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TAT wins China travel trade awards

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TTR WEEKLY
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BANGKOK, 11 February 2022: Tourism Authority of Thailand offices in China received multiple awards for proactive marketing and excellent industry support in 2021, including ‘best partner’ and ‘excellent partner’ honours.

Awards presented to the TAT offices in China were:

2021 The Best Partner” Award from OTA Fliggy;
2021 The Best Partner” Award from OTA Lvmama;
2021 Excellent Partner” Award from Tuniu;
Best Partner in 2021” Award from Juneyao Airlines;
Best Diversified Tourist Destination” Award from Traveling Scope Magazine;
Annual Influence Overseas Tourism Bureau” Award from Ydncn.com.

Despite the two-year outbound travel lockdown that still continues in 2022, TAT offices in Beijing, Chengdu, Guangzhou, Kunming, and Shanghai have been flying the flag actively promoting Thailand through continuous cooperation with the tourism sector in China.

This has included joint promotion activities with OTAs, public relations on the progress of Thailand’s reopening to international tourism, and creating online, print content and feature articles on Thailand and its myriad of attractions.

TAT Deputy Governor for International Marketing – Asia and South Pacific Tanes Petsuwan said: “Based on opinion polls that included travel agents selling Thailand as a destination and prominent consumer magazines’ choice of content, these awards show that Thailand continues to be a popular holiday choice capturing the hearts of tourists from throughout China.”

There are plans in the pipeline to negotiate a travel bubble or vaccinated travel lane with China, but as it stands now, there is very little clarity on a reopening date for outbound travel for both individuals and tour groups. Macau is the only territory that currently welcomes travellers from China. 

(Yours Stories: TAT)

Hotelbeds reports carbon neutral status

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TTR WEEKLY
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PALMA, Spain, 11 February 2022: Hotelbeds has just unveiled its latest annual Environmental, Social and Governance Report, which aims to make sure actions will speak louder than words, according to Hotelbeds CEO Nicolas Huss.

The 2021 publication covers a wide range of initiatives that Hotelbeds has carried out from 1 October 2020 to 30 September 2021.

Accomplishments
Achieving for the fourth year in a row carbon neutral status by reducing its CO2 emissions and working with Carbon Footprint Ltd, an independent body that accredits carbon management measurements of companies. Offsetting emissions that cannot be avoided. Part of the reduction in CO2 emissions is also due to Hotelbeds’ use of Google’s carbon-neutral data storage cloud.
Joining Amazon’s Climate Pledge in their commitment to urge global industries to tackle climate change and to reduce carbon emissions to zero by 2040, a decade ahead of the Paris Agreement’s goal of 2050.
Continuing to add hotels to its Green Hotels Programme. Now more than 20,000 hotels are part of the programme, which launched in late 2020, designed to identify, highlight and promote sustainable accommodation across its portfolio.

In addition to the various sustainability measures that have been put in place, the company is fully committed to the more human side of its business. One of the most important elements of its people strategy is to have a diverse and inclusive workforce, and Hotelbeds is now made up of 88 different nationalities and has strong female representation at all levels of the company, with 50% of the executive committee and 57% of its global workforce being women.

“We are committed, of course, to sustainability matters, but we also have strongly in mind the protection of human rights, the promotion of diversity & inclusion, the importance of being a responsible partner and employer. In addition, combating worker exploitation where we see it, and the prevention of child sexual exploitation – all of these are, I think, crucial for any company that operates on a global footprint,” added Huss.

UK airline bookings soar

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TTR WEEKLY
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SINGAPORE, 11 February 2022: Flight bookings to and from the UK have soared following recent announcements that have eased rules on Covid-19 testing, according to new research from ForwardKeys.

Since the easing of testing and self-isolation rules, the combined inbound and outbound flight bookings jumped to 84% of pre-pandemic (2019) levels, outbound to 106% and inbound to 47%.

This news followed a series of relaxations in rules affecting travel to the UK, each triggering bookings spikes.

UK Outbound Tourism

Benchmarked against pre-pandemic levels, the five destinations for which bookings recovered most strongly in January were: 1. Mexico, 72% up on 2019; 2. The Maldives, 54% up; 3. Greece, 22% up; 4. Cyprus, 20% up; 5. Barbados, 16% up.

The typical seasonality patterns have returned and are evident in the recent recovery, with peaks showing for the forthcoming half-term break in February and the Easter holiday period when looking at flight tickets confirmed in January.

In relative terms, the demand for travelling abroad during the extended holiday weekend to celebrate Queen Elizabeth’s Platinum Jubilee in early June is already 13% ahead of 2019.

The destinations which are doing best for the upcoming half-term break are now all ahead of where they were at the end of January 2019.

In the lead is Mexico, 68% ahead; it is followed by Pakistan, 60% ahead; The Maldives, 55% ahead; Barbados, 32% ahead; Qatar, 28% ahead; Bangladesh, 16% ahead; the UAE, 8% ahead and Portugal, 2% ahead.

“The list is dominated by long haul destinations, which offer beach holidays or have a relatively strong market for Visiting Friends and Relatives (VFR), such as Pakistan.”

Bookings for Easter and summer holidays are relatively stronger than they are for the upcoming half-term break.

Benchmarked against the end of January 2019, half term bookings are 33% behind, whereas Easter bookings are 29% behind and summer is 16% behind.

Compared to this time last year, when the UK was in a state of limited lockdown, bookings are, unsurprisingly, much healthier, 59% ahead for Easter and 82% ahead for summer.

Currently, the top destinations for Easter are led by Cyprus, for which bookings are 68% ahead of 2019 levels. It is followed by Nigeria, 35% ahead, Mexico, 28% ahead, Greece, 26% ahead and Spain 5% ahead.

UK Inbound Tourism

The recent surge in outbound bookings has been closely followed by a modest revival in inbound demand.

As of 31 January, the strongest origin markets (measured by flight tickets issued) were led by Nigeria at 73% of pre-pandemic (2019) levels. It was followed by Ireland, 47%; 3. The US, 47%; 4. Brazil, 47%; 5. Saudi Arabia, 45%; 6. the UAE, 44%; 7. South Africa, 40%; 8. Spain, 40%; 9. Kuwait, 37% and 10. Sweden, 36%.

ForwardKeys vice president Insights Olivier Ponti said: “Chocks away!”, a term used by WW2 pilots to remove the blocks in front of their undercarriage so they could take off, is the ideal metaphor to describe what’s happening right now in the market for travel to and from the UK. By withdrawing the impediment of testing and the risk of quarantine for fully vaccinated travellers, flight bookings are surging ahead.”

“What I find particularly interesting is the continued dominance of classic sea and sun destinations. A clear sign that the pandemic is still very much with us is the absence of a revival in city tourism or travel to airports strongly associated with skiing. However, if we see Continental European countries relaxing their travel restrictions in the way the UK has just done, I expect to see a flood of holiday bookings that could exceed pre-pandemic levels, thanks to a release of the huge pent-up demand.”

The Philippines sets travel show dates

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TTR WEEKLY
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MANILA, 11 February 2022: The Philippine Tour Operators Association has confirmed the 33rd edition of the Philippine Travel Mart will be hosted from 26 September to 2 October 2022.

The 2021 edition was hosted for three days in late November 2021 at the SMX Convention Center in Pasay City. The PHILTOA president Fe Abling-Yu told the Philippines News Agency the annual travel show should surpass last year’s 200 exhibitors.

The announcement on this year’s show dates coincided with the country’s reopening of borders on 10 February.

“By September, I’m hoping we will be back to normal. You see, this is a one-stop-shop where we invite all regional offices,” she told reporters on the sidelines of the PHILTOA general meeting in Makati City.

The show is renowned for its holiday bargains presented by tourism offices around the region and supported by hotel and airline discounts.

This year, PHILTOA hopes to bring in national tourism organisations from the Philippines’ top source markets like Malaysia, Japan, and South Korea. The move will encourage two-way tourism flows between Asian nations.

“If we can bring in Korea, Japan, and other countries, that will bring in a bigger audience,” Abling-Yu said.

As of yesterday, 10  February, the Philippines opened the door to international tourists from 157 visa-free countries as long as they are fully vaccinated. The conditions of entry are some of the easiest of all Southeast Asian nations.

They are allowed to stay for up to 30-days and are no longer required to observe facility-based quarantine but must self-monitor for Covid-19 symptoms during the first seven days. However, they are required to report to the hotel which would, in turn, inform the local health authorities should they manifest any Covid-19 symptoms during their stay.

Fully vaccinated foreign visitors eligible for the visa-free stat do not require any booking at an accredited hotel, but they must show evidence of travel insurance covering Covid-19 valued at USD35,000.

For more information, visit https://visitor.tourism.gov.ph/

Domestic tourism continues to be a priority in the country to ensure destinations can recover. The Department of Tourism is developing domestic tourism circuits and has allocated about PHP91 million for product development efforts.

Promotions will present the country’s diversity and the variety of themed holiday options such as dive tourism, food and gastronomy, nature-based travel, wellness, pilgrimage, and culture tourism.

(Source: Philippine News Agency)

SAS flies nonstop to Toronto

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TTR WEEKLY
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STOCKHOLM, 10 February 2022: Scandinavian will expand its services in North America by launching a new direct route to Toronto from Stockholm in June 2022, Swedavia Airports reports.

The airline will offer four weekly flights from Sweden with a brand-new Airbus 321LR aircraft operating out of its base at Stockholm Arlanda Airport to Canada’s largest city, Toronto.

The new service to Toronto will improve connectivity to North America, one of Sweden’s largest trading partners, and there’s a large exchange business and leisure traffic with Canada.

There are strong connections between Sweden and Canada. More than 200 Swedish companies have offices in Canada, where the majority are in Toronto.

The majority of the passengers between Stockholm and Toronto travel for leisure purposes, of which half visit relatives and friends, while the rest travel for business purposes. Nearly half of the travellers are Swedes, and the others mainly Canadians.

The Stockholm-Toronto route will operate on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays and Toronto-Stockholm on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays.

The A321LR is part of SAS’s ongoing renewal of the aircraft fleet and will reduce climate-impacting emissions compared to previous generations of similar aircraft.

Toronto will be the fifth destination in North America with nonstop service from Stockholm Arlanda. SAS already flies to Miami (MIA), New York (EWR) and Chicago (ORD).

Finnair flies directly to Miami (MIA), New York (JFK) and Los Angeles (LAX). Ahead of the summer season, Delta Airlines will resume its route to New York (JFK) and United Airlines to New York (EWR).

(Source: Swedavia Airports)

Asia Pacific countries ease entry rules

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TTR WEEKLY
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SINGAPORE, 10 February 2022: Countries in the Asia Pacific are increasingly taking firmer steps to reopen travel and tourism as they relax border controls and social restrictions despite the rise in Covid-19 cases due to the Omicron variant.

Malaysia: On 8 February, Malaysia’s government advisory council agreed to reopen the nation’s borders to international visitors as early as 1 March without requiring travellers to undergo compulsory quarantine. Travellers who enter Malaysia need to conduct a Covid-19 test before departure and upon arrival. Malaysia has already opened to international travellers through the Langkawi International Travel Bubble.

Australia will reopen its international borders to welcome fully vaccinated tourists on 21 February, almost two years after introducing strict lockdowns. Travellers must be double vaccinated to enter Australia.

Singapore has reinstated the Vaccinated Travel Lane (VTL) scheme since 21 January, allowing fully vaccinated visitors from 24 countries to enter the country after a PCR test upon arrival. Singapore now only requires international vaccinated travellers on the VTLs to do self-administered antigen rapid tests only if they need to leave home from Days 2 to 7 of their arrival.

Its Transport Minister recently said, “Ultimately, we want to work towards quarantine-free travel for all vaccinated travellers.”

Singapore also announced that it would be hosting the Formula 1 Grand Prix for the next seven years starting from this year. The USD3.3 billion expansion of Marina Bay Sands will be completed in 2026, which will feature amongst new facilities a performance arena, a fourth tower featuring about 1,000 hotel rooms, a sky roof with a swimming pool.

Vietnam has launched the second phase of its reopening programme by approving international flights between Vietnam and nine destinations, including San Francisco or Los Angeles, Singapore, Bangkok, Phnom Penh, Vientiane, Beijing or Guangzhou, Tokyo, Seoul, and Taipei.

A full reopening is expected sometime in June or July 2022, although it may be as early as 31 March. Passengers are no longer required to take Covid tests for domestic flights.

The Philippines will launch quarantine-free travel from 10 February. Travellers will be required to show proof of a negative Covid-19 PCR test taken within 48 hours of their departure and self-monitor for symptoms for seven days after arrival.

Thailand reinstated its Test & Go scheme from 1 February but with stricter rules. Under this revised programme, vaccinated travellers from any country can enter the country, but they will have to undergo two PCR tests (rather than one) upon arrival and again on day five. It requires them to buy two overnight stays at a participating hotel to obtain the Thailand Pass online approval. The second hotel overnight stay and the accompanying PCR test can be booked at a different hotel and destination to the first.

Cambodia has reopened fully to international vaccinated travellers without quarantine requirements since November. Vaccinated travellers need only have a negative PCR test 72 hours prior to departure to Cambodia, a negative RTK test upon arrival and health insurance covering USD50,000.

Indonesia has temporarily banned foreign tourists entering the country through Jakarta’s airport in a bid to slow the Omicron variant. Bali welcomed the first international flight in nearly two years, carrying foreign visitors in early February. However, vaccinated travellers to the island must still quarantine between five and seven days at hotels. A travel bubble between Singapore and the resort islands of Batam and Bintan in Indonesia will be created, providing visitors with a quarantine-free stay.

Due to the Omicron variant, Japan has extended the ban that bars foreign visitors from entering until the end of February. Meanwhile, the country has reduced its on-arrival quarantine period twice in two weeks – from 14 days to 10 days and now to seven days.

New Zealand will begin reopening to the world in stages starting 27 February. A five-phase plan will allow fully vaccinated travellers into the country from 13 March, although they will still have to self-isolate for 10 days but can do so at home. By July, fully-vaccinated visitors from Australia or visa waiver countries – including the UK, the US, and many European nations – will be able to enter New Zealand and self-isolate on arrival.

Airasia backs easing of travel restrictions

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TTR WEEKLY
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MANILA, 10 February 2022: Travel and lifestyle brand AirAsia is advocating for more relaxed travel restrictions to spur regional and cross-country mobility.

In a statement released earlier this week, the low-cost airline said it was confident that eased border restrictions would stimulate the necessary economic activity to prompt the recovery of domestic and international tourism – the worst-hit sector during the pandemic.

AirAsia believes that two years into the pandemic, countries have vastly improved their pandemic responses and risk mitigation strategies. With the accelerated vaccination rates of nations across the world and the proven effectiveness of standard safety and health protocols such as proper masking and social distancing, triggering better tourism performance is highly plausible this year.

Through his LinkedIn account, Capital A Berhad CEO Tony Fernandes said, “Over the past two years, we have learned to deal with COVID-19 with masks, social distancing and vaccines. But a key lesson that hasn’t sunk is the futility of long-term travel restrictions.”

According to Fernandes, a better and more sustainable approach would be to promote cost-effective policies such as the massive and speedy inoculation of the greater population. He added, “We should not ban things just to be seen as decisive. Measures should always aim to be proportionate and minimally disruptive.”

AirAsia lauds and supports the Philippine government’s plan to speed up the vaccination of its population, with the third stretch of the nationwide vaccination programme and the inoculation of minors from the 5 to 11 age bracket starting 10 February. To date, 59.81 million Filipinos are fully vaccinated against Covid-19, while 60.65 million got their first dose of the vaccine and over eight million have received their boosters. The Philippines targets to inoculate 90 million individuals by the first half of 2022.

The travel and lifestyle brand also welcomes the national government’s decision to open its international border with more relaxed travel and quarantine protocols for fully vaccinated returning Filipinos and foreign travellers. This also coincides with the increase in NAIA’s arrival cap to 5,000.

“We commend the Philippines’ sustainable approach toward travel. We can only hope that more countries in the ASEAN follow suit in strategically considering the upsides of relaxed border restrictions to their economic recovery. We at AirAsia will continue to support such measures while also consistently being a champion of safe travel,” added Fernandes.

AirAsia Philippines, meanwhile, announced that nine of its domestic destinations – Cebu, Clark, Cagayan de Oro, General Santos City, Davao, Tagbilaran, Kalibo, Caticlan, Tacloban – no longer require negative RT-PCR tests for fully vaccinated travellers, with the exemption to Puerto Princesa City which only requires a negative Antigen test for fully vaxxed guests. Unvaccinated Minors (17 and below) are also now being accepted in most leisure destinations subject to the guidelines set by the respective Local Government Units (LGUs).   

Cunard names new ship Queen Anne

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TTR WEEKLY
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SINGAPORE, 10 February 2022: Cunard has named its latest ship Queen Anne due to join its fleet in 2024.

Queen Anne will be Cunard’s 249th ship and joins three other ships named after British royalty – Queen Mary 2, Queen Victoria and Queen Elizabeth. It will mark the first time since 1999 that Cunard will have four ships at sea.

Queen Anne is the first new Cunard ship in 12 years. It will be built by Carnival Corporation’s long-time Italian shipbuilding partner Fincantieri S.p.A.

Queen Anne’s maiden season programme will go on sale in May, with the ship’s first sailings set for early 2024.

Cunard is a part of Carnival Corporation & plc, which also operates Carnival Cruise Line, Holland America Line, Princess Cruises, Seabourn, AIDA Cruises, Costa Cruises, P&O Cruises (Australia) and P&O Cruises (UK).

Mandarin Oriental heads for Greece

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TTR WEEKLY
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HONG KONG, 10 February 2022: Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group has announced that it will manage a new luxury hotel in Costa Navarino, scheduled to open in Spring 2023.

The Group’s first property in Greece, Mandarin Oriental, Costa Navarino, will be located on the southwest coast of the Peloponnese, one of the most unspoiled and breath-taking landscapes in the Mediterranean and a 45-minute drive from Kalamata International Airport.

The beachfront resort will be part of Costa Navarino, a well-established tourism destination. It will comprise 99 rooms, including 48 pool villas, all with outdoor terraces and sea views, along with five restaurants and bars.

The project is owned and developed by TEMES, a leading developer and operator of high-end tourism and real estate destinations in Greece.

Thailand Tourism Forum is back

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TTR WEEKLY
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BANGKOK, 10 February 2022: Thailand’s largest annual hotel industry event is back, with the Thailand Tourism Forum 2022 scheduled for 1 March after a two-year hiatus.

The return of the in-person event will see close to 500 hospitality executives discuss the theme “Thai Tourism United” that will grapple with the issues brought on by the crisis while exploring the opportunities, threats and disruptions that continue to create a volatile marketplace.

Billed as an event where Thailand’s tourism industry stands united, it presents an opportunity to meet industry leaders and peers, to explore and learn and be a part of our next step forward in 2022.

TTF 2022 re-emerges as a high energy ‘in person’ event and will not be broadcast live or have a hybrid component.                         

Date: Tuesday, 1 March 2022
Venue: Conrad Hotel Bangkok

Organiser C9 Hotelworks Hospitality Consulting Group in partnership with Hilton, STR, Horwath HTL, JLL Hotels & Hospitality Group, QUO, Delivering Asia Communications and the American Chamber of Commerce Thailand (AMCHAM)

Event Schedule
1500 onwards, Registration Open 
1600 to 1730 Thailand Tourism Forum 2022

‘What Tourism Can Learn from Die Hard’
Bill Barnett, Managing Director, C9 Hotelworks

‘Why Hotel Operators Must Change – A Conversation’
Clarence Tan, Senior Vice President Development, Hilton Hotels and Resorts
Charles Blocker, CEO, IC Partners Limited

‘Got Numbers, Now What?’
Jesper Palmqvist, Area Director – Asia Pacific, STR

‘Thailand’s Hotel Transactions – How to Make A Deal Work’
Chakkrit Chakrabandhu Na Ayudhya, EVP, JLL Hotels & Hospitality Group
Pitinut Pupatwibul Robbins, Senior Vice President, JLL Hotels & Hospitality Group

‘Going Local – How Can Travel Give Back’
Aliza Napartivaumnuay, CEO, Socialgiver

‘New Family Office – Next Generation of Hotel Owners Speak Out’
Nikhom Jensiriratanakorn, Director-Thailand, Horwath HTL
Bodintorn Juangroongruangkit, CEO, Real Asset Development
Natapree Pichaironarongsongkram, Managing Director, Supatra Real Estate

‘Hybrid Spaces – Jumping Out of the Box’
Catherine Monthienvichienchai, Brand Strategy Leader, QUO

‘Crypto for Hospitality’
Akalarp Yimwilai, CEO (Thailand) and Co-Founder, Zipmex
Viona Zhang, Assistant Vice President, C9 Hotelworks

‘Green Thailand – Lessons in Sustainable Tourism’
Jakkrapong Chinkrathok, CEO and Founder, Find Folk

‘Behind the Mask – A Totally New Travel Experience’
Wimintra Raj, Editor in Chief, Hotel Intel

Wrap-Up and Closing Remarks

Event Co-Hosts
Krongsak Bonn Paramacharoenroj, Country Manager, ONDA Thailand
Nantanittaya Sesaweech, Assistant Managing Director, Horizon Village & Resort

1730 to 2100      Networking Cocktails – with the compliments of Hilton Worldwide

Special Promotion Hotel Rates for TTF 2022 Delegates:  Conrad Hotel Bangkok: TTF 2022

For special ‘Test & Go’ reservations and promotions for TTF 2022 Delegates coming from abroad:  Please email the Conrad reservations team to [email protected] and make a request for room and PRC testing.

Post Event Videos

The organiser intends upon videotaping TTF 2022 for rebroadcast over social media and will be available shortly after the event; there will be no live broadcast. A link will be provided to you and to the broader public via email and social media. TTF 2022 speaker presentations will be on the Thailand Tourism Forum (www.thailandtourismforum.com) website.

Unique QR Code – Eventbrite Ticketing

TTF 2022 will again use Eventbrite for event registration, ticketing and access. Only registered and confirmed delegates having an official Eventbrite ticket will be granted entry to TTF 2022. Eventbrite tickets will have a unique user QR code which must be presented for scanning on your smartphone or in paper form upon entry. There will be no exceptions, no ticket, no entry. The Eventbrite ticket will help to ensure delegates safe access and mobility at the event. Note: To comply with SHA guidelines, seating at this year’s TTF is limited to just 480 persons this year.

Proof of Two (2) Vaccine Doses

Every registered delegate, speaker, support staff and hotel staff must present a certificate of COVID-19 vaccination approved by an authorised organisation in the country of origin. Given COVID-19 vaccines must be approved by WHO or Thai FDA. Approved vaccines include SinoVac, AstraZeneca/Oxford, Pfizer/BioNTech, Janssen Pharmaceutical, Moderna, Sinopharm, and or Sputnik V.

Important Event Logistics/Access

Delegates may enter TTF 2022 either by using the Conrad Hotel’s main entrance at the south side of the building or the ballroom entrance along Soi Rumrudee. The organiser would appreciate your using the ballroom entrance along Soi Rumrudee. Your unique TTF 2022 Eventbrite ticket will provide you important information and access to your pre-assigned pre-function area, designated seat in the event hall and the respective reception areas following TTF.

SHA Compliance

The venue for the Thailand Tourism Forum 2022 is the Conrad Hotel Bangkok which is an SHA Extra Plus certified and complaint hotel. Registrants to TTF 2022 are required to follow the Thailand Safety and Health Administration (SHA) guidelines which require appropriate social distancing at all times at the event as well as a temperature check upon entering event area at Conrad Hotel and the wearing of a face mask until settled in your designated area(s) among other SHA Extra Plus guidelines. Please review – https://web.thailandsha.com/index

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