Thailand drops lengthy quarantine restrictions for vaccinated travelers

Bangkok (CNN) — Thailand has relaxed its quarantine restrictions and is reopening to vaccinated travelers arriving from a number of dozen international locations and territories, offering a much-needed enhance for the nation's embattled tourism business.

International guests comply with a well being official contained in the arrival terminal at Suvarnabhumi International Airport on November 1, 2021.

Lillian Suwanrumpha/AFP/Getty Images

Prior to the pandemic, tourism contributed round 15% of Thailand's GDP, in accordance with World Bank figures.

The November 1 reopening comes on the eve of Thailand's conventional tourism excessive season. In an announcement issued in mid-October, Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha mentioned the transfer was wanted to permit Thailand to benefit from travelers hoping to go to throughout upcoming winter holidays.

"We must act quickly but still cautiously and not miss the opportunity to entice some of the year-end and New Year holiday season travelers ... to support the many millions of people who earn a living from our tourism," he mentioned.

'Light on the finish of the tunnel'

Early within the pandemic, Thailand reported few regionally transmitted Covid-19 circumstances because of strict quarantine on arrival guidelines.

However, the nation was hit by its third and worst wave of infections, which emerged from clusters in a number of Bangkok nightclubs, in early April.

At the second, circumstances are dropping following a lengthy lockdown interval, and the nation is reporting practically 9,000 new Covid-19 circumstances per day on common.

Marisa Sukosol Nunbhakdi, president of the Thai Hotels Association, tells CNN Travel the November 1 easing of entry restrictions is a vital milestone within the restoration course of.

"Finally, hoteliers see the light at the end of the tunnel and are eager and excited for the opening," she says.

"Timing also coincides with the return of domestic travel recovery. Our government now has a plan and we can start our marketing strategies to win back guests. More importantly, there is now hope, not just for owners and operators, but for the employees as well."

Marisa notes that "50% of hotels were closed and 50% of employees left the industry," because the begin of the pandemic.

"Of the 860,000 hotel workers before Covid-19, only around 400,000 are left in the industry now," she says.

"In prepping for November 1 opening, some hotels are rehiring again, but very few; most are waiting for higher demand starting January 2023. The government's predicting 300,000 incoming travelers per month, in November and December."

International guests await directions from well being officers contained in the arrival terminal at Suvarnabhumi International Airport.

Lillian Suwanrumpha/AFP/Getty Images

Marisa provides that restoration will even be depending on the quarantine insurance policies of the supply markets.

"Most countries in Asia still require quarantine for travelers, so initially target travelers will be from US/Europe/Scandinavia, who travel annually to Thailand for the high season," says Marisa, including that 60-70% of travelers to Thailand are repeat guests.

"There is definitely pent-up demand after such a long-term inability to travel."

The November 1 reopening comes on the heels of a number of packages launched to assist the nation's tourism business whereas cautiously easing entry restrictions.

Now, as Thailand eases entry restrictions additional, officers in different well-liked tourism locations in Asia are watching intently as they {shape} their very own reopening plans.

"[Thailand's reopening] is an important step as it is one of many case studies for learnings for all destinations within the Southeast Asia region, particularly since the region is a highly interdependent ecosystem," says Liz Ortiguera, CEO of the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA).

"Recovery will be uneven across the region particularly since the situation is constantly evolving, and factors such as new variants, vaccine equity and rollout, and border policies will play an important part in the recovery of travel over the next 12-14 months.

"With the deployment of vaccines and a focus to well being and security protocols, locations throughout the area have been extremely centered on these foundational parts to restoration. They are creating secure zones -- secure for the incoming travelers, the tourist-facing workers and the area people."

Top picture: A girl walks by the arrival gates at Suvarnabhumi International Airport on November 1, 2021. Credit: Lillian Suwanrumpha/AFP/Getty Images