Thais cautiously welcome international travel

While Thailand is gradually welcoming international tourists with initiatives such as the Sandbox and the government’s opening plan, a survey by digital travel platform, Agoda, found while Thai people expect outbound travel to return soon –  with one in two think travel in Asia will be possible within the next six months and 29 per cent for travel outside Asia, they are not inclined to hop on a plane to travel just yet until they feel more assured by health and safety protocols and vaccination rates.

Travel expectations
Half of Thai respondents anticipate that travel within Asia will be possible in the next six months, with 2 in 5 (40 per cent) anticipating some travel restrictions in place or travel through travel bubble or corridors only.

When it comes to taking trips after restrictions are lifted, 51 per cent plan to travel in Asia and 42 per cent outside of Asia within a year or more, while 4 per cent and 5 per cent respectively hoping to travel immediately.  Just under a quarter, 23 per cent, don’t plan to travel within Asia until at least 80 per cent of the world’s population is vaccinated against Covid-19.  The figure is even higher for travel outside Asia (28 per cent) and is the highest among Baby Boomer (1946 – 1964) 32 per cent and Gen X (1965 – 1980) 29 per cent.

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Travel confidence
The Agoda survey found that the top three factors that will give Thais the confidence to explore again are (#1) health and safety protocols followed by accommodations, (#2) knowing that hotel service staff are vaccinated, and (#3) being vaccinated against Covid-19 with at least one shot.

• The same proportion of Male respondents view vaccinated hotel service staff and themselves being vaccinated against Covid-19 with at least one shot as important.