India lifts PCR test restrictions – tourism to Thailand expected to rise

[webfact]

PHOTO: Indian tourists in Phuket

 

By Peter Roche

The elimination of pre-departure Covid-19 test requirements for travellers from India as well as other countries like China, Hong Kong, Japan, South Korea and Singapore, is a positive development for the Thai tourism industry and is expected to give it a much-needed boost as we move into quieter times of the year.

 

The Tourism Authority of Thailand’s upgraded target for Indian arrivals from 1.4 million to 2 million this year is a positive sign, and the market could recover faster than expected, potentially even matching the 2019 tally of 2 million arrivals by the end of the year.

 

However, the recovery of the Chinese market is expected to be slow, due to limited seat capacity, but the government’s decision to allow tour groups to resume overseas trips from February 6 is expected to result in significant improvement in the coming months.

 

The updated measures were issued by the Department of Health and Family Welfare of India on February 9, based on the significant decline in Covid-19 cases in the last four weeks.

 

The  TAT is now upgrading its target for Indian arrivals from 1.4 million to 2 million in 2023, which is the same level as in 2019. TAT Governor Yuthasak Supasorn stated that the end of this major travel restriction is a vital step towards full recovery.

 

“It could mean the Indian market could recover faster than expected, and possibly even match the 2019 tally of 2 million arrivals by the end of the year.”

 

As of February 7, Thailand has received 2.58 million foreign visitors this year, with 122,303 of them being from India. The Chinese market, which lifted restrictions on independent travel on January 8, has been recovering slowly so far this year, with only 119,807 travellers registered.

 

According to Yuthasak, this slow growth in the Chinese market can be attributed to limited seat capacity as airlines prepare for expansion and plan to add flights during their summer schedule.

 

The Chinese government has allowed tour groups to resume overseas trips starting February 6, and this market is expected to see significant improvement in the coming months although it’s had a slow start so far.

 

Thaneth Tantipiriyakij, the president of the Phuket Tourist Association, says the elimination of Covid-19 testing requirements in India happened earlier than expected and should create positive momentum for Phuket as more big tour groups are expected to return soon.

 

“This requirement had affected large tour groups from India, particularly in the MICE (meetings, incentives, conventions, and exhibitions) segment and wedding groups, as many of them cancelled bookings to avoid the increasing costs associated with RT-PCR tests.”

 

“The number of Indian tourists had declined by 30-40% because of this policy last month.”

 

However, he also mentioned that even during the mandatory testing for Indian travellers, independent tourists from India still visited Thailand as the added cost was considered acceptable. According to the Phuket Airport Immigration Daily Report, from November 1, 2022, to January 31, 2023, the Indian market ranked second with 87,660 arrivals, trailing the Russian market, which had 267,245 arrivals.

 

The current reliance of arrivals from one particular country is causing concern for some of Phuket’s tourism stakeholders who say the Russian market is very difficult to predict into 2023 as so much depends on what’s happening with the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine after the Russian invasion 12 months ago.

The number of daily arrivals to Phuket, according to the Phuket Immigration record, has levelled off since the middle of January and the Christmas/New Year and Chinese Year surge has finished.

 

The TAT’s upgraded target for Indian arrivals from 1.4 million to 2 million this year is a positive sign, and the market could recover faster than expected, potentially even matching the 2019 tally of 2 million arrivals by the end of the year. However, the recovery of the Chinese market is expected to be slow, due to limited seat capacity and a general reluctance of Chinese to travel straight after the lifting of restrictions.

 

“But the government’s decision to allow tour groups to resume overseas trips from February 6 is expected to result in significant improvement in the coming months.”

 

Source: https://phuket-go.com/phuket-news/phuket-news/india-lifts-pcr-test-restrictions-tourism-to-thailand-expected-to-rise/

 

-- © Copyright Phuket GO 2023-02-13

 

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[hotchilli]

5 hours ago, webfact said:

The Tourism Authority of Thailand’s upgraded target for Indian arrivals from 1.4 million to 2 million this year is a positive sign, and the market could recover faster than expected, potentially even matching the 2019 tally of 2 million arrivals by the end of the year.

I hope the RTP are ready with their report forms for robbery.

[jacko45k]

9 minutes ago, hotchilli said:

I hope the RTP are ready with their report forms for robbery.

Yes, when the masses return with rolls of 40,000 baht cash hanging from their pocket or similar values around their necks in gold.....and all the locals high on weed that apparently 'makes them do it'......

[Gsxrnz]

I doubt there are sufficient Indian restaurants in Pattaya Tai to feed the encroaching masses.  

 

Edited February 13, 2023 by Gsxrnz

[Boomer6969]

Oohhh God..

[Smokey and the Bandit]

18 minutes ago, Gsxrnz said:

I doubt there are sufficient Indian restaurants in Pattaya Tai to feed the encroaching masses.  

 

I don't want argue the point but there are quite a few Indian restaurants in and around Pattaya?

Do Indians only eat Indian food, many folks come to Thailand for local dishes?

[BritManToo]

1 hour ago, Smokey and the Bandit said:

Do Indians only eat Indian food, many folks come to Thailand for local dishes?

Don't know about Indians, but I only eat British and Indian food.

Thai food is just not appealing to me. 

[Adumbration]

40 minutes ago, BritManToo said:

Don't know about Indians, but I only eat British and Indian food.

Thai food is just not appealing to me. 

Life must be pretty dire for you subsisting on just roast beef and chapatis.

[BritManToo]

4 minutes ago, Adumbration said:

Life must be pretty dire for you subsisting on just roast beef and chapatis.

I'm more of a bacon, sausages, roast pork, chips, meat pies and fried chicken (at home) type of guy. Last week went out to LK 3x to the Indian, had Chicken Madras, Butter Chicken, and Chicken Tikka Masala. 

Edited February 13, 2023 by BritManToo

[Adumbration]

6 minutes ago, BritManToo said:

I'm more of a bacon, sausages, roast pork, chips, meat pies and fried chicken (at home) type of guy. Last week went out to LK 3x to the Indian, had Chicken Madras, Butter Chicken, and Chicken Tikka Masala. 

Oh...  So in reality you only eat Brittish food and Brittish versions of Indian food.

 

Just curious, and definitely not a snipe, have you ever been to India?

[BritManToo]

Just now, Adumbration said:

Oh...  So in reality you only eat Brittish food and Brittish versions of Indian food.

Just curious, and definitely not a snipe, have you ever been to India?

Nope, but did go to China and didn't like the food there either.

I only eat British versions of Chinese food.

[Adumbration]

5 minutes ago, BritManToo said:

Nope, but did go to China and didn't like the food there either.

I only eat British versions of Chinese food.

As a lad I worked in Mother Teresa's street hospital in Calcutta.

 

I did not pass one single solid stool the whole time I was there.

 

Indian food is great, but only if it is not prepared by Indians. 

[redwood1]

2 hours ago, Smokey and the Bandit said:

I don't want argue the point but there are quite a few Indian restaurants in and around Pattaya?

Do Indians only eat Indian food, many folks come to Thailand for local dishes?

 

Look around some time and see how many Indians are eating in ANY restaurant that is not Indian....They are very very few in numbers .........Indians seem to want to eat only Indian food and not much of any thing else from what I have seen......

[jacko45k]

4 hours ago, Smokey and the Bandit said:

I don't want argue the point but there are quite a few Indian restaurants in and around Pattaya?

Do Indians only eat Indian food, many folks come to Thailand for local dishes?

I think Indians do eat nearly all Indian food actually, a bit like Thais! I agree there is an abundance of Indian eateries if one goes beyond Tai... many on Klang, Second Rd, to the North from Klang too.

[bangon04]

"many of them cancelled bookings to avoid the increasing costs associated with RT-PCR tests.”

“The number of Indian tourists had declined by 30-40% because of this policy last month.”

 

Interesting to understand the priorities of the quality tourists......

[Gsxrnz]

21 hours ago, Smokey and the Bandit said:

I don't want argue the point but there are quite a few Indian restaurants in and around Pattaya?

Do Indians only eat Indian food, many folks come to Thailand for local dishes?

Um.....the irony was obviously lost in translation.  Pattaya Tai has been renamed Little Mumbai.  There are more Indian restaurants than you can throw a stick at. Tourists from the Asian sub-continent walk four abreast on the road holding hands - motorcycle taxi drivers love them.