World Bank projects lukewarm recovery for Thai tourism

Tourism and Thailand’s economy may be slow to recover, even with a comprehensive vaccine rollout, as transmission risks remain among vaccinated people and reopening does not necessarily mean a full return of foreign tourists, the World Bank says.

“We expect a relatively slow return of tourism, which will undoubtedly delay Thailand’s recovery of GDP growth,” said Kiatipong Ariyapruchya, senior country economist for Thailand at the World Bank.

“It is important to note reopening does not necessarily mean that tourists will return, as there might be other reasons they choose to stay at home, such as a lack of incentives or infection risks.”

In the “World Bank East Asia and Pacific Economic Update” that was released yesterday, the international body warned of a slow recovery, with output remaining below pre-pandemic levels until the…