Sometimes it's the endearing little things in life that stick in the mind. This experience had DER-Touristik-Produktmanagerin Asia Claudia Schieker, when it came in the past November for the first time since the Pandemie again to Thailand. Strangers approached them on the street and thanked them: "Thank you for visiting my country!" An anecdote that the experienced Asia connoisseur likes to share in personal conversation.
It reflects exactly the gratitude that was now also felt at the largest Thai trade fair, the "TTM+22 – Thailand Travel Mart Plus 2022. Coupled with a euphoric sense of optimism about what tourism development promises in the near future.
Big rush after several years of Corona break
After three years of Corona break, 275 tour operators from 42 countries crowded into the event rooms of the "Angsana Resort Phuket". 264 Thai organizers and media representatives from 92 countries were on site.
In the meantime, so many international tourists are already coming to the country in the monsoon off-season that even long-standing official dams are breaking. For example, the Ministry of Tourism has eliminated the need to fill out the previously required "TM-6 entry forms" that otherwise had to be presented at passport checks.
Since 1. July no more Thailand passport
This should significantly reduce the long queues at Thailand's international airports. At the same time, it was announced at "TTM+22 – Thailand Travel Mart Plus" that since 1. July 2022 Thailand the so far for the entry, necessary so-called "Thailand passport" completely abolishes. So far, this passport has been managed under the so-called VIP rule (V= Vaccinated, I = Insurance, P = Passport). That's the end of it.
International travelers are also no longer required to have international health insurance. The only requirement for entry into the kingdom will then be valid proof of complete vaccination or a negative official Covid 19 test result.
Arrival figures: Tripled in just five months
To understand the decisions, just take a quick look at the current tourism numbers. While in the Covid year 2021 from January to the end of December just under 428.000 international visitors traveled to Thailand in the period from January to 31 December. May 2022 already 1.336.000 international arrivals, a more than threefold increase in just five months.
For the German market, tourism managers such as Titiporn Manenate, executive director at the Tourism Authority of Thailand for Europe, Africa and the Middle East, expect around 815.000 tourists by the end of the year, 87 percent of which will be in southern Thailand and Bangkok.
Intensive collaborations with Emirates, Qatar and Ethiad Airways
A side note: As already now the planes of Thai Airways have a load factor of more than 95 percent, although the number of flights from Frankfurt will be increased to twice daily and daily from Munich at the end of June, the responsible representatives of the Thai Tourism Authority have announced an intensive business cooperation with Emirates, Qatar- and Etihad Airways from next fall onwards. In competition with the former national airline Thai Airways, which is still under creditor protection and the control of the management consultancy of "Ernst & Young" is located.