after being confined to our homes for over a year the idea of spending some time soaking
under the tropical sun sipping pina coladas sounds like a dream doesn't it the coronavirus
pandemic turned long distance travel sound like an unachievable dream for most of us but things
seem to be looking better now with many countries opening their borders to international tourists
thailand is the latest country to join the list the southeast asian country came
up with an innovative solution to bring in travelers without the hassle of quarantine
and it's going to benefit other asian countries as well the success of the much hyped sandbox module
will have a positive impact on tourism in asia with more countries adopting the sandbox model
so far asian countries have been following tight restrictions in terms of international travel
and the focus has been on domestic travel to keep the tourism industry alive countries like china
and japan can rely on domestic tourism revenue but smaller nations like thailand and vietnam
do not have the same privilege in such cases sandbox projects will prove to be lucrative
in the year 2019 phuket alone welcomed over 10.5 million visitors and raked in 13 billion dollars
in the international tourism sector tourism is a major contributor to the thailand's gdp
so when the pandemic put a halt on international travel many businesses had to shut down when their
sole source of income died down phuket is one of the most popular travel destinations around the
world and why wouldn't it be its picturesque speeches and bright nightlife have something
to offer for everyone so what did they do to revive the vibrancy thailand started the phuket
sandbox pilot project on july 1st according to the initiative fully vaccinated travelers are
welcome to phuket island without any mandatory quarantine however travelers must stay in phuket
for at least 14 nights to visit other thai destinations if the duration of the stay is
less than 14 nights then the tourists will have to leave phuket to other international destinations
travelers must stay in sah plus accredited hotels only instead of confining tourists to
a hotel room the thai government made quarantine a holiday event tourists are free to roam around
the city of phuket and enjoy its pristine beauty depending on the duration of the stay you can
hop to other exotic places in thailand or fly away to another country other asian countries
like indonesia sri lanka vietnam might also benefit from thailand's reopening initiative
bali is already planning to open up green zones once it hits his vaccination goals
malaysia and cambodian might also join thailand's initiative 2021 doesn't seem so bad after all you
can still quench your thirst for wanderlust and make up for all the time you spent indoors before
we tell you more let's make sure to hit the like button if you enjoyed the video and share with
your friends who are planning to travel soon also don't forget to subscribe for more videos
and click on the bell icon to be notified every time we post a video alrighty now let's get back
achieving vaccination goals is of utmost importance to countries that want to open
their borders to travelers countries with smaller populations might achieve their goals faster keep
an eye out for places like bali vietnam and other asian countries other sandbox initiatives will pop
up soon creating a perfect opportunity to travel to various asian countries without quarantine
when in phuket you can sunbathe at patong beach or head over to explore the other serene spots lakata
beach or caron beach architecture fanatics can explore the chinese portuguese architectural style
found in the old parts of phuket town the island also offers one of the best diving and snorkeling
experiences don't miss visiting phuket's big buddha located at the top of neckard hills
the island also has hiking trails that lead to magnificent viewpoints
the region also has ample restaurants museums and markets to keep you entertained for two weeks
the project has been implemented just in time for the upcoming tourist season in december
travelers choosing to avoid the two-week hotel quarantine in bangkok can head straight to phuket
the sandbox initiative is going to be a long-term one in the region and since phuket is the first
one to open up things might go wrong however the island and its airport have already been stress
tested to avoid any mishaps as tourists start to trickle in larger numbers almost 70 percent of the
island's population are vaccinated and the hotels must maintain a roster of fully vaccinated staff
this safe haven will set an example for other asian countries in the coming months phuket is
not the only sandbox that the thai government has planned a similar model in the northern city of
chiang mai cities like koh samui ko pangnang and koh tao have also been open for fully vaccinated
travelers however their restrictions are tighter in those regions though the coronavirus situation
in phuket is under control the mainland has a different story to tell witnessing a rise
in kova 19 death to keep the phuket sandbox covet free the thai government has banned
domestic travelers from entering the island so are you all set to board the next jet to thailand
let us know in the comments below well with that we have come to an end of the video tutors