Thai elephant camp provides extra jumbos as Chinese language vacationers return

By Kwang JirapornKuhakan

PHUKET, Thailand (Reuters) – An elephant camp in Thailand has bought six new jumbos to welcome vacationers and returning Chinese language guests, providing actions from elephant rides to elephant showers, the proprietor stated.

Pang Chang Kamala Elephant Camp on the resort island of Phuket can be including programmes corresponding to elephant care as a result of an increase in bookings after the Lunar New Yr, camp proprietor Wittaya Taweeros informed Reuters.

“Because the variety of vacationers has elevated, we’re able to welcome them, additionally with our newly purchased elephants,” Wittaya stated.

With 25 elephants now, the camp can obtain 300 vacationers per day, up from 200, he added.

Wittaya stated he was assured that extra vacationers will come. “We have already received 60% to 70% bookings after the Lunar New Yr from the identical agent we labored with earlier than the pandemic,” he stated.

Thailand’s very important tourism sector is seeing a fast rebound after the lifting of COVID restrictions final yr, with the federal government is anticipating 25 million overseas guests in 2023, together with 5 million from China because it reopens.

China’s reopening raises hopes for the return of Chinese language guests, who accounted for practically a 3rd of Thailand’s 40 million overseas vacationer arrivals in pre-pandemic 2019.

(Reporting by Kwang JrapornKuhakan, Writing by Orathai Sriring; Modifying by Raju Gopalakrishnan)