The government has cautioned that it could be another half-decade before the tourist industry is fully revitalized, Grim news for tourist industry areas such as Phuket.
Before the pandemic, tourism comprised around 21% of Thailand's GDP, taking in1.8 trillion baht in revenue. The National Economic and Social Development Council predicts Thailand will not see similar numbers for 5 more years... It is a three-year jump from what experts predicted the tourism sector would take to recover. It is expected that 7 million workers will be affected between now and 2026.
As the country battles the worst wave of Covid-19 it has ever seen, Phuket locals remain optimistic that it can still reopen in July, followed by other "sandbox projects," and that some travelers return to their island.
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