PHUKET: Minister of Tourism and Sports Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn has launched a new ‘Post COVID Syndrome’ travel campaign to help tourism businesses in Phang Nga to recover.
Speaking at La Flora Hotel Khao Lak resort on Sunday (July 24), Mr Phiphat likened the new campaign to “unveiling a new dimension in tourism for Phang Nga”, in what he called an aspect of “Creative Economy”.
The campaign will aim to attract tourists by providing a holistic rehabilitation programme for people with Post Covid Syndrome through Thai traditional medicine and integrated medicine.
The programme was developed by the Prince of Songkla University Faculty of Thai Traditional Medicine in collaboration with La Vela Hotel Group, Khao Lak, and the Andaman and Gulf of Thailand Health Promotion Hotels Association.
“By highlighting the selling point of being the world’s leading health tourism centre by combining Thai traditional medicine and integrated medicine to rehabilitate people with Post Covid Syndrome,” Mr Phiphat said.
“This is a group of new quality tourists that are being watched from all over the world at the moment, demonstrating the far-reaching vision of the government and private sectors in Phang Nga Province in providing such rehabilitation programmes for these people,” he added.
“It is an operation that is in line with the policy development concept ‘Creative Economy’ of the government because it is the production of new goods and services using knowledge, creativity, technology and innovation to further develop to create added value to the economy,” Mr Phiphat said.
“This will generate income from health-promoting tourism for every stage of the supply chain, from the people to communities to a wide range of business operators,” he noted.
In addition to Phang Nga Governor Chamroen Tipayapongthada, who has previously served as Governor of Phuket, the launch featured a powerhouse of Phang Nga tourism figures, including Paiboon Kulphaeng of the Phang Nga Tourism and Sports Authority office, and Aman Mad-Adam, Director of the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) Phang Nga Office.
Also present were Institute of Thai Traditional Medicine Director Chakrawut Phuekkong, Phang Nga Provincial Public Health Office Chief Wittaya Wattanaruangkowit and Phang Nga Provincial Administrative Organisation President Tharathip Thongjerm.
Representing the private sector were Sompong Dao Piset, President of the Andaman and Gulf Hotels Association; Kanthat Kulwanich, President of the Phang Nga Chamber of Commerce; and Lertsak Panklin, President of Phang Nga Province Tourism Business Association.
The launch also featured a forum on the topic of “Wellness Integration: Recovering your body and mind with Holistic Post Covid care”.
Phang Nga Governor Chamroen pointed out that incomes of tourism operators in Phang Nga had been heavily affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.
“The Phang Nga Provincial Office has worked with various sectors to stimulate the economy. and increase the potential of Phang Nga’s tourism business to become more valuable by supporting health-promoting tourism, which is in line with the national development strategy to help the economy of Thailand to recover,” Mr Chamroen said.
“Phang Nga Provincial Office is ready to support health-promoting tourism in the area. There will be projects that will help support entrepreneurs and people in the future,” he added.
“In addition, university departments such as the Science Park Research and Development Office and other agencies have brought different products related to health-promoting tourism, which is the result of work of university researchers, to present to local business owners to use their products and knowledge to benefit their businesses Increase tourism income in the area,” Mr Chamroen said.
