- Thailand is introducing certified hygiene standards in tourism-related industries across the country
- The measures are intended to restore visitors’ confidence and keep tourists safe in the future
“My health and safety is going to be my top priority when I can travel again, and this will play a big part in where I choose to go,” says 32-year-old Malaysian business consultant and frequent traveller Putri Fazura.
She echoes the thoughts of many. Hoping to recapture the confidence of tourists like Fazura, Thailand is positioning itself as the number one safe destination to visit when travel restarts. Authorities have said they will roll out measures to keep visitors safe.
The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) plans to create a Security and Health Administration (SHA) certification to boost confidence for tourists once borders reopen and travel resumes. The idea behind it is to ensure visitors to the country are kept safe from the moment they step off a plane until they leave, while also protecting industry workers.
Chattan Kunjara Na Ayudhya, deputy governor for international marketing at TAT, says the move is one of the first of its kind in the world, and he expects many countries to follow. “This is a proposal for all tourist businesses to adhere to certain guidelines and regulations concerning hygiene. Eventually every country should have one,” says Chattan.
“This is an important measure to have in place once travel starts,” he says. “One thing many destinations are looking at is positioning themselves as being safe, and they need to have measures in place.”