TWO weeks on since the July 1 launch of the Phuket Sandbox – a cocoon of vaccinated foreign tourists – despite a surge of Covid infections on the mainland, the scheme has seen some measure of success, receiving 5,473 arrivals and almost 200,000 room nights booked up until the end of August.
These statistics were revealed at the online event “Welcome Back Home”, which focused on the Sandbox hosted by Delivering Asia on July 15.
Under the Sandbox, fully vaccinated visitors from select countries can fly directly into Phuket and go straight from the airport to their hotels, remaining on the island for 14 days before they can hop to another destination in Thailand.
Bhummikitti Ruktaengam is optimistic arrivals to Phuket will increase in the coming months.
The compulsory two-week has increased the length of stay in Phuket, from just 4.7 nights per stay before Covid to about 11 nights now, revealed Bhummikitti Ruktaengam, president of the Phuket Tourist Association, speaking at the online event.
Despite the longer stays he disclosed that the 14 days might be shortened to 10 or seven days in a move to collaborate with neighbouring islands and extend the tourism business to them.
On numbers, he said by end of July, arrivals could reach 18,000. “We are pretty much optimistic for August estimating 30,000 visitors would be arriving, and 35,000 in September.”
To boost arrivals PTA is looking towards Russia, which was one of Phuket’s top markets. The association is requesting the Thai government to endorse the Russian Coronavirus vaccine Sputnik V, and to allow Russian travellers inoculated with this vaccine to enter Thailand. (Read WTTC warns inconsistent global vaccine recognition could impede international travel recovery).
Bhummikitti said recognising Sputnik V vaccine would open “another door” for Phuket, and hopes that with approval, Russian visitors could come by October. “It’s another challenge for us.”
The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) has set a target of up to 100,000 tourists to arrive in Phuket during the three months – July to September – with expected tourism receipts at about 8.9 billion baht (estimated US$272 million).
Top markets for Phuket – the US is leading, followed by the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Israel, the UK and Germany. As US visitors mix business with leisure, they stay longer than other markets.
“We also want to look at the local Thai market, but the Thais are not ready to travel yet because of the pandemic.” He hopes to see Thais visiting the island in the later part of the year.
Siripakorn Cheawsamoot, TAT’s deputy governor for international marketing Europe, Africa, Middle East and America, at the same event, addressed the issue of Covid infections among locals on the island and tourists within the Sandbox.
According to this report, of the 58 cases found from July 1-11, 52 were Thais and only six were tourists under the Phuket Sandbox scheme (one each from the UAE, South Africa and Switzerland, and three from Myanmar). The government said the programme is going well, with tourists continuing to arrive.
Siripakorn Cheawsamoot said Phuket is a safe destination to visit.
Siripakorn said the number of new infections per day is very low among the island’s population of about 500,000 that includes the workforce, hotel staff and those in the tourism service sector. On a daily basis there may be two to five infected cases, and zero on some days.
“The destination is safe,” he reassured. The vaccination rate for all on the island is more than 70%, almost reaching herd immunity. Disease control measures are also being fully enforced.
Additionally, staff working in hotels, restaurants, spas and related businesses are fully vaccinated. These establishments have the SHA Plus (SHA+) certificate, which means they meet the safety measures to control Covid and guarantee at least 70% of staff have been fully vaccinated .
“That’s why we decided, together with the local people, the local authorities and the local government, to open the Sandbox. We want to pass the message to everyone, both the local Thai people and international tourists, to come and to see for themselves that Phuket is a safe place to visit.”
The initial success of Phuket Sandbox has paved the way for the reopening of three more islands. On July 15, Koh Samui, Koh Phangan and Koh Tao threw open its doors to fully vaccinated foreign travellers with no quarantine requirements under the Samui Plus programme.
The programme is for travel to these three islands located in Surat Thani province between July and December 2021, TAT said in a release.
The tourism board expects about 1,000 foreign tourists to arrive under the Samui Plus programme during the first month, from 15 July to 15 August.
More destinations are to follow these four islands in the government’s effort to revitalise the Thai economy and the tourism sector. On September 1, Krabi (Ko Phi Phi, Ko Ngai, Railay Beach), Phang Nga (Khao Lak, Ko Yao), Chiang Mai (Mueang, Mae Rim, Mae Taeng, Doi Tao districts), Chon Buri (Pattaya, Bang Lamung, Sattahip) and Buri Ram (Mueang district, Chang arena) will open for tourism business again.
They will be followed by Bangkok, Phetchaburi (Cha-am) and Prachuap Khiri Khan (Hua Hin) on October 1, with the rest of Thailand to reopen throughout the month of October.
These scheduled openings are in line with Thailand plans to reopen its borders to international tourists in 120 days, as announced by Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha in a televised speech on June 16. The target set by him would put the country’s reopening sometime in mid-October.
Whether these plans will come to fruition may depend on the Covid situation in the country in the days and weeks to come.
• Featured image credit (Kata Beach in Phuket): PixHound/Getty Images
