Tourism Sector Won’t Likely Improve Until Next Year

This is partially due to the fact that many nations are already dealing with the pandemic and are banning overseas travel to stop the contagion.

All borders to Thailand are still closed and most foreign nationals will not be allowed to enter Thailand for most of this year, with the exception that Chinese tourists may be allowed to enter in July because China has largely controlled the outbreak of Covid-19.

But even with Chinese visitors taking up some of the slack, the near-future situation is still overwhelming.

“We expect the Covid-19 outbreak to end by the beginning of 2021 and travel should once again begin once the vaccine is found. The tourism sector in Chonburi should return to normal by the second quarter of next year, “said Teerin Tanyawattanakul, President of the Chonburi Chamber of Commerce.

The private sector is working on tourism stimulus measures to be proposed to the government. The proposal will focus on domestic travel to help tourism businesses survive before preparations can be made to take in foreign tourists once the outbreak is over.

In the meantime, Step 2 of the relaxation of the measure is being negotiated with the provincial authorities about the possibility of lifting restrictions on golf courses, parks, hotels, resorts, restaurants and tourist attractions in the province.

It is assumed that Thai nationals will be permitted to travel abroad by the beginning of July, and that the government will soon allow interprovincial to travel if the number of new Covid-19 cases remains small.

“TCT predicts that the number of tourists in 2021 will match the number in 2019. Hence, it is important for operators in the tourism sector to start preparing for the influx, “said Thanate.

SOURCE: Nation Thailand