Nov 1 opening will kickstart recovery of Thai economy: Kasikorn Research Centre
Opening the country from November 1 will give Thailand’s tourism industry a much-needed boost, and positive economic growth can be expected next year if the Covid-19 situation is well-managed, the Kasikorn Research Centre said on Saturday.
The centre said the number of foreign arrivals should rise by 64 per cent, especially since the November 1 opening falls within Thailand’s high season.
The centre predicts that 2021 will see a total of 180,000 foreign tourists, 30,000 more than it forecast previously, generating revenue of at least 13.5 billion baht.
The research centre also said the key factors drawing visitors to the country include provinces with low infection rates, special tourist visas and sandbox schemes. The Phuket Sandbox scheme launched in July has proved to be very popular among tourists from the US, UK, Germany and the Middle East.
Meanwhile, Google’s travel insight data shows that more people have been hunting for hotel or accommodation deals in Thailand. Countries with the highest number of searches include Russia, the US, UK, Germany and India. The search centred around Bangkok, Pattaya City, Koh Samui in Surat Thani and Phuket’s Karon and Patong areas.
The research centre added that the most crucial factor to bring Thailand’s tourism sector back would be to properly manage the pandemic by getting more than 70 per cent of the population fully vaccinated.
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