Hongkongers can fly direct to Phuket from July as Thailand seeks to kick-start tourism sector, but experts say success of scheme depends on quarantine-free travel

[webfact]

Thai authorities are hoping tourists will soon return to empty hotels and beaches, such as this one in Phuket. Photo: Reuters

 

● Thai Airways to resume service from July 2 with minimum cost of ticket just over HK$3,000

● But Thailand listed as high risk by Hong Kong, meaning anyone returning from country faces two to three weeks in quarantine

 

Denise Tsang

 

Direct flights between Hong Kong and Phuket will resume on July 2 as Thailand  seeks to restart its tourism industry amid an easing Covid-19  outbreak, the Post has learned.

 

But travel industry stakeholders on Friday said whether tourism could be revived between the two destinations would depend on the governments reaching a consensus over quarantine-free arrangements.

 

“It will be feasible if there is a quarantine-free arrangement between the two governments, similar to the air 

travel bubble  between Singapore and Hong Kong,” said Tommy Tam Kwong-shun, chairman of the Society of IATA Passenger Agents, a coalition of the largest travel agents in Hong Kong.

 

Full story: https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3136115/hongkongers-can-fly-direct-phuket-july-thailand

 

-- © Copyright South China Morning Post 2021-06-05

 

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[RichardColeman]

 

11 minutes ago, webfact said:

“It will be feasible if there is a quarantine-free arrangement between the two governments, similar to the air 

travel bubble  between Singapore and Hong Kong,” said Tommy Tam Kwong-shun, chairman of the Society of IATA Passenger Agents, a coalition of the largest travel agents in Hong Kong.

Feasible ? Tommy's in cuckoo land. Why would  Hong Kong and Singapore want a travel bubble whilst covid is exploding in Thailand ? 

 

 

[Thailand]

I tend to think that the welcoming entourage is going to be a lot bigger than the arrivals come July.

[ronaldo0]

Yeah because what could be better after a nice holiday than 3 weeks quarantine in Hong Kong ! Utterly deluded ????

[hotchilli]

4 hours ago, webfact said:

But Thailand listed as high risk by Hong Kong, meaning anyone returning from country faces two to three weeks in quarantine

Thailand dreaming again.... 

[shackleton]

Let's wait and see how many tourists will be arriving from Hong Kong in July

I won't hold my breath on  the numbers expected and the actual numbers arriving ????

[allane]

I have been suffering severe withdrawal systems. It's been about two weeks since I've heard some Thai idiot talk about a travel bubble.

[ncc1701d]

If the governments would get their sh!t together for once, and provided Phuket is having very low / traceable infections with high rates of vaccinations - there’s no reason why Thailand can’t “annex” Phuket from a quarantine perspective and start this up and allow no quarantine on arrival back to hkg.

[Rhacsyn]

25 minutes ago, ncc1701d said:

If the governments would get their sh!t together for once, and provided Phuket is having very low / traceable infections with high rates of vaccinations - there’s no reason why Thailand can’t “annex” Phuket from a quarantine perspective and start this up and allow no quarantine on arrival back to hkg.

True, and the same already informally applies to UAE where there are 1.2 million Western, East Asian and African expats. Vaccination rates are very high in UAE and no quarantine on return. Surely, currently more realistic targets than farther West?

[Surelynot]

Are all six million UK arrivals for the last quarter destined for Phuket? That should help the tourist trade.

[treetops]

On 6/5/2021 at 3:56 AM, allane said:

It's been about two weeks since I've heard some Thai idiot talk about a travel bubble.

 

Even longer now as I doubt Tommy Tam Kwong-shun from Hong Kong is Thai.