Rebooting Thai tourism through golf
Mr. Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn, Thailand’s Minister of Tourism, proposed a new type of alternative state quarantine, exclusively for foreigners travelling to Thailand. The new program provides more freedom when moving around the resort. If authorised, the program will allow tourists to spend their mandatory 14-day quarantine at any of the approved golfing resorts.
Tourism-based economies affected by Covid-19
Black Mountain Golf Resort, Hua Hin
Image credit: golftripz
Image for illustration purposes only
It’s a fact that Thailand has been one of the world’s top-ranked tourist destinations. According to the statistics, however, Thailand’s visitor numbers have dropped by a drastically high 76.41% during the first quarter of 2020 compared to 2019, which affected tourism-based businesses nationwide. The drop in numbers is largely due to Covid-19.
Mr. Ratchakitprakarn hopes that the golfing quarantine program will incentivise tourists to visit Thailand, which will subsequently reboot the economy. The minister also passed a special long-stay visa last year, which attracted around 1,000 visitors.
Medical certificate required
The minister ensured that preventing the spread of Covid-19 is the number one priority. Hence, tourists provide all the necessary medical certificates when applying for the program. Once all documents have been approved, tourists can be safely tucked away to their dream quarantine staycation.
Exclusive to tourists
According to the Bangkok Post, the program is now waiting for the cabinet and health ministers’ approval. However, this program is exclusively for foreign travellers, which means no putting for Thai golfers. So, don’t pack your golf bags just yet.
Read more on Thai tourism here:
- World’s Digital Nomads Ranked Chiang Mai As 5th Best City For Remote Work
- Things To Do In Pai and Chiang Mai – Hot Air Balloon, Cave Exploring & Strawberry Farm
- All Shopping Centres In Thailand To Close By 9PM To Curb Covid-19 Infection
- FDA Confirms Canned Fish Is Safe From Covid-19, No Need To Panic While Eating Yum Pla Kapong
- Thai Covid-19 Vaccination Program To Start Next Month, Govt Aims For Herd Immunity By June 2021
Featured image adapted from: golftripz
Image for illustration purposes only
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