“Visit Thailand Year 2022” tourism campaign launching

“Visit Thailand Year 2022” has been approved by the Cabinet as a new tourism campaign as the CCSA creates a special panel to address tourism industry problems due to Covid-19. The campaign is following PM Prayut Chan-o-cha’s goal of bringing back the ailing industry according to Minister of Tourism and Sports Pipat Ratchakitprakan who proposed the programme for the cabinet’s approval on Tuesday.

With the cooperation of the Tourism Authority of Thailand, the scheme will launch with the goal of steadily increasing the hotel occupancy rate to 50% in each targeted area. The campaign interestingly will focus on just 4 destinations, only 2 of which are among the top tourist locations in Thailand.

“The Tourism Authority of Thailand will oversee the campaign to draw foreign visitors to travel in Thailand using a budget drawn from both the government and private sector. The campaign will focus on Chiang Mai, Phuket, Nakhon Ratchasima and Ayutthaya.”

This new tourism promotion will focus its efforts on a certain regional demographic, targeting travellers from India and the Middle East and encouraging them to make their travel plans to Thailand now for next year.

Meanwhile, the CCSA also created a new government group similar to itself in name and focus – the Centre for Tourism and Sports Situation Administration. The group will be working with the goal of addressing problems and hurdles created by the Covid-19 pandemic and facing travellers now. It will be chaired by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Tourism and Sports.

The new CTSSA, which was approved for creation on November 12, will help tourists navigate the Covid-19 safety and health procedures for travelling to any and all provinces in Thailand. The requirements can vary from province to province, as the colour-coded zone designation may change, creating confusion and complication for interprovincial travel.

For example, a passenger is required to show a vaccine passport when landing at Suvarnabhumi Airport in Bangkok before continuing on to a destination in the Blue Zone designation for key tourist provinces, where they will once again be required to present the same proof of vaccination a second time.

The Tourism Authority of Thailand Governor Yuthasak Supasorn said that he believes with all the Covid-19 safety regulations in place, and with the help of this new organisation to help keep travelling smooth, tourism in Thailand can rebound at least partially to meet the goal of hitting 50% of the pre-pandemic revenue totals by the end of 2022.

SOURCE: Bangkok Post