"Feedback from tourists about the Phuket sandbox is positive, but applying for the COE and expensive RT-PCR tests remain obstacles," said Chaiwat Tamthai, director of the TAT's Dubai office. Mr Chaiwat said if Thailand maintains the same travel conditions, the number of tourists from the Middle East should reach 20,000 in the final quarter. In 2019, Thailand logged 506,657 tourists from the Middle East, a reduction of 8% year-on-year, contributing 39.3 billion baht, a decrease of 7.2%. The top three markets in the Middle East are the UAE (130,158 tourists generating 9.7 billion baht), Oman (85,680 tourists generating 6.3 billion baht) and Kuwait (78,199 tourists generating 7.4 billion baht). He said tourists from the Middle East should reach 200,000 next year as they usually travel in a group comprising 5-6 family members.

Source: Bangkok Post September 15, 2021 01:41 UTC