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Phuket Hopes To Open Up To Vaccinated Travelers In July 2020

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Since January, 2020, Thailand has suffered less than 100 deaths and around 30,000 COVID-19 cases. In fact, the country is generally regarded as being one of the few success stories of the pandemic. While this is obviously good, Thailand’s economy has suffered greatly, as tourism provides around 22 percent of the GDP. The tropical island of Phuket, particularly, has been hit hard and has only received a quarter of the international visitors who normally visit. Now, the island is hoping to welcome international travelers back, but only if they have received the full dose of the COVID-19 vaccine.

Officials announce the plan

Friday saw officials in Thailand approving a new plan to allow international visitors to skip quarantine when visiting Phuket. As long as they can prove they have received the full dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, they will be welcome from July 1, 2021. The new plan is hoped to reboot tourism in Phuket, ahead of the rest of Thailand.

The announcement comes after local business groups proposed a plan to purchase enough of the coronavirus vaccine to reach herd immunity on the island. With the local residents safe, this would allow for visitors to travel to Phuket.

The Bangkok Post has reported that a consortium of Phuket businesses have pooled their resources to purchase enough of the vaccine to pave the way for international tourists to visit again. The group of business owners and organizations includes the Phuket Chamber of Commerce and the Phuket Tourist Association. They proposed using private funds to inoculate 70 percent of adult residents on Phuket, which has a population of approximately 400,000 people.

By achieving herd immunity on the island, they could effectively do away with Thailand’s mandatory 14-day quarantine for visitors to Phuket. Obviously, until now, the quarantine has been a major deterrent, putting off many potential visitors.

Phuket to welcome visitors in July if all goes well

While Thailand has largely been successful is preventing the spread of the virus, reportedly the country’s vaccination rollout has been slow. However, it is hoped that the plan will go ahead and if the local vaccination efforts prove successful, Phuket could start welcoming visitors months ahead of the rest of the country.

The lack of tourists has obviously hurt Thailand’s economy, but there is also concern that international travelers could potentially bring in the virus. Due to this, the country has trialed several unique programs in an effort to encourage tourism, including a tempting yacht quarantine option. That option required travelers to provide proof of a negative PCR test and to have their health and location monitored throughout their stay out on the water.

Thailand initially proposed the pilot scheme in November 2020 and around 100 yachts in Phuket were set to take part in the program. Passengers will be required to wear a smart wristband to constantly monitor their location and vital signs, including temperature and blood pressure. Reportedly, the smartwatch is able to transmit information out at sea, within a 6-mile radius.

However, for those who don’t want to be stuck out on the water in a yacht, being able to give proof of being fully vaccinated will no doubt be more accommodating.

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The post Phuket Hopes To Open Up To Vaccinated Travelers In July 2020 appeared first on Tourist Meets Traveler.


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