywhere in Thailand.
“The programme needs to adjust its criteria by eliminating the period in which visitors have to stay in the hotel to attract more visitors,” Phatcharaphorn Phoonsawas, president of Samui Tourism Promotion Association, said on Thursday.
Samui Plus Model misses the target on number of foreign visitors
“We will soon submit the proposal to the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration so that it can be implemented before October 1.
“Furthermore, we are planning to reduce the price of testing via RT-PCR method, which visitors must take three times during their stay in Samui, from Bt15,000 per person to lower than Bt8,000 per person to attract more visitors,” added Phatcharaphorn.
“We believe that under the new criteria, Samui will see at least 4,500 tourists in the fourth quarter [October-December], or 1,500 visitors per month, which will help generate income of Bt90 million to Bt112 million to local entrepreneurs,” he added.
Thailand still one of top three destinations for Indian tourists
Thailand is one of the top three destinations that Indians want to visit, the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) said citing several recent surveys.
Asurvey on 4,000 people conducted in June by global travel group Thomas Cook found that 46 per cent of them wanted to travel overseas. It also found that apart from Thailand, the other top destinations they want to visit are Abu Dhabi/Dubai and the Maldives.
An earlier survey in April by InterMiles involving 11,500 respondents found that 65 per cent were planning overseas trips.
“Thailand enjoyed the status of being a very popular destination for Indian travellers before the pandemic, and it is extremely encouraging to see this will likely continue once we reopen to the Indian market,” said TAT governor Yuthasak Supasorn. “Meanwhile, one of TAT’s priorities is to ensure that health and safety measures are employed in Thailand for all visitors.”
Looking ahead, TAT is working with two possible scenarios on the inbound Indian market based on seat capacity and estimated tourist arrivals from October 1 to December 31.
The first of these scenarios envisions commercial flights being resumed from the major cities of New Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, Hyderabad and Bangalore, which would result in 24,500 Indians visiting Thailand during the 14-week period and generating a revenue of 1.09 billion baht.
The second scenario envisions weekly chartered flights to Thailand from New Delhi and Mumbai in place of commercial flights, resulting in 4,200 Indians visiting and generating an income of 187.7 million baht.
The revenue estimate is based on 2019 records that showed Indian travellers stayed seven days in Thailand on average and spent 44,688 baht per person.
Pent-up demand
Meanwhile, in the most recent survey conducted by TAT on 300 travel agents in Mumbai and New Delhi, 94 per cent said there was plenty of potential travellers waiting for Thailand to reopen. Some 80 per cent said Indian travellers spend an average of seven days on holiday and 33 per cent placed priority on safety and health, 25 per cent on tourism activities and the remainder on attractive offers.
However, current pilot reopening schemes like the Phuket Sandbox and Samui Plus were cited as unattractive to Indian travellers.
Market outlook for 2022
Based on the assumption that Thailand will reopen to Indian travellers in the last quarter of this year, the TAT Mumbai and New Delhi offices are continuing to place focus on main movers, like golf, weddings and millennials.
Phuket remains the top destination for Indian weddings, followed by Hua Hin, Rayong and Samui. An Indian wedding, known for its extravagance, on average costs between 5 million and 6 million baht with 200 to 300 guests.
Indian market overview pre-pandemic
In 2019, a total of 1.96 million Indians travelled to Thailand, generating revenue of just over 80 million baht. This represented a growth of 25.48 per cent in terms of arrivals and an income growth of 19.96 per cent. At that time, there were more than 300 flights from Thailand to India weekly, while Indian airlines GoAir and IndiGo also opened direct links to Phuket, resulting in more Indians visiting there.
Results from a TAT survey on the Indian market for 2019 showed that 94 per cent of travel agents foresaw a demand for travel to Thailand. Escorted groups constitute the largest type of traveller who would visit Thailand in 2021/2022 at 35 per cent, followed by small groups at 30 per cent, couples and honeymooners at 20 per cent, and families with children at 15 per cent.
The average length of stay was less than seven days (80 per cent), between seven and 14 days (15 per cent), and 30 days or more (5 per cent). Factors considered in travelling to Thailand were health, hygiene and safety (33 per cent), connectivity (25 per cent), competitive pricing (17 per cent), and others (25 per cent).
The survey concluded that 34 per cent of promotions should focus on mid-market, 27 per cent on luxury, 24 per cent on budget and 15 per cent on all segments.
Wedding market segment
TAT conducted another survey of destination wedding planners in Mumbai, Delhi, Bengaluru, Surat, Ahmedabad, Jaipur, Kolkata, Vadodara, Goa and Chennai. This survey showed that Phuket and Krabi were the most popular for weddings (72.41 per cent), followed next by Hua Hin and Rayong (65.52 per cent), Samui (43.1 per cent), Bangkok (25.86 per cent), Pattaya (22.41 per cent), and others (5.17 per cent).
The period most considered for a wedding in Thailand was January-June and July-December 2022 (both at 55.17 per cent), followed by November-December 2021 (34.48 per cent) and September-October 2021 (8.62 per cent).
In terms of the wedding size and the associated room requirements, the largest portion was for 50-100 rooms (at 51.72 per cent), followed by 101-150 rooms (43.1 per cent), above 150 rooms (15.52 per cent), and less than 50 rooms (6.9 per cent).
Length of stay came in at 57 per cent for three days/two nights, 40 per cent for four days/three nights, and 3 per cent for more than four days (for over 50 guests).
Tourists warned not to catch starfish, marine life for photos
Mu Ko Phi Phi National Park has warned tourists not to catch starfish and click pictures of the creatures as this would have a negative impact on natural resources and go against the National Park Act 2019.
The Department of National Parks Wildlife and Plant Conservation (DNP) public relations office posted on its Facebook page on Wednesday that anyone who catches marine animals in national parks, lures them away from their habitat, endangers them in any way, or takes out wild animals will be liable to imprisonment of up to five years, or be fined up to THB500,000, or both, according to the National Park Act 2019.
The DNP’s post made news after some tourists at Hat Nappharat Thara-Mu Ko Phi Phi National Park in Krabi shared pictures online of themselves catching colourful starfish and stacking the creatures together. Such actions are inappropriate and could cause injury or death to the starfish, the DNP’s post read.
After the pictures went viral, Nopparat Thara Beach-Phi Phi Islands National Park officials installed a sign asking tourists not to catch or touch starfish or any other sea creatures. Tourists are allowed to capture beautiful photos, but must strictly follow instructions by officers, the post said.
“Travelling in natural attractions requires cooperation from tourists, who should strictly follow official rules and instructions in order not to cause any negative effects and to have the least impact on natural resources. If anyone discovers any illegal action related to natural resources, call hotline 1362 hotline, which is open 24 hours a day,” the post added.
Source: Hat Nappharat Thara-Mu Ko Phi Phi National Park
The Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand (CAAT) is setting up a new version of the MorPhrom (Doctors Ready) application for travellers and expects it to be ready by the end of this year.
CAAT and the newly formed Thai Airlines Association are set to sign a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Public Health Ministry to develop the application.
The app will record travellers’ Covid-19 test results taken via both RT-PCR and antigen methods as well as vaccination records, which passengers can present before travelling. This will make the checking system at airports less time-consuming and more efficient.
These features are still at the testing stage but should be ready within this month.
Developers are also planning to add passengers’ medical history in the app, so recovered Covid-19 patients can travel between provinces.
The app will be applied to the reservation system and passengers will also be able to use it to check-in. These features are expected to be ready by the end of this year or early next year.
The Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) eased lockdown measures from September 1 and is now letting people travel between provinces.
Confusion over documents that need to be presented to airlines for interprovincial travel saw many people miss their flights unnecessarily earlier.
AirAsia Thailand Returning with 11 Domestic Routes from this 3 September 30% Off
AirAsia Thailand is offering a 30% discount on all seats for all flights including weekends and public holidays to celebrate the restart of its domestic operations. Book from 28 August – 5 September 2021 and travel from 3 September to 31 December 2021
AirAsia Thailand will return to the skies starting with domestic flights beginning 3 September 2021 following an announcement by the Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand allowing the operation of regulated flights.
The reinstatement of flights by AirAsia Thailand will kickstart with 11 domestic routes from Don Mueang Airport to Chiang Mai, Phuket, Hat Yai, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Chiang Rai, Khon Kaen, Udon Thani, Ubon Ratchathani, Nakhon Panom, Roi Et and Narathiwat.
AirAsia Thailand is offering a 30% discount on all seats for all flights including weekends and public holidays to celebrate the restart of its domestic operations. Book from 28 August – 5 September 2021 and travel from 3 September to 31 December 2021 at the airasia super app or visit airasia.com. All bookings come with unlimited free flight change option while all flights will be operated under stringent adherence to health and safety protocols set by the government to ensure the comfort and safety of all guests.
AirAsia Thailand Returning with 11 Domestic Routes from this 3 September 30% Off
AirAsia Thailand Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Santisuk Klongchaiya, stated that while AirAsia Thailand hibernated all its flights throughout August in accordance with government announcements, it remained busy at work, preparing to return to service. All aircraft undergo regular maintenance during the hibernation to ensure they are in top performance. The carrier has been working very closely with the Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand, Thai Airlines Association and other relevant public health agencies to ensure only the highest of safety and hygiene standards are in place when it resumes operations.
From September 2021, guests will be required to meet Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand conditions in accordance with the criteria specified in the travel conditions of the destination provinces, such as to present the documents indicated of having complete cycle of vaccination and/or have documents showing results of testing for COVID-19 by RT-PCR or Antigen Test Kit (ATK), or are exempt from other measures in the destination province (such as having a document certifying that they have been naturally recovered from the infection for no more than 90 days, or have a document certifying that they have passed the quarantine requirement, or have documents for the implementation related to the country’s initiative Sandbox Project). Passengers are also mandated to declare their essential travel information via https://covid-19.in.th/ prior departure.
The airline will also be maintaining stringent health and safety measures, including regular disinfection of all contact surfaces, limiting flights capacity to a maximum of 75% passengers on each flight, onboard food and beverage consumption is yet not allowed throughout the journey, and not more than 50 passengers allowed to be in the transfer bus each round to maintain social distancing and limiting contact. All AirAsia aircraft are equipped with hospital-grade HEPA filters that are able to filter out 99.99% of viral and bacterial particles in the air.
The measures include ensuring service personnel and all staff on duty to be fully vaccinated and tested for COVID-19 according to regulations. AirAsia pilots go through regular recurrent training and aircraft are well maintained. Flight and ground crew have been strictly trained to ensure the safety and wellbeing of guests at all times.
The safety of staff and guests is always the top priority for AirAsia Group, which was one of the first airlines worldwide to achieve the top 7/7 rating for being Covid-19 safe by the aviation experts at Airlineratings.com. All of the airlines in the Group are IOSA accredited which is the global benchmark for upholding the highest safety standards at all times. Furthermore, the airline has used the downtime in flying to implement robust procedures and innovations to make flying even safer and more hygienic than ever.
Erawan National Park in Kanchanaburi province will reopen to visitors from Friday (September 10), after getting the green light from the Department of National Park, Wildlife and Plant Conservation (DNP).
Kanchanaburi is among 29 provinces in the ‘dark red’ zone of highest disease controls due to surging Covid-19 cases.
“After the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration eased lockdown measures in dark red provinces earlier this month, the DNP has approved the reopening of national parks in selected provinces to minimise impact on the tourism industry and communities surrounding the parks,” said Erawan National Park chief Pheerawat Sirotphipat on Tuesday.
From Friday, the park will be open for day trips only.
“Spending the night at the park’s guest houses or campsites is not allowed,” said Pheerawat, adding that visitors must adhere to disease control measures.
The DNP on Tuesday also updated the list of national and forest parks that have been shut down due to the Covid-19 situation. Of the 155 national parks nationwide, 90 remain shut while 65 are still open for visitors. Of these, 30 national parks are open as usual while 35 are open only in selected areas. Meanwhile, 38 of the 91 forest parks have shut down while 53 parks are now opening.
Agoda study reveals Thais making more adventurous choices for domestic travel
Travel booking data reveals a shift towards lesser known destinations, as domestic travel dominated travel agendas, and Thais looked for more off-the-beaten track domestic destinations.
The study was conducted by digital travel platform Agoda, which looked at Thailand’s most booked destinations over the past two years (year-end June 2020 to year-end June 2021).
Agoda’s booking data, however, still shows Bangkok at No.1, followed by Pattaya and Chiang Mai, as the top three most booked domestic destinations.
Agoda compared booking data to identify destination trends and found Khao Lak make the biggest jump, moving up 23 spots to No. 22, Nakhon Nayok moved up 15 places to No. 46, and Sukhothai landed at No. 30, jumping 14 spots. These destinations might not be in the domestic top 10, but they signified Thai travellers’ desire to seek new domestic experiences, Agoda said. Additionally, the top 20 movers included Nakhon Si Thammarat, up from No. 20 to No. 12, while Koh Chang entered the top 20, jumping from 23rd to 18th spot.
Agoda study reveals Thais making more adventurous choices for domestic travel
New interests
During the past year, when domestic tourism became more popular, Thai travellers got more adventurous in their travels, and this saw new destinations joining the top 50 including Koh Kood (No. 44), Nakhon Nayok (No. 46), Lopburi (No. 49), and Loei (No. 50).
Koh Kood is a beautiful tropical paradise on the Eastern Seaboard, known for its unspoiled beaches and relaxing atmosphere. Nakhon Nayok is the perfect escape for city-dwellers who need a short break away from the hustle and bustle of daily life and like visiting waterfalls, temples, and cafés. Lopburi and the nearby Pasak Jolasid dam, the longest clay dam in Thailand, are popular for more than its famous monkeys, with the Khok Tum community market a popular hang-out. Loei is best-known for its rolling hills and stunning views, attracting many people for a peaceful break.
Agoda study reveals Thais making more adventurous choices for domestic travel
Top 10 domestic travel destinations
Between June 2020 and 2021, Phuket and Chonburi dropped marginally in the top 10, both slipping one spot. Meanwhile more off-beat destinations like Kanchanaburi knocked Chiang Rai out the top 10 in 2021. Overall, the top 10 destinations continue to be dominated by Thailand’s most popular and well-known holiday beach and coastal destinations, Agoda said.
Conversely the destinations that saw the sharpest dips in ranking for domestic travel were Koh Phi Phi, Koh Phangan, Koh Tao, Koh Lanta, and Pai, slipping more than 10 spots in the rankings, Agoda said.
Tourism ministry eyes campaigns to boost local travel next month
The Tourism and Sports Ministry is planning to launch two local tourism campaigns in October if the number of new Covid-19 cases drops to a manageable level.
Tourism and Sports Minister Phiphat Ratchakitprakan said on Monday that the ministry will first evaluate the situation 14 days after the easing of the lockdown.
The aim is to allow Thai tourists to travel within the country during the high season once cases drop and the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration gives it the go-ahead.
The ministry and the Tourism Authority of Thailand will launch the “Rao Tiew Duay Kan Phase 3” (We Travel Together) and “Tour Teaw Thai” (Travel around Thailand) campaigns.
Under the “Rao Tiew Duay Kan” project, travellers will be given a 40-per-cent discount on accommodation, a 600-baht voucher for food and beverage for every night booked and a 40 per cent discount on plane tickets.
The “Tour Teaw Thai” package will give travellers discounts of up to 5,000 baht.
The ministry said 10.9 billion baht is left from the funds earmarked to boost local tourism – 5.9 billion baht for “Rao Tiew Duay Kan” and 5 billion baht for “Tour Teaw Thai”.
Tourism ministry eyes campaigns to boost local travel next month
Hat Yais famous Kim Yong market up and running as lockdown relaxed
Merchants at Hat Yai’s Kim Yong market are ready to welcome a large number of shoppers after Covid-19 measures were relaxed in Songkhla province. Virus prevention measures are to be strictly adhered to while most of the merchants have been vaccinated.
On Monday, the Kim Yong market was bustling with activity as people came out in large numbers to buy dried food and snacks, after the easing of restrictions in the province.
A shop owner told reporters that the market had come back to life the past Saturday and Sunday as interprovincial travel has been resumed.
“Sales during the past weekend got a major boost as some customers purchased bulk quantities of products for reselling. If this satisfying trend continues, sales should shortly reach THB10,000 per day like it used to.
Hat Yais famous Kim Yong market up and running as lockdown relaxed
Most of the vendors at Kim Yong market have received the first shot of the vaccine and some are receiving the second one. On Tuesday, some of the merchants have closed their shops to get the second jab,” said the owner of Somchaipanich general store.
The Kim Yong market is strictly following Covid-19 prevention measures by providing alcohol-based gel and checking the customers’ temperature before they enter the shop.
Samui Plus Model misses the target on number of foreign visitors
Tourists warned not to catch starfish, marine life for photos
Tourists warned not to catch starfish, marine life for photos
AirAsia Thailand Returning with 11 Domestic Routes from this 3 September 30% Off
Agoda study reveals Thais making more adventurous choices for domestic travel
Agoda study reveals Thais making more adventurous choices for domestic travel
Tourism ministry eyes campaigns to boost local travel next month
Hat Yais famous Kim Yong market up and running as lockdown relaxed
Hat Yais famous Kim Yong market up and running as lockdown relaxed
Hat Yais famous Kim Yong market up and running as lockdown relaxed
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