BANGKOK, Jan 6 (TNA) – The first flight from China after the COVID-19 pandemic will land in the country on Jan 9 with about 200 visitors from Xiamen and they will be among 300,000 arrivals from China expected in the first quarter of this year, according to the Tourism Authority of Thailand.
Acknowledging the information, Tourism and Sports Minister Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn said that workers in the tourism sector had not been fully restored and thus the country could gradually increase its capacity to welcome visitors due to the major problem of workers’ shortage.
The minister said he ordered relevant parties to produce workers in the service sector as fast as possible because the sector played the most important roles in the Thai economy.
Mr Phiphat said that in the first three months of this year about 300,000 Chinese tourists were likely to arrive in the country. More arrivals from China would follow because traditionally Chinese people would go on vacation after celebrating the Lunar New Year and paying respects to their ancestors, he said.
After April, more Chinese tourists would pay visits and Phuket and Chiang Mai would be their main destinations, the minister said. (TNA)
