Halt to quarantine-free entry prompts reassessment of economic outlook
Hopes for Thailand’s economic recovery have been dealt a blow with the suspension of a quarantine-free program for international tourists, say figures in the all-important hospitality industry who are readjusting their outlook for 2022.
“We are kind of seeing a replay of 2021 where … hotels are focusing on domestic travel once again,” said Bill Barnett, managing director of consultancy C9 Hotelworks in Thailand.
He said that winter in the northern hemisphere was always a key driver for Thailand’s tourism sector. Sun-starved people from the region, such as those from the United Kingdom, Germany, Canada and Russia, would flock to the country’s beaches and other attractions.
The quarantine-free program, called Test and Go, was launched on…