Will tourism in Thailand bounce back from Covid differently? ASEAN NOW

 

by Michael Bridge

Thailand will never lose its charm with fabulous beaches, temples, cultures, and mouthwatering food.
 

The lure of the land of smiles also attracts golfers, scuba divers, medical tourists, and of course holidaymakers after the crazy nightlife.

That said, it has been clear for all to see that currently during the pandemic life has not been all smiles.

It has been hard to get a drink in a restaurant, nightlife has been closed and everything shuts down at 11 pm.

Ok, these restrictions will eventually be lifted as the country beats the Covid curve, however, will everything be the same.

Nightlife will be back but differently?

Take the nightlife and the hospitality industry which was really hit during the pandemic.

Thousands of hotel staff and restaurant and bar staff lost their jobs, and will they return.

Many go-go bars shut up shop over two years ago with landlords owed massive unpaid rent.

Will enterprising entrepreneurs be willing to take the risk of re-opening, and will their landlords charge reasonable rents?

The bar girls headed back to their families long ago, and may have settled back into country life, so will they be tempted back?

With fewer European, American, and Aussie ex-pats traveling due to the global recession, will the expected Indians and Arabs be able to fill the void as customers?

Where will tourists go?

Bangkok will always exist as it is one of the great cities of the world, however, resorts like Pattaya and Phuket will have to alter their appeal to attract a new type of tourist.

Pattaya is perhaps in better shape in the long run, as it will inevitably benefit from the new high-speed rail links and the expansion of the Eastern corridor.

 

Already more emphasis is on family-orientated attractions including waterparks and shopping experiences are starting to change the city's seedier image.

Phuket still has a wonderful coastline and is the second-largest airport in the country, so it should bounce back too.

Massive competition

The TAT now has a huge job of attracting visitors who now have a wider choice when coming to SE Asia.

Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam, Malaysia, Indonesia, and Singapore are now all competing for these vacationers, so Thailand has to work even harder to attract the millions who used to spend time here in the past.

Medical tourism is extremely popular, as Thailand offers a cheaper alternative to many Western hospitals.

Some think with the relaxing of the Cannabis laws, people will be attracted to sit and get stoned on a cup of Cannabis tea!!

Eco back to nature resorts should also prosper, as the world adjusts to saving the planet.

The bottom line is if the Thai baht weakens, then foreigners will return if they get more for their currency.

However it will still be a few years without any more pandemics to get Thailand back on track, so let us hope the government and the country's hospitality industry can wait that long.