BANGKOK, 20 June 2022: The last hurdles hindering Thailand’s tourism recovery will go 1 July after Thailand’s Centre of Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) confirmed it signed off on abolishing the remaining Covid-19 entry restrictions at the weekend.
CCSA rulings will still need to be published in the Royal Gazette before they become law, but that is expected soon.
Photo Credit: Bangkok Post.
According to the CCSA announcement, travellers heading for Thailand will no longer need to register on the Thailand Pass App starting 1 July. If they have been vaccinated against Covid-19, they can enter Thailand freely without needing health insurance. Up until now, the minimum insurance stood at USD10,000. That goes out of the window on 1 July along with the Thailand Pass requirement. The Thailand Pass and insurance requirement ended for Thai citizens on 1 June.
From 1 July 2022, foreign nationals are only required to show proof of either a certificate of vaccination or a negative RT-PCR or professional ATK test result within 72 hours of travel. Travellers can present evidence of the tests in print or digital format. Random checks will be made on arrivals at Thailand’s international airports or land border checkpoints.
Mask-wearing rules will also be eased, making them mandatory in just crowded indoor areas or for mass gatherings. They will not be required outdoors or in public places that are well ventilated. Clarification is still required on whether domestic airline passengers will still be required to wear masks during flights or whether commuters will be required to wear masks when boarding MRT and Skytrain services in Bangkok.
The CCSA also reassessed the Covid-19 risks in Bangkok and 76 provinces, designating them to the surveillance only or green zone, which allows normal businesses and activities nationwide, including the return to a 2400 closing hour rule for nightclubs and bars. The ban on serving alcoholic drinks from 1400 to 1700 daily, a pre-Covid-19 rule, will no longer apply to hotels serving tourists. However, provincial governors have the power to include restaurants outside of hotels in the new drinking hours if they believe it benefits the province’s economy.
SINGAPORE, 20 June 2022: Southeast Asia lags far behind the rest of the world in recovering from the Covid-19 pandemic according to the latest data from ForwardKeys that suggested visitors from the USA returned in greater numbers than from other origin markets.
In the first five months of the year (January to May), travel to Southeast Asia reached just 18% of pre-pandemic levels, whereas travel to Europe reached 55%, to the Americas 66% and the Middle East & Africa 64%.
Looking ahead to the summer months (June to August), flight bookings for Southeast Asia are at just 43% of pre-pandemic levels, whereas bookings for Europe are at 70%, for the Americas are at 78% and for the Middle East & Africa are at 85%
This summer’s analysis of long-haul flight bookings reveals that travel from the USA is set to reach 75% of where it was in 2019, before the COVID-19 outbreak. Australia is the next healthiest source market in which bookings are far behind, at 60% of 2019 levels. It is followed by the UK, at 47%, Germany, at 58%, and France, at 57%.
The most popular destinations for US visitors are the Philippines, Singapore, and Indonesia. Helpfully, as US tourists are known for high spending, average trip durations appear to be significantly longer than before the pandemic. This visitor profile is also more affluent, with 17% flying in the front of the plane, compared to 9% in the equivalent months in 2019.
The destinations which are recovering most strongly are the Philippines and Singapore. Summer flight bookings for the Philippines are currently at 70% of pre-pandemic levels, for Singapore, 58%, for Thailand, 35%, Indonesia at 41% and Vietnam, 32%. Travel to the Philippines is dominated by people returning to visit friends and relatives, whereas travel to other destinations is more for work and leisure.
Throughout the pandemic, airlines flying to Southeast Asia have provided enough seat capacity to accommodate passenger demand. However, in May 2022, the acceleration in demand started to outstrip capacity, which has been creating upward pressure on airfares.
Government-imposed travel restrictions provide the best explanation of the observed recovery trends, as the destinations that relaxed restrictions earlier, such as the Philippines and Singapore, have recovered more strongly.
Some of the most significant dates and changes to travel regulations include:
10 February Philippines – opens to vaccinated travellers without quarantine, but a pre-departure test is required
27 March India – opens to all travellers without quarantine
1 April Singapore – opens to vaccinated travellers without quarantine and tests
18 April Australia – opens to vaccinated passengers without quarantine, but a pre-departure test is required
1 May Malaysia – opens to vaccinated travellers without quarantine and tests
1 May Thailand – opens to vaccinated travellers without quarantine and tests, but pre-travel registration, with details of vaccination and insurance, is needed
15 May Vietnam – opens to all travellers with no Covid-related entry rules
18 May Cambodia – opens to vaccinated travellers without quarantine and tests
18 May Indonesia – opens to vaccinated travellers without quarantine and tests
8 June South Korea – opens to vaccinated travellers without quarantine, but a pre-departure test is required
10 June Japan – opens to tourists in tour groups from 98 countries
31 July New Zealand – will reopen two months earlier than originally planned
ForwardKeys VP Insights Olivier Ponti commented: “Travel during the pandemic has been a function of pent-up demand pushing in one direction and pandemic protection rules pushing back in the opposite direction. The recovery of air travel in Southeast Asia is lagging because travel restrictions there have been tougher. China, which used to be Southeast Asia’s largest source market, is still closed. Japan, another major travel market, is reopening very cautiously, and seat capacity, which is constrained, is leading to higher airfares, which in turn dampens demand.”
PHUKET, 20 June 2022: Tourism business and traveller behaviours are changing as the Covid-19 recovery phase takes hold.
The disruptions have widened the ‘capability’ gaps between small and big players favouring the wealthy operators. They had the resources to wait out the Covid-19 disaster. But It leaves local communities needing meaningful partnerships to rise up the agenda and reclaim the attention of Phuket’s visitors.
Baan Bang Thao – Cherng Talay Community in Phuket is one example of community-based tourism practices that manage sustainability within their community to create understanding and connections between visitors and local village culture.
Most Baan Bang Thao – Cherng Talay residents are Muslim, and their main activities are agriculture, farming, and fishing. The community has been established as a community enterprise for almost 10 years to promote local wisdom, agricultural and processed products made with raw materials from the village.
Today, the community is strongly committed to its original way of life and is ready to show visitors authentic experiences, culture, and agricultural diversity.
Baan Bang Thao Cherng Talay Community Based Tourism head Sonthaya Kongthip explains: “We welcome approximately 20 visitors a day, or sometimes up to 50 for field study groups. That’s the maximum capacity that we can serve. As a community enterprise, we manage different groups of activities that work collaboratively such as food, farms, and transport groups to improve the community’s life, based on the sustainability concept.”
He added: “Phuket is lucky that the government has given us a chance to open up our island destination to international visitors gradually. During the pandemic, we’ve never imagined that the whole island would be closed to visitors. However, it allows us to reflect on how sustainability is important to our community and which direction we should take in the new normal era.
“Government, business, and communities will need to work closely together toward the sustainability in tourism. Local authorities are the ones who provide guidelines and supervise, while hotels send visitors to us. We, as a community, are the one who designs experiences and allows visitors to learn about local identity and local way of life. Working with different parties, the community will need to understand what to offer visitors and adjust our standards to meet businesses’ requirements, for example, safety and hygiene standards in the new or next normal era.”
Baan Bang Thao – Cherng Talay Community offers choices of community-based tourism activities where visitors can experience villagers’ way of life and authentic cultural exchange. Simultaneously, they motivate and support villagers to keep their community strong and their homeland fertile.
Half-day Tour Sampler
In the late morning, local transport will pick up visitors from the village entrance near the Bukarom Mosque, one of the oldest and largest mosques on the island. After a short ride along a small alley surrounded by tiny houses, orchards, and rubber plantations, visitors will reach ‘Uncle’s Lab’ home, where visitors are welcomed by a local guide who will introduce the background of Baan Bang Thao – Cherng Talay Community.
Organically grown fruits, fresh from the orchards, such as Rambutans, Pineapples, and Durians or seasonal fruits and goat milk locally produced daily by the villagers, are introduced for visitors and tasting. Also, while enjoying the taste of local fruits, visitors will get to observe about rubber tapping demonstration and get a chance to try it yourself.
The next stop is a goat farm, where visitors can learn about different breeds of goats, feed a baby goat, and experience how to milk a goat step by step.
After the goat farm, visitors head to a local restaurant for lunch on Bang Thao beach. But just before they reach the restaurant, visitors can quickly stop at a local fish stand and select some fresh fish caught by local fishermen for the restaurant to serve on the lunch menu.
Before lunch starts, visitors will also learn how to cook Khao Yum or Phuket’s style mixed herbs rice salad and taste this authentic dish on your own.
After lunch, visitors join a DIY class to make organic soap and learn about other local products made by the community’s members.
Besides these activities, Baan Bang Thao – Cherng Talay Community offers other options for recreational activities such as a boat trip to Koh Wae or Koh Waew, a small island full of mineral sones that glitter in the sunlight or a diving trip exploring corals reefs along Phuket’s coastline.
Tour prices start from THB800, depending on the selection of activities.
For more information about these activities, visithttps://www.facebook.com/Bangtaotravel/ or contact Sonthaya Kongthip, Head of Baan Bang Thao – Cherng Talay Community Based Tourism, at Tel. 062 228 7896.
BANGKOK, 20 June 2022: Public and private sectors join forces to drive tourism and transport sectors toward the transition to the endemic phase.
Mr. Anutin Charnvirakul, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Public Health, recently presided over the opening ceremony of the seminar ‘Thailand Moving Together” to listen to the voices of business operators in the tourism and transport sectors as Thailand prepares to transition to the endemic phase of the Covid-19 pandemic and expect to welcome more of international visitors. The main discussions are easing unnecessary measures to drive economic activities, adapting to life with Covid-19 and staying safe.
The event was also attended by Mr. Saksayam Chidchob, Minister of Transport; Mr. Sirapop Duangsotsri, Advisor to the Minister of Tourism and Sports; Dr. Kiattiphum Wongrachit, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Public Health; Mr. Chayatan Phromsorn Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Transport; and Mr. Chote Trachu, Permanent Secretary of Ministry of Tourism and Sports.
Mr. Anutin said that Thailand’s tourism business has been facing difficulties over the past two years due to the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic. The ministry has been working closely with the Ministry of Tourism and Sports and the Ministry of Transport on various measures to balance pandemic control and the country’s reopening to visitors. Today, the situation is improving with the drop in daily infections and fatalities thanks to good collaboration from the public and business operators that continue to follow the pandemic preventive guidance, including lockdown, social distancing, cancellation of events and gatherings, improvement of a ventilation system, vaccination, as well as ATK and RT-PCT tests. The progress allows the Public Health Ministry to plan to ease measures further and facilitate operators in the tourism industry.
He said that the country has started to see a positive sign in the rebound of international visitors since the Test & Go scheme was lifted on 1 May, when fully vaccinated visitors are allowed entry and are free to go anywhere in the kingdom.
“In the transition to the endemic phase, the ministry, therefore, arranged a hearing by inviting representatives from 22 associations related to the tourism, services, restaurants, hotel and hospitality, and transport sectors to voice their opinions, seek solutions for public health measures before proposing to the Centre for COVID-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) in the step. The aim is to boost confidence in economic activities, especially in the tourism and transport sectors, and to encourage the public to adapt to life with Covid-19 and stay safe.”
According to Mr Anutin, representatives from both government and private sectors expressed their intention to drive the country to overcome the crisis based on the people’s safety while stimulating economic and tourism recovery by unlocking unnecessary measures and moving towards the endemic phase.
During the hearing, tourism operators urged the Ministry of Tourism and Sports to inform about related policies before the implementation to prepare and adapt. They also asked the Ministry of Transport and affiliated agencies to facilitate easy and safe travel for tourists and the Public Health Ministry to ease regulations that suit the situation.
Meanwhile, Mr Anutin also emphasised the readiness in the healthcare system in the case of a recurrent pandemic outbreak and called for collaboration from the private sector to keep awareness and follow Covid-19 preventive guidance under the ‘2U’ practice, which includes: Universal Prevention – keep a safe distance, clean your hands, wear a mask in the high-risk area especially a closed area or where physical distancing is not possible, and get the Covid-19 test when there are signs or symptom or when in close contact with someone with Covid-19; and Universal Vaccination – to be immune against the Covid-19.
“The Ministry of Public Health continues to work under the ‘Health for Wealth’ approach covering different dimensions, including promoting the healthcare system as a part to stimulate trade and investment, such as the promotion of medical herbs and medical cannabis products. The ministry aims to develop Thailand as a global hub for health care services that attracts visitors in the Health Tourism segment.” He added, “Healthy people will result in a healthy economy and society.”
DUBAI, 17 June 2022: Emirates adds another First Class experience with a new home check-in service for customers in Dubai and Sharjah.
Check-in Agents will visit their homes or hotels at pre-booked times to complete all check-in formalities, including document verification, baggage checking-in, and boarding passes. There is an allocated counter at the airport for any last-minute extra luggage.
The Check-in Agents will take the luggage directly to the airport. At the same time, customers can choose to go to the airport at their convenience using the pre-booked Emirates complimentary chauffeur-drive service.
The complimentary Home Check-in service must be booked at least 24 hours prior to flight departure time, and the latest check-in for the home service is six hours before the flight’s departure.
Upon arrival at Dubai International airport (DXB), which must be 90 minutes prior to the flight, customers can proceed directly to immigration and security and then continue to Emirates’ dedicated First Class Lounge.
All Emirates customers can experience a smooth and contactless experience at the airport by using the Emirates App to check in, issue a mobile boarding pass, and use the Emirates’ self-service bag drop. Registered customers can continue hands-free through the airport by using the integrated biometrics tunnel and smart gates at DXB.
First Class customers can enjoy a full complement of trademark services located within the Emirates First Class Lounge, such as a complimentary facial treatment at the Timeless Spa, complimentary services at Shoeshine by Mr Cobbler, four fine champagne vintages at the dedicated Moet and Chandon bar, special offers at luxury wine and spirits retailer Le Clos, and limited-edition tea blends with Dilmah Tea.
From the Emirates Lounge, customers can directly board their flight through a private air bridge on certain routes.
Offering over 1,700 First Class seats across its fleet of A380 and Boeing 777 aircraft, Emirates continues to set the standards for First Class to travel with signature Emirates First Class experiences and product innovations like fully-enclosed private suites, the in-flight Shower Spa, the Onboard Lounge and many other industry firsts.
For more information on Emirates’ Home Check-in Service, visit here
BANGKOK, 17 June 2022: Centara Hotels & Resorts has signed a partnership agreement with Thai Vietjet, bolstering its growing airline partner network, which already includes Thai Airways and Singapore Airlines.
The partnership comes when Thailand is easing entry rules for international travellers. Foreign nationals are now only required to provide passport and vaccination details, as well as confirmation of USD10,000 health insurance. They log the details on the Thailand Pass App, which automatically green lights their entry status in less than 24 hours.
Fully vaccinated travellers are then free to start exploring Thailand on arrival. If unvaccinated or not fully vaccinated, proof of a negative RT-PCR or ATK test issued within 72 hours before departure is required, then travellers can simply start their journey immediately.
“As more passengers return to the air, we are excited to partner with Thai Vietjet to welcome travellers back to Centara, The Place to Be. With six distinct brands ranging from luxury beachfront retreats to family resorts and affordable lifestyle hotels, we can meet and exceed the needs of travellers of every age and lifestyle. We are delighted to offer exciting benefits to Thai Vietjet’s customers through their communications network,” said Centara Hotels & Resorts vice president of brand, marketing & digital Tom Thrussell.
The new marketing partnership deal with Thai Vietjet gives passengers an exclusive 19% off the lowest publicly available online rates at all participating Centara hotels and resorts.
Travellers have a choice of 13 beach and urban destinations across Thailand. They are Phuket, Krabi, Samui, Hua Hin, Pattaya, Trat, Koh Chang, Rayong, Chiang Mai, Mae Sot, Udon Thani, Hat Yai, and Bangkok.
Guests can also enjoy a tropical escape to an overwater villa in the Maldives or take a family holiday at a themed resort with water parks, and playgrounds park in Dubai or southern Vietnam. Travellers also have a choice of participating hotels in Qatar, Oman and Sri Lanka.
“With the uplifting of travel restrictions in many countries, Thai Vietjet is more than ready to welcome our passengers back to the skies, with the latest establishment of a partnership with Centara, offering extra benefits and special deals exclusively for Thai Vietjet’s passengers to travel and discover the ultimate beauty of various destinations in the region,” said Thai Vietjet director of commercial Pinyot Pibulsonggram.
Under the Centara x Thai Vietjet promotion, guests will receive over a 19% discount when logged in as a CentaraThe1 member. This is lower than any publicly available rate and exclusive to Thai Vietjet customers. Travellers who are not yet members of Centara’s loyalty programme can sign up for free in less than a minute and immediately start enjoying benefits and earning points.
To take advantage of all CentaraThe1 membership privileges, sign-up or sign in now at www.CentaraThe1.com
To book or learn more about Centara x Thai Vietjet offer, please visit
HANOI, 16 June 2022: Vietnam Airlines forwarded a document to the Ho Chi Minh Stock Exchange earlier this week explaining measures and a roadmap to remove it from the list of stocks trading under HOSE supervision.
The airline said that its production and business activities were hit hard by the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic causing heavy losses during 2020, 2021 and the first quarter of 2022.
The airline was forced to hibernate its commercial passenger flight operations from March 2020 and only resumed service on 15 March this year.
In the statement to the stock exchange, the airline Vietnam Airlines said it suffered losses in consolidated business results, while consolidated equity has been negative as of 31 March.
The flag carrier has developed short-term and long-term solutions to minimise damage, improve production and business results, and supplement capital and cash flow for businesses.
Between 2023 and 2025, Vietnam Airlines will continue to implement solutions to improve production and business results and supplement equity to overcome the crisis, recover and develop gradually.
It proposes solutions to quickly recover and improve business operations and minimise losses in the transportation business as the market from 2022 to 2023 remains sluggish, creating a foundation to return to profit by 2025.
The airline is embarking on restructuring its assets and financial portfolios to increase income and cash flow. As part of the restructuring, Vietnam Airlines will sell or lease out older aircraft while applying divestment and capital transfer for some financial investment portfolios. According to the Vietnam News Agency report, the stated solutions will be implemented through to the end of 2024.
SINGAPORE, 17 June 2022: Investors in Asia Pacific hotels will increasingly make investments based on sustainability as expectations from shareholders and ambitious net carbon zero targets assigned by governments influence decision-making.
Approximately 75% of investors surveyed by JLL identified environmental, social and governance (ESG) factors as necessary when deploying capital, despite Asia Pacific’s hotel sector lagging behind other regions in the adoption of sustainability practices.
According to JLL analysis, investors and operators will prioritize ESG aspects of hotel investment to help secure funding for asset purchases or redevelopment. Given that most global investors are headquartered in Europe and the United States, where they face strict requirements from institutions and governments, Asia Pacific’s hotel sector is not immune from scrutiny. It will require more defined ESG strategies to meet both investor and consumer demands.
“The hotel industry in the Asia Pacific does lag other regions when benchmarked on sustainability factors and practices. Mounting pressure from shareholders and governments is compounded by the fact that many investors have limited access to sustainability-linked loan facilities in the Asia Pacific. However, we do see opportunities for new developments built by local high net worth individuals and local corporates and developers to tap global investors for green funding options,” says JLL Hotels & Hospitality Group senior managing director, head of investment sales, Asia Pacific Nihat Ercan.
Globally, the hotel sector accounts for 1% of global carbon emissions, according to the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO). The industry is also the biggest consumer of energy and water among all real estate asset classes. However, emissions vary by geography, with the Asia Pacific seen to be lagging behind North America and Europe, producing more emissions per occupied room – due primarily to climate and air conditioning usage – than other regions.
The challenge in the Asia Pacific and other regions of the world will be based on financing for new development and retrofitting existing hotels to make them net-zero. However, JLL analysis suggests that any meaningful movement towards a longer-term ESG-based transition will require a partnership between investors and operators to meet end-user expectations.
Furthermore, the pandemic has changed consumer expectations and elevated awareness of ESG principles within the international hotel sector. More than 80% of global travellers plan to stay at a sustainable hotel at least once in the next year, according to Bookings.com
“To meet changing consumer demands, hotel owners and operators in Asia Pacific will be forced to adapt business strategies to include clear ESG factors and goals. Hotel operators are an important sale vector to drive technical standards, especially as they are on the forefront and in direct contact with clients and accounts who are increasingly sensitive to sustainability,” says JLL Hotels & Hospitality Group managing director and head of the hotel advisory and asset management the Asia Pacific, Xander Nijnens.
While hotel investors in the Asia Pacific are behind other parts of the world regarding sustainability, hotel operators are leading the change in the sustainability journey regionally, having implemented several measures to monitor energy and water consumption. Approximately 50% of polled hotel operators identified operational aspects of hotel management and maintenance as their key sustainability priority.
JLL surveyed approximately 168 clients (investors and operators) across the Asia Pacific in April for this report. Learn more here.
About JLL
JLL (NYSE: JLL) is a leading professional services firm specialising in real estate and investment management.
BANGKOK, 17 June 2022: Celebrating the ‘pride month’ with the LGBTQ+ community, Thai Vietjet launched its ‘Fly with Pride’ promotion mid-week.
The special fares start from THB499 (inclusive of taxes and fees) for travel on the airline’s entire Thailand flight network. Offers are valid from 16 June to 23 June 2022.
The travel period runs from 16 June to 30 August 2022 (excluding public holidays).
For international services, special fares start from THB555 (excluding taxes, fees, surcharge and add-on services) for travel on the airline’s network to Vietnam, Phnom Penh, Singapore, and Fukuoka (Japan).
The fares are available for booking from 20 to 30 June, with travel valid from 20 June to 31 October 2022 (excluding public holidays) at www.vietjetair.com.
The special promotional tickets apply to Thai Vietjet’s entire domestic flight network in Thailand from Bangkok (Suvarnabhumi) to Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Phuket, Krabi, Hat Yai, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Surat Thani, Udon Thani, Khon Kaen, and Ubon Ratchathani, cross-country routes connecting Phuket to Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai, and Udon Thani, together with the flight from Hat Yai to Chiang Rai, as well as the airline’s international flight network to Vietnam, Phnom Penh, Singapore, and Fukuoka. Travellers can buy the fares on all distribution channels, including the airline’s mobile app and travel agencies.
PHUKET, 16 June 2022: Phuket is ready to welcome visitors having recruited skilled staff to ensure the island’s hospitality is back to winning ways despite the two-year pause in business.
But the return of airline services is vital to deliver the rebound in bookings and the island’s hospitality leaders need to determine the sales strategy and direction going forward while possibly addressing the need to refine hotel products and services to meet new market requirements.
Angsana Laguna Phuket, Senior Area General manager Michal Zitek said that the hotel has been focusing on human development to prepare skilled and experienced staff for the comeback of Phuket’s tourism following the recent easing of travel restrictions.
Michal Zitek, Angsana Laguna Phuket, Senior Area General Manager.
“During 2020-2021, when tourism in Phuket was dramatically hit by the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, some skilled staff decided to leave the hospitality industry because of the uncertainties in tourism and hospitality. Now, tourism and hospitality started to demonstrate stability, and the service charges are returning to sustainable levels. At Angsana Laguna Phuket, we expect to see skilled and experienced staff coming back to us. At the same time, we will do our best to develop and motivate the new generation joining the hospitality industry,” said Zitek.
“When it comes to people, we need to ensure that we have enough skilled, qualified, and motivated associates to deliver the services we promise to our guests”
At the end of last year, amid the ongoing challenge for skilled labour, the hotel and its sister brands in Phuket conducted mass recruitments and welcomed new staff to the hospitality industry.
“When it comes to people, we need to ensure that we have enough skilled, qualified, and motivated associates to deliver the services we promise to our guests. Therefore, we signed MoU with the Prince of Songkla University to work on human development and management programmes. We also established in-house training facilities in conjunction with Banyan Tree Management Academy so that we can re-develop the quality of the hospitality industry in Thailand.”
Zitek said that although some source markets that delivered robust bookings in the pre-Covid-19 era have still not fully recovered there is plenty of evidence to show new markets are emerging post-Covid.
“This means we have to keep up with the latest trends and respond quickly in the markets that are being served by airlines.”
“One area that we’re focusing on is our language skills. Besides global languages, we are also looking for specialists in other languages, such as Arabic or Russian, to cater to the latest booking trends from the Arabic or Russian-speaking markets. At the moment, we’ve seen a lot more Middle East travellers. And they are not the typical Middle East travellers we welcomed before such as from Dubai. We are finding that other markets are opening up, and we have received guests from Bahrain, Kuwait, and Saudi Arabia. So, there’s an extension of the business that’s coming through from Arab states rather than just the Gulf States,” Zitek explained.
Currently, Indian travellers have become a major source of inbound arrivals to Phuket thanks to direct air links from Indian cities, such as Mumbai, Kolkata, Bangalore, and Delhi.
“When there’re flights, there’re guests. Leisure and wedding groups from India are now becoming popular again in Phuket. Based on the requirement of these markets, we still engage our Indian chef and serve authentic Indian food to guests.
“Next on the horizon is the South Korean market, which has a holiday period from July to October. Again, this allows us to look more closely at our products and services offered in the Korean markets, especially family and honeymoon travels. Angsana is already established to cater to both markets’ needs, whether it’d be our stunning one-bedroom suites for honeymoon couples or two-bedroom suites for family markets.”
For the Russian market, he said that the hotel is monitoring the situation and looking at various outcomes that could materialise toward the end of the year. “Like everything in Phuket, we’re determined by the airlift. So, it depends on whether the Russian airlines, including charter operators, can fly from Russia without restrictions.”
Currently, Angsana Laguna Phuket is offering 381 guest rooms in a spacious seaside property on the west coast of Phuket. The hotel has a strong history as a leisure hotel, while in 2019, it added a 1,500-sqm Angsana Convention and Exhibition Space (ACES) that gives an opportunity for the hotel to diversify and expand the market into meetings and convention businesses.
With the opening up of Thailand’s tourism, the hotel was selected as the venue for the Thailand Travel Mart Plus (TTM+) from 8 to 10 June 2022.
“Typically, we are sitting above 60% even without meeting groups. With the exhibition and meeting groups, we would sit around 90% plus. We’re expecting to see 100% in some weeks in the coming months this year. It’s promising for Phuket that we have those occupancy levels coming through, and of course, it also helps other industries in Phuket, including restaurants, transportation, and food suppliers, get back to business.”
In terms of the MICE markets, Phuket benefits from direct flights from Israel which also includes incentive groups visiting Phuket. “On the radar, we’ll see incentive groups from long haul markets including the UK, Australia, and the USA. Air access to Phuket is still better than many other destinations. We still have flights from Singapore and hope the route from South Korea will re-open soon. So, we’ve seen that the airlift and flight connectivity make a big difference in convincing corporations to select Phuket as a meeting and incentive destination,” Zitek concluded.
