Phuket should be considered as a green list travel destination from the UK, separately from the rest of Thailand, according to local tourism leaders.
As Bangkok grapples with rising numbers of Covid infections, KP Ho, executive chairman of Banyan Tree Group, said it was imperative for Phuket to be given ‘green’ destination status.
He called on policy-makers in Europe and around the world to support Phuket as a separate green zone.
But governments need to recognise it as a safe, self-enclosed destination, rather than combining its travel status with the rest of Thailand.
That was the message given to European envoys, airlines, senior officials and business leaders, at a meeting on the resort island.
A Phuket ‘Sandbox’ initiative has been created, enabling fully-vaccinated international visitors to fly directly to the destination and stay on the island quarantine-free.
Hotels need to ensure at least 70% of their staff have received vaccines – the same inoculation rate as Phuket’s population, creating herd immunity against Covid-19.
Ho added: “What’s really important is that EU countries – the national governments, spurred on by travel agents, the media and other people – recognise that it’s necessary to disengage the perception of Phuket from the rest of Thailand.
“It should be a situation where Thailand could be a red alert zone but Phuket could be a green zone.
“It could be possible to create a series of ‘sandboxes’ in other destinations, such as Koh Samui, Bali and Phu Quoc. As long as that ‘sandbox’ is well-organised, as it is in Phuket, it should be separated from the rest of the country.”
His position was supported by the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT).
Deputy governor for international marketing Europe, Africa, Middle East and the Americans, Siripakorn Cheawsamoot, said: “We are trying to propose Phuket to the UK government to be on the green list of destinations, even though Thailand is on the amber list.
“Phuket is safe and we will never compromise anyone’s safety.”
He confirmed there were almost 300,000 hotel rooms booked until the end of August.
Top markets are the US, UK, Israel, Germany, France, the UAE and Switzerland with an average length of stay 11 days.