by Donald Wood
Last updated: 9:59 AM ET, Mon March 29, 2021
Tourism officials in Thailand announced that fully COVID-19 vaccinated travelers arriving in Phuket this summer would not be required to quarantine upon arrival.
According to The Associated Press, Thailand Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha announced that vaccinated tourists arriving on the island starting on July 1 would not be forced to quarantine. The council also shortened its quarantine period from 14 days to 10 for international arrivals without proof of vaccination.
As part of the plan, domestic vaccinations in Thailand are expected to begin in April, with the country targeting a 70 percent inoculation rate before the island reopens to tourists in July.
The return of tourism proposal must be approved by Phuket's governor and health officials in the country overseeing the coronavirus situation. If successful, Thailand Tourism Authority head Yuthasak Supasor said the plan could be applied to other destinations in October, such as Samui Island, Krabi, Pattaya and Chiang Mai.
Thailand announced a goal of welcoming around 100,000 tourists in the third quarter of 2021.
Earlier this month, a group of over 15 major tourism companies in Thailand launched the #OpenThailandSafely campaign with the hopes of reopening to travelers on July 1. YAANA Ventures, Asian Trails, Capella Hotels and Resorts, EXO and many other companies were involved in the project.
In total, the Phuket Hotel Association said more than 50,000 employees in hospitality lost their jobs last year due to the impact of the COVID-19 outbreak.
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