The Ministry of Tourism and Sports has gathered input from the tourism and hotel industries on potential measures to aid them in the current COVID-19 crisis, with loan deferments, utility discounts, and a tax deadline postponement among the measures to be proposed to the Prime Minister.
The Minister of Tourism and Sports Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn, disclosed that the ministry has held talks with representatives of the tourism, hotel, and convention businesses to decide on measures to assist these businesses heavily affected by the COVID-19 crisis.
Several measures were proposed in the discussion, including a 15% electricity charge discount, soft loan offers, tax filing deadline extension for the 2020 tax year, loan deferment offers, and a co-pay wage subsidy scheme for workers in these industries of up to 7,500 baht per month, as well as a suggestion to establish a fund to help tourism businesses.
These proposed ideas will be submitted in writing to the Prime Minister for his consideration.
The Ministry of Tourism and Sports will also be proposing a new Hotel Quarantine program, where international arrivals can serve their quarantine in a hotel, being required to stay within their room for the first 10 days, then being allowed to come out to use hotel facilities during the last four days.
This proposed arrangement will need to be approved by the Center for COVID-19 Situation Administration, while participating hotels must meet the standards set by the Ministry of Public Health and the Ministry of the Interior.
The Tourism Authority of Thailand’s Governor Yuthasak Supasorn, said a tourism promotion campaign targeting senior citizens has been pushed back due to the new wave of COVID-19 cases. The campaign is now being considered for a new launch date in March or April.
Mr Yuthasak said the extension of the Travel Together campaign will expire on 30th April. Registered persons who have booked holiday stays as part of this campaign can now amend their bookings while keeping all their benefits, according to the campaign’s terms and conditions.
He said all sectors are now working to find suitable measures of assistance, while racing to procure and deliver vaccines to the people, in order to end the pandemic and allow the tourism sector to restart in full. (NNT)
