Following the detrimental effects of the pandemic, Thailand’s tourism industry continues to recover and this has been boosted by both foreign and domestic travellers.
“Thailand is leading Asia in terms of inbound tourists, but it has not yet reached 2019 levels,” says Omri Morgenstern, CEO of Agoda, an online travel platform.
According to Mr Morgenshtern, the return to pre-pandemic levels is dependent on the opening up of major inbound markets such as Japan, mainland China, and Hong Kong. He believes that with this facilitator, previously high levels can be reached within 3-6 months.
Due to government stimulus programs such as “We Travel Together” and Agoda’s collaboration with the Thai government and tourism sector, domestic travel search rates increased by 50 per cent in the month of August alone. There was an increase in Thais traveling to secondary cities and upgrading their hotel bookings to more luxurious options than usual.
