Leisure travel is bouncing back in parts of Asia but risks remain, says hotelier

Leisure travel is bouncing back in parts of Asia but risks remain, says hotelier

The darkest days for the tourism industry may soon be over, according to the chairman of a multinational hospitality firm. who don't have to quarantine, and others like Koh Samui are following suit, pointed out William Heinecke, CEO of Minor International, which runs a chain of hotels and restaurants worldwide. The Thai government recently announced a "sandbox scheme" for Phuket, saying the popular resort island will be open, quarantine-free to vaccinated Thai and foreign travelers from July 1. Koh Samui, Thailand's second largest island also became accessible to tourists from July 15‚ under‚ the same rules. Tourists can move around both islands freely and leave for other cities in Thailand after staying in Phuket or Samui for 14 days. "I think we're already seeing the results of that‚ (sandbox)‚ with people coming in ¢"¦ Phuket has been doing it effectively since July 1,"‚ with a rising number of tourists each day, he told‚ ‚ last week. Strong rebound in Europe, China Minor International, which runs more than 530 hotels, resorts and serviced suites worldwide, is also seeing a strong recovery in Europe, the Middle East and China, Heinecke said, pointing out that some regions have returned to pre-Covid levels or