After four Indonesian tourists arrived in Phuket on a yacht on Tuesday, the Tourism Authority of Thailand Phuket says the island is ready to welcome back boat tourists. The people who arrived on Tuesday were the first tourists to arrive in Phuket under Test & Go’s new extension for sea tourists, which started on March 1. Under the policy, sea tourists take an RC-PCR test for Covid-19, and isolate on the ship until they get their results.
A director from TAT Phuket said the return of yacht tourists is very welcome in the wake of Covid-19’s destruction of the island’s tourism economy. She said there are many boats requesting to travel under the new Test & Go scheme, and Phuket is ready to serve them.
“Phuket is ready to welcome tourists on yachts. This includes ports that can accommodate boats of various sizes, facilities for boat repairs as well as tour excursions…”.
The director said most tourists who come to Phuket by boat soon will be from European and Mediterranean countries. She said some might first travel to Phuket by plane, then take a boat to travel nearby, and then return to Phuket. Other tourists might arrive on boats from neighbouring countries.
Phuket has one port for large ships, and 30 government and privately owned piers for yachts.
Source: The Phuket News