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Health and safety to come first for tourism in Thailand when travel resumes after Covid-19. Hygiene measures offer a clean break for visitors

  • 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

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A visitor to a beach Thailand wears a face mask. The country is promoting itself as a clean, safe destination for when tourism restarts. Photo: Jack Taylor/AFP via Getty Images
Marissa Carruthers

“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.

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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.

A man walks along a beach free of tourists in Hua Hin, Thailand, earlier this month. Photo: Jack Taylor/AFP via Getty Images
A man walks along a beach free of tourists in Hua Hin, Thailand, earlier this month. Photo: Jack Taylor/AFP via Getty Images
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The Amazing Thailand SHA certification will target 10 types of business related to the tourism industry to ensure they commit to strict safety measures: restaurants and cafes; accommodation providers; amusement and recreation parks; transport operators; travel agents and tour operators; spas, wellness resorts and retreats; department stores and shops; golf courses and driving ranges; theatres; cinemas and souvenir shops.

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