“Thailand Tourism with SHA” festival set for December 17 to 19

“Thailand Tourism with SHA” – the blandly titled event the Tourism Authority of Thailand and Pattaya City created jointly – is set to run on Pattaya Beach from December 17 to 19. The event is scheduled to include dozens of vendors and attractions in hopes of encouraging tourists to visit Pattaya, a quest that will likely be aided by the recent decision to finally allow alcohol in restaurants in the city after months of petitioning and protesting.

SHA is the certification that businesses must apply and be approved for proving they meet the standards the government laid out to prevent Covid-19 from spreading. An additional SHA+ rating is designated for those businesses that meet even more stringent requirements including all staff being vaccinated. The festival is designed to build confidence in tourism safety as businesses adhere to these Covid-19 safety procedures.

The plan of the event is to boost tourism revenue and bring income to local business operators while showcasing the hygienic safety enforced by the program whose full title is “Amazing Thailand Safety and Health Administration”. Officials say they hope to raise awareness of the SHA program, though most arriving travellers to Thailand are required to book at least one night in an SHA+ certified hotel, so international travellers would be aware of the program before coming to the country.

Nevertheless, the event is designed to educate people on the current state of Thai tourism and the SHA program, with zones to advertise SHA products and popular tourist routes. The festival will also include traditional tourism staples like showcasing the world-famous cuisine of Thailand with local cooks and famous chefs, plus cultural demonstrations, concerts and local products.

The Deputy Director of the Pattaya Office of the TAT met this week with the Pattaya City Deputy Mayor to discuss plans for the 3-day event. The festival will follow all Covid-19 regulations for safety and be held on Pattaya Beach each afternoon from December 17 to December 19 from 4 pm to 9 pm.

SOURCE: The Pattaya News