According to Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) Governor Yuthasak Supasorn, the fee is added to the list of requirements for foreign tourists wishing to enter Thailand, including pre-payment for SARS-CoV-2 virus tests, hotel accommodation or quarantine, and insurance with Covid-19 treatment coverage of at least USD 50,000.
“Part of the fee will be used to take care of tourists,” Yuthasak Supasorn told Reuters. “We have had cases where tourists did not have insurance, which has become a burden for us to take care of them.”
Thai government spokesman Thanakorn Wangboonkongchana announced that the new fee will be included in airfares, which is also part of the government's sustainable tourism plan.
Since early 2022, Maya Bay - a famous tourist destination in Thailand has reopened to welcome tourists after 3 years of closure. Due to concerns about the epidemic, the beach at Maya Bay is currently limited to 375 visitors per day and does not allow swimming. - Photo: Reuters
Thailand is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Asia, however, the Covid-19 pandemic has caused the country's tourism industry to continuously fall into a state of turmoil. Last year, Thailand welcomed only about 200,000 visitors compared to nearly 40 million in 2019, before the outbreak. Even recently, Thailand has encountered many difficulties due to the Omicron variant that is spreading rapidly around the world.
In 2022, Thailand is expected to welcome 5 to 15 million foreign visitors and the country's tourism industry is estimated to reach revenue of about 800 billion baht (23.97 billion USD).
