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James Croll
With a background in adventure tourism, events management and marketing, James Croll is a regular contributor to Australasian Leisure Management and Asian Leisure Business.
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With visitors having been kept away for several months to curb COVID-19 infections, Ratchaporn Phoonsawas, President of the Koh Samui Tourism Promotion Association, has advised that the popular Thai tourist destination is ready to reopen on 1st July.
Advising that 50% (57,000) Samui residents, have been inoculated, Ratchaporn explained that Island authorities are on target to vaccinate another 36,000 people to ensure 70% of the population is inoculated, to achieve herd immunity.
Ratchaporn said Koh Samui can reopen to tourists under the ‘Samui Sealed Route’ model next month, and tourists, who have tested negative for COVID-19, can stay in a hotel and enjoy the beaches for seven days.
Tourists wanting to stay beyond the initial seven days will be tested again, either via the swab or PCR methods. If they test negative again, they will be allowed to travel within Koh Samui, as well as hop over to Koh Pha-ngan and Koh Tao.
8th June 2021 - Bali set to reopen to international travellers as of July
2nd June 2021 - Theme park tickets and airline rewards offered as incentives for vaccination uptake
26th May 2021 - Phuket Sandbox confirmed for 1st July reopening to vaccinated international tourists
21st May 2021 - Thailand’s Pimalai Resort looks to establish itself as world leading ecotourism destination
17th May 2021 - Thailand joins more than 275 destinations in adopting WTTC Safe Travels stamp
14th May 2021 - Almost half of Thailand’s hotels expect to close in the next three months
12th May 2021 - Thailand’s Banyan Village launches long stay wellness programs
15th April 2021 - Thailand’s Centara group announces more hotel re-openings through April to meet surge in domestic travel demand
13th April 2021 - GlobalData suggests Thailand can proceed with tourism recovery pilot despite surge in COVID-19 cases
31st March 2021 - Phuket first to open without quarantine in Thailand
23rd March 2021 - Thailand Tourism Forum 2021 charts future course of Thai tourism industry
16th March 2021 - Thailand’s Pimalai Resort and Spa offers eco-sensitive excursions to Mu Ko Lanta National Park
8th March 2021 - Thailand resort offers land to feed elephants during challenging times
3rd March 2021 - Thailand’s Tourism Sector petitions to reopen the country by 1st July 2021
19th February 2021 - Anantara’s resorts in northern Thailand listed as Travel+Leisure’s Top Hotels of the World
18th January 2021 - Centara continues expansion with agreements to manage three new resorts in Laos and Thailand
12th January 2021 - Thailand’s tourism sector continues to reopen safely and slowly
6th January 2021 - Thailand welcomes the New Year with 25,000 eco-friendly firework display
2nd December 2020 - Tourism Authority of Thailand collaborates with Locanation to inform foreign visitors on hotel quarantine standards
3rd November 2020 - Koh Lanta transforms into one of Thailand’s most sustainable tourism destinations
31st October 2020 - GlobalData highlights domestic tourism may not be sufficient for Thailand tourism recovery
1st September 2020 - Thailand faces tourism industry risk