tourism
- Tourism News
Japan tour packages more expensive due to Covid restrictions
The Japan National Tourism Organisation announced entry rules for tour companies allowed to enter Japan with their groups on June 10 for the first time since the pandemic in 2020. With immigration restrictions and requirements, Covid-19 screenings, and increasing operating costs, it’s predicted the prices will be 30 to 40% higher than packages offered before the outbreak, according to the…
- Tourism News
Half a million Indian tourists to enter Thailand in 2022
Thailand hopes to welcome around 500,000 travellers from India by the end of 2022 after latest statistics revealed over 100,000 Indian tourists have entered the country since January. And it’s great news for the Thai economy as holiday makers from India have the potential to bring in over 22 billion baht in revenue. The Tourism Authority of Thailand is trying…
- Tourism News
Thai government expects 1 million tourists per month by the end of the year
The Thai government has refuted the opposition’s claim that it is ignoring the plight of the country’s tourism sector. According to a Nation Thailand report, spokesman Thanakorn Wangboonkongchana says the government’s decision to cancel Test & Go has revived the tourism industry, with around 20,000 foreign arrivals now entering the kingdom each day. Thanakorn adds that if this trend continues,…
- Pattaya News
Pattaya tourist says security guards beat him “bloody” near Walking Street
A Pattaya tourist says security guards beat him bloody over a near collision when he was driving near the city’s famous Walking Street in the early hours of this morning. The tourist, an unnamed 31 year old Indian national, said he almost collided with a group of security guards who were standing in front of a venue on Soi 16.…
- Tourism News
Tourism officials ramp up marketing campaigns to target short-haul markets
Tourism officials are looking to short-haul markets to attract holidaymakers during the off-peak season, with a number of marketing events planned. Thanet Phetsuwan from the Tourism Authority of Thailand says places like India, Australia, Singapore, and Malaysia are the target markets. “This strategic push for short-haul markets aims to create a quick win, attracting both repeat and first-time visitors all…
- Pattaya News
Mayor says more changes to come at Pattaya’s Jomtien beach
The Na Jomtien municipality mayor says authorities are planning several more fixes to Jomtien Beach in the south of Pattaya. The mayor, Rapeepan Rattanakluang, inspected a footpath at the beach following a request by tourists and locals. Rapeepan said authorities plan to revamp the deteriorated footpath, as well as the road surfacing. She added that there are spots where street…
- Phuket News
Things looking up in Phuket following return of international tourism
Provincial officials on the southern island of Phuket say the return of tourists has raised income levels and created more jobs. According to a Bangkok Post report, the return of international tourists has started to revive the island’s economy and reduced unemployment across Phuket. Data shared by Phuket governor, Narong Wunciew, reveals that since the launch of the Phuket sandbox…
- Pattaya News
Pattaya officials say Walking Street should be repaired by August
After Pattaya’s famous Walking Street welcomed back visitors last month for the first time since Covid-19 broke out, the city’s officials have put in a big budget to give the street a ‘makeover‘. Pattaya city officials announced yesterday that the city has now spent 13 million baht on road repairs for the street, and these repairs are expected to be…
- World News
Malaysia targets tourists from Thailand
Now that Malaysia’s borders are open to fully vaccinated travellers, the country intends to develop its tourism industry by targeting Thai tourists in particular. At an event entitled “Tourism Malaysia Hybrid Seminar” held in Bangkok last Thursday, Thai and Malaysian officials exchanged ideas about how to promote and facilitate Thai travel to Malaysia. The “Tourism Malaysia Hybrid Seminar” held at…
- Tourism News
Thailand tourism authorities expect 1 million arrivals per month starting June
Thailand’s tourism authorities say their goal for the number of foreign arrivals in Thailand is expected to happen earlier than they predicted it would. The Tourism Authority of Thailand previously said it expected 1 million tourists per month to arrive in Thailand between October and December, leading up to the high season. But now, the TAT says Thailand should reach…
- Phuket News
Phuket Food Festival 2022 will feature hemp recipies
As Phuket hosts Thailand’s biggest light festival, Aqua Lumina, another event on the island province is on the way next week. Phuket’s Food Festival 2022 will start on May 28 (Saturday) and run until June 5. It will be held at Saphan Hin Centre Stage area, on the east side of Phuket Town, from 4pm – 11pm every night. This…
- Phuket News
Thailand’s biggest light festival kicks off on Phuket shores
Thailand’s biggest light festival arrived on the shores of Phuket’s Nai Harn Beach yesterday. Officials from the Tourism Authority of Thailand welcomed partiers to the Aqua Lumina Illumination Festival with, as you’d expect, lots of colourful lights. The Phuket edition of the festival is set to last until May 31. Aqua Lumina’s theme in Phuket is “Land of the Guardians…
- Phuket News
In Phuket, Indians are the top tourist group since Test & Go scrapped
Now that Thailand Pass has dropped its much hated ‘Test & Go’ scheme, Indian tourists are the biggest tourist group on the island province, according to Phuket International Airport Immigration. Between May 1-18, 12,200 Indians have travelled to Phuket. The other countries on a list of 10 with the most tourists in Phuket, in order, are Australia, Singapore, UK, Russia,…
- Thailand News
No reason given for permanent closure of popular Saphan Pla Hua Hin Walking Street
Saphan Pla Walking Street, in Hua Hin district of the southern province Prachuab Khiri Khan, has closed permanently. The announcement of the closure appeared on the walking street’s official Facebook page on Wednesday, May 18. The page announced, “Saphan Pla Hua Hin Walking Street closes permanently for some reason. Sorry to everyone who is interested to visit and contact us…
- Thailand News
Thailand sets sights on “wealthy foreign tourists” to recover economy
The Tourism Authority of Thailand, or TAT, is again going to target “wealthy group of tourists” as it works out its marketing plan as it contributes to the recovery the Thai economy following a 2 year hiatus due to closed borders and restrictions. The TAT claims that, focussing on the “rich groups”, 1.93 trillion baht will be generated in 2024…
- Covid-19 News
Thailand target reopening of bars on June 1
The Thai PM Prayut Chan-o-cha today sits down with a virus task force that includes the Center for Covid-19 Situation Administration, and Ministry of Public Health to consider the reopening of pubs, bars and restaurants in Thailand’s green zones. A Ministry of Public Health source revealed that as the pandemic situation is getting better, health officials were contemplating introducing green…
- Crime News
As travel opens, Phuket officials gather to fight drug problem
Now that Thailand’s travel restrictions are easing, Phuket officials are on guard for an expected increase in demands for illegal drugs. This morning, a group of officials held a meeting at Phuket City Hall to discuss drug issues in the island province. The meeting was led by a director from the Region 8 Drug Enforcement Administration. Officials from other government…
- Things To Do
Thai PM looks for Field of Dreams reaction on the back of new medical tourism hub
“If you build it, they will come,” so said Kevin Costner’s character in the 1989 movie Field of Dreams. And the Thai PM, Prayuth Chan-o-cha, plans to take a leaf out of the Field of Dreams’ story book and do something similar by building and promoting a medical tourism hub to attract more foreign visitors to the country post-pandemic. Thailand…
- Phuket News
Thailand’s biggest light festival is headed to Phuket
After it began last week in Krabi, Thailand’s biggest light festival, known as the Aqua Lumina Illumination Festival, is headed towards Phuket. The festival will dazzle the shores of Nai Harn Beach from this coming Friday until May 31. The festival in Phuket will display lit up sculptures and multimedia shows, as well as projection mapping with 3D images with…
- Tourism News
Thai officials visit Saudi Arabia for roadshow, push for more tourists
As part of a push to draw more Middle Eastern tourists to Thailand, tourism officials visited Saudi Arabia on May 15-16 in a roadshow. There, the Tourism Authority of Thailand signed a memorandum of cooperation with Almosafer, the biggest OTA in Saudi Arabia and Kuwait. The TAT also signed an MoC with Saudia, Saudi Arabia’s flag carrier, to promote a…
- Tourism News
Government says relaxed travel restrictions have led to tourism surge on Phuket, Samui
The Thai government is patting itself on the back for the decision to ease entry restrictions, which officials say has boosted tourism in places like Phuket and Koh Samui. “All this is due to the government’s move to ease travel restrictions during the country’s high season between March and May.” So says government spokesman, Thanakorn Wangboonkongchana, pointing out that up…
- Tourism News
Tourism officials aiming for 80 million domestic trips in first half of 2022
With Covid infections going down, the hopes of tourism officials are going up, according to a Bangkok Post report. Thapanee Kiatphaibool from the Tourism Authority of Thailand is feeling optimistic about domestic travel this year. She says the TAT expects around 80 million domestic trips to be undertaken in the first half of 2022. “The TAT aims to tally 40…
- Tourism News
TripAdvisor’s 2022 Best of the Best Awards includes 2 Thai hotels
Online travel company, TripAdvisor, has released its list of the 25 best hotels in the world for 2022 and it includes 2 Thai properties. The “Traveller’s Choice 2022 – Best of the Best Awards” ranks the Pimalai Resort and Spa, on Koh Lanta, in Krabi province, at number 12 and Sukhumvit Park – Marriott Executive Apartments in Bangkok at number…
- Phuket News
Phuket tourism hopes for cash flow from the long weekend
The Tourism Authority of Thailand, Phuket office, is hoping for cash to flow over this 4 day weekend (Friday was a public service holiday for Ploughing Day and tomorrow is the substitute holiday for today’s Visaka Bucha Day). TAT Phuket’s director, Nanthasiri Ronnasiri, said yesterday that the average hotel room occupancy rate is 44.5%, and it’s expected to jump to…
- World News
Singaporeans rush to get passports as travel restrictions ease
After being trapped on their tiny island nation for the past 2 years since the Covid-19 pandemic broke out, hordes of Singaporeans are rushing to get passports now that travel restrictions have eased, a lot. The country finally removed pre-departure testing requirements for fully vaccinated visitors from all countries last month. Local media reports long queues of people waiting for…
- South Thailand News
Another Full Moon Party in southern Thailand coming up this LONG weekend
Mark your calendars for another Full Moon Party in Thailand’s south, coming up this Monday, May 16. The Full Moon Party has historically been held on Koh Pha Ngan in Surat Thani on the night of, before, or after every full moon, although it was cancelled for 2 years during the Covid-19 pandemic. Now, the party is coming up on…
- World News
South Korea to add 230 international flights to meet demand
As South Korea’s Covid-19 situation improves and several restrictions have been eased, the country also plans to add 230 international flights next month, to meet a jump in travel demands. South Korea has been known as a Covid hotspot earlier this year after being one of the World Health Organisation’s ‘postcard’ countries for controlling the virus in mid 2020. But…
- Krabi News
Islands in Krabi to temporarily close for restoration
Following last week’s announcement that Krabi’s Maya Bay will close from August to September, other national park tourist attractions in the province also plan to temporarily close for restoration. The Mu Ko Lanta National Park has announced in a legal notice that several islands under its control will close from May 16 to October 14. The islands to close are…
- Pattaya News
Pattaya police announce ‘specialised’ patrol after several gold theft incidents
In the wake of a string of gold theft incidents in Pattaya in the past month, a Pattaya police chief has announced that a ‘specialised’ police patrol force will be formed to monitor any inappropriate incidents in tourist areas, or crimes against tourists. This news comes after four separate occasions in Pattaya where Indian tourists reported thieves snatching their expensive…
- World News
Myanmar junta to reopen borders to tourists, but travel still isn’t advised
Myanmar’s junta has announced that after two years of closed borders, the country will soon allow tourists to apply for visas to travel into Myanmar. But with military coup related violence still rife in Myanmar, governments worldwide still advise against all but essential travel to the country. Activists are urging foreigners not to travel to Myanmar in light of the…
