Thai Airways tests demand in Europe

Thai Airways has started selling direct flights from four cities in Europe to Phuket as the province counts down to its planned quarantine-free reopening in July, with hundreds of tour agents invited to take experimental trips during Q3 to test the scheme. However, with the cabinet on Wednesday extending a nationwide state of emergency until July 31, all services to the island have to be conducted as semi-commercial flights, requiring passengers to obtain a certificate of entry prior to arrival as part of Covid-19 containment measures. Siripakorn Cheawsamoot, deputy governor for Europe, Africa, the Middle East and the Americas at Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT), said tourism demand during the initial stage of the Phuket sandbox is expected to be soft because of tight travel restrictions in both Thailand and some tourist origin countries. For instance, a travel advisory in the UK rates Thailand on the amber list, mandating travellers returning from Thailand to quarantine at home for 10 days.<br/>