The Tourism and Sports Ministry wants to directly offer subsidies to tour companies that sell packages to the elderly to help inject liquidity faster while the international market remains uncertain.
Minister Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn said the ministry is worried about the delay of the 5-billion-baht tourism stimulus project targeting 1 million senior tourists due to the new outbreak late last year.
He said it would be more efficient and manageable if the subsidized budget is distributed to tour companies instead of travellers.
The minister added that even though the Public Health Ministry is preparing vaccine passport regulations, Thailand has to wait for the World Health Organization (WHO) to officially announce the legitimacy of vaccines, which allows international tourists to travel freely without quarantine.
