Officials brainstorm ideas to revive Phuket tourism

Government officials and business representatives on the resort island of Phuket have been busy brainstorming various proposals to revive tourism, with many calling for quarantine requirements to be waived for vaccinated foreigners. The Bangkok Post reports that Bhummikitti Raktaengam from the Phuket Tourism Association says foreign tourists who can prove they’ve been vaccinated against Covid-19 should be allowed to enter without having to undergo mandatory quarantine. He adds that vaccinating 70% of Phuket’s population should also help the island achieve herd immunity.

Bhummikitti has also suggested launching a roadshow to promote Phuket in other parts of the country, including in Bangkok, in the north-eastern province of Udon Thani, and in southern provinces such as Songkhla, Pattani, Yala, Narathiwat, Udon Thani.

Meanwhile, Thanusak Phungdet from the Phuket Chamber of Commerce thinks local restaurants could entice visitors to the island by coming up with some tantalising new dishes, while Chernporn Karnjanasaya from the Federation of Phuket Industries says more halal food should be on offer, to lure Muslim tourists from the south of the country.

Thanusak has called for public transport fares to be kept reasonable and is also suggesting that the private sector and local administration help accommodation providers on the island to offer rooms and other services at the same price.

At the meeting, Deputy Phuket governor, Pichet Panapong, acknowledged all suggestions, saying the implementation of any would have to be done effectively, including the lifting of quarantine.

“Phuket has already allowed people from other provinces in without quarantine to keep the local economy afloat, except Samut Sakhon.”

SOURCE: Bangkok Post