Legal Measures to Revitalize Tourism for Hotel Businesses in Phuket : Cases of the Spread of the COVID-19 Virus

Abstract

This research aimed to study legal measures to revitalize the tourism industry, specifically hotel businesses in Phuket Province, after the Covid-19 pandemic. The research focused on the problems, concepts, theories, principles, and Thai and International laws regarding the revitalization of the tourism industry, post Covid-19. Furthermore, procedures to develop legal measures to help revitalize the tourism industry, specifically hotel businesses in Phuket Province, were studied. A qualitative research method was used, which included document research and in-depth interviews.

          The findings showed that during the recovery of the tourism industry, specifically related to hotel businesses, the government urgently implemented measures to alleviate the suffering of hotel business operators. The measures included financial aid, tax deductions, a reduction in the rate of contributions to the Social Security Fund, and stimulation of tourism by subsidizing 40 percent of a hotel’s rate to tourists. However, these stimulation measures are only temporary governmental policies, and there are no to support the recovery of hotel businesses.

          This research proposed to alleviate problems in the long term. Hotels are the heart of the tourism industry, and a major source of revenue generation for the country. Therefore, the government should amend the Hotel Act B.E. 2547 (2004), Section 39/1, to include the establishment of the hotel business rehabilitation fund, and Section 39/2 to include the legal registration of small hotels Safety & Health Administration (SHA) who are then able to service tourists in an environment where the prevalence of Covid-19 is steadily reduced.