Tourism in Chiang Mai is beginning to take off again after the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration eased travel restrictions on Wednesday to attract more foreign visitors.
From June 1, even unvaccinated or partially vaccinated travellers can enter the country but they need a negative rapid antigen or RT-PCR test taken within 72 hours of departure.
Tourism Authority of Thailand Chiang Mai Office director Watcharayut Kuawong said hotel and tourism operators are seeing improved business, rehiring staff to welcome an increasing number of visitors.
He expected at least 1 million tourists to visit the province during the green season between May and September, generating at least THB1 billion in revenue.
More than 2,000 venues have registered for SHA standards in order to operate their businesses in the current Covid-19 situation, Watcharayut said.
However, the office has instructed them to strictly adhere to Covid-19 prevention measures.
Meanwhile, Chiang Mai Tourism Business Association president Pol Maj-General Pacha Rattanaphan said the association will intensify efforts to draw tourists to the province.
He said Chiang Mai has “limitations” in the number of international flights as currently there were flights only from Singapore and Malaysia.
The association will now seek and promote more international flights in order to stimulate tourism, Pacha added.
Maj-General Kochakorn Chaiyabutr, managing director of Khum Suea Trakarn, which operates two Tiger Kingdoms in Chiang Mai and one in Phuket, said many tourists have now visited the tiger centres in the two provinces.
However, she asked the government to seek more international flights to Chiang Mai in a bid to stimulate tourism, especially during the high season from October to January.
The Tiger Kingdoms are ready to welcome an influx of tourists under measures to contain the spread of Covid-19, she added.
Published : June 01, 2022
By : THE NATION