Heinecke calls for ending all restrictions to boost tourist arrivals
Thailand should remove all travel restrictions as soon as possible to help the country's tourism industry recover so that they can compete with other fully open countries, Minor International founder and chairman William Heinecke said on Monday.
In a letter to Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, Heinecke said the average number of foreign arrivals at Don Mueang Airport in April this year was 11,623 people per day, lower than over 50,000 people per day in April last year.
He also pointed out that even though Thailand had recently allowed foreign tourists to enter the country without an RT-PCR test before departure, there are still a lot of travel restrictions that affect their decision.
He added that many countries that rely on tourism, such as Singapore and Cambodia, have already scrapped measures related to entry to facilitate the recovery of tourism and their economies.
"I believe that Thailand should realise that the number of Omicron patients who were found locally was higher than among foreign arrivals," he said.
"Meanwhile, I believe in Thai citizens that they understand Omicron's characteristics and are ready to live in line with the new normal era."
Heinecke advised the PM to scrap Thailand Pass and regulations related to health insurance and Covid-19 testing upon arrival, and said vaccination or a medical certificate should be enough to allow tourists to enter the Kingdom.
He said cooperation between government and private sectors is necessary to help the tourism industry’s recovery and stimulate the economy.
He added that he and other entrepreneurs are ready to work with the government to help revive the country's tourism, boost confidence among tourists and implement guidelines for tourists' safety.
"With [government and private sectors] efforts and clear communication on Kingdom entry measures, Thailand's tourism business will achieve success," he added.