Organizer: Foreign Correspondents' Club of Thailand - FCCT
Description:
After two years of closed borders and draconian travel restrictions due to COVID-19, it looks like Thailand and its neighbors across Southeast Asia are now committed to bringing back tourists, who make a significant contribution to the economies in the region.
Thailand has eased, but not removed, requirements for testing and isolation, while other countries have eliminated conditions completely. It’s reasonable to expect that the Thai “Test and Go” entry program will be slowly phased out, as long as public health risks remain within manageable limits.
The tourism industry is gearing up for the return of international tourists. New and renovated hotel projects are back on the books. Airlines are increasing capacity. From medical tourism to markets with vast potential like India, businesses are looking at ways to attract new customers in innovative ways. Pre-Covid Thailand was a leader in the MICE (meetings, incentives, conventions, and exhibitions) market and wants to bring big and small events back. In the meantime, domestic tourism is still largely reliant on the “Rao Thiew Duaygan” (We Travel Together) subsidies. Will interest in traveling close to home remain strong as borders reopen?
Despite efforts to promote tourism, many factors remain beyond the control of local authorities. Chinese tourists, who accounted for ten million arrivals in 2019, are still not allowed to travel freely outside their country. Russian travelers have seen the value of the ruble slashed by half, while soaring fuel prices and fly-over restrictions mean that airfares and transportation are more expensive than they were just a few weeks ago.
How successful will Thailand be in attracting tourists in the near future? Will the country manage to overcome international and regional issues and rebuild what is an essential part of its economy?
The FCCT is pleased to welcome a distinguished panel to discuss these questions and more, including the on-going efforts to reconcile public safety and ease of travel.
The panel will include executives from the Tourism Authority of Thailand, the Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau, one of Thailand’s leading hotel developers and operators, and an airline expert.
Moderator: Vincent Vichit-Vadakan, freelance writer and FCCT committee member.
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