Thailand recently announced the reopening of its borders for vaccinated travellers without any quarantine from the 1st of November 2021. A piece of great news was well received. At the same time, we welcomed Christina, our new MICE Manager at Easia Incentive Thailand, and who is highly motivated to make Thailand your next (and favourite) destination for Incentive trips!
Are you interested in learning more about Christina, her experiences in Thailand and her favourite products? Curious about what incentive travel will be like in Thailand in 2022? Please read our short Q&A with Christina below!
How long have you worked in the Incentive Industry and Southeast Asia?
I started back in 2013 in Southeast Asia. As a French-Thai, I moved to Thailand 8 years ago from France to experience the Thai lifestyle and have had the opportunity to work in the Incentive/Travel industry ever since. I’m now thrilled to join the Easia Incentive Thailand team as the new MICE Manager.
Thailand is reopening its doors to vaccinated travellers without quarantine; what does that mean for Incentive travels?
That’s excellent news for Incentive travels! Thailand is finally reopening its doors to fully vaccinated travellers from abroad to revive a tourism industry that was severely affected by the pandemic. With measures and health precautions, we are more than ready to welcome incentive travellers to our destination, which is sure to perk interests and motivate the workforce of any business!
What is the current situation in Thailand? Is Thailand ready for incentive groups after such an extended closure?
Thailand is recovering well after this extended closure. The reopening plan will kick off this November: hotels, excursions, restaurants, events venues are well prepared and becoming SHA or SHA+ certified to help them, welcome incentive groups once again.
SHA (Safety and Health Administration) is a certificate given by the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) to hotels and services that meet pandemic-level safety and health standards. These include regular cleaning, availability of sanitisers, safe table arrangements, adequate signage, and several other staff procedures. It’s a certificate meant to assure you that the establishment you’re staying at practices proper hygiene protocols and is safe to visit.
SHA+ is simply an upgraded, stricter version of SHA. Being a SHA+ hotel means more than 70 per cent of the staff is fully vaccinated and that no unvaccinated staff are allowed to have close contact with guests. It also requires each staff member to be prepped with COVID-19 emergency solutions.
According to you, what will be the must-dos for an incentive group in Thailand in 2022?
Southern Thailand is a must-do! Looking at the bright side of this global crisis, beaches and islands have remained untouched over the past year, with no tourists and a reduction of CO2 and other polluting emissions. Nature regains its full glory. Visiting Phang-Nga Bay or Koh Phi Phi will now have different aspects: cleaned and preserved.
Could you tell us which your favourite place in Thailand is? How about your favourite food and favourite activity?
There are so many great places in Thailand; it’s challenging to pick just one! I would have to say the Similan Islands, such a magical place in the Andaman sea. Closed six months a year to rejuvenate the ecosystem during the low season, it’s a fantastic spot for diving, and the white sandy beaches are simply breathtaking.
I love Thai food. You will never get bored of Thai food and its many flavours. My go-to dish is “Pad Kapao,” a Holy Basil Chicken Stir-Fry. We have an expansive dining range, from street food to Thai fine dining, with something to satisfy every palate!
Outdoor activities are my favourite: surfing, hiking to watch the sunset on the hill, and Thai boxing, aka “Muay Thai,” Thailand’s national sport and cultural martial art.
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