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Thailand welcomes tourists with halal food and nature-friendly activities
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Among the tourist attractions of Thailand are the beaches, such as those situated in Koh Nang Yuan Island. (Courtesy of Amazing Thailand) (Courtesy of Amazing Thailand/Courtesy of Amazing Thailand)
Thailand's travel industry bounces back with sustainable tourism plans and destinations offering halal food.
As the pandemic recedes and traveling becomes more flexible for tourists again, holiday-goers are planning to visit Thailand—whether solo or with family. The growing optimism for Thailand tourism, in a country where tourism contributes 20 percent to the gross domestic product, is apparent in the massive comeback of tourists since the country dropped the PCR test requirement for vaccinated tourists from May 1.
That is what Tanes Petsuwan, international marketing in Asia and South Pacific deputy director of the Tourism Authority of Thailand, hopes for. He stated that Thailand—being the tourism hub for Southeast Asia—was prepared to welcome more tourists, particularly Indonesian visitors. Indonesian tourists play a significant role in Thailand's tourist sector, with slightly over 80,000 tourist arrivals from Jan. 1 to Sept. 6.
"We are currently developing community-based tourism, [which is] beneficial for tourists in understanding nature," Petsuwan said during a media luncheon at Raffles Hotel, Jakarta, on Sept. 15.
Petsuwan explained that Thailand was eyeing sustainable tourism, noting that it was important for everyone to give back to nature. Tourists in Koh Tao Island, for instance, are encouraged to work with the local people to pick up plastic waste that litters the beach.
Petsuwan also said that there was more to offer from Thailand's tourist attractions as the country explores more of its northern region, such as Hua Hin, as an alternative to Koh Samui. Nestled three hours away by car from Bangkok, Hua Hin offers an escape for tourists looking to get away from crowded areas.
Another popular destination for a family holiday, according to Petsuwan, is Chiang Mai which is also dubbed as the city of art, in the northern region.
Thailand is an unmissable culinary destination. Petsuwan mentioned that halal food was more accessible for tourists, especially in the southern region of Thailand, such as in Phuket.
"The people living in the southern region are predominantly Muslim, sharing similar culture. [These destinations are] now accessible for tourists to find halal food.”
“Since Thailand opened its border in January, we have received over 5 million international tourists; We hope that by the end of the year, there will be at least a total of 10 million tourists flocking to Thailand," Petsuwan concluded.
