Royal Cliff Hotels Pattaya wins Best SHA Award for hotel accommodation

The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) is honored to announce 160 winners of ‘The Best of SHA Awards 2021’ for their excellence having in place the required safety and hygiene measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19, thus helping to ensure the health and safety of everyone, both the visitors and staff.

Mr. Yuthasak Supasorn, TAT Governor, said, “The Best of SHA Awards 2021 was launched in June, last year, to search for the best SHA-certified businesses in the 10 categories the certification covers, and celebrate their excellence. The initiative is to encourage business operators to continuously adhere to the SHA standard and maintain consistency in their safety and hygiene approaches.”

‘The Best of SHA Awards 2021’ is based on a Voice of Customer user satisfaction survey, and was carried out from 10 June to 20 October, 2021. Some 132,256 users submitted feedback by completing a questionnaire on the SHA-certified products and services they experienced in terms of the consistency in adhering to the SHA standard and having a ‘white’ tourism standard (convenience, cleanliness, safety, fairness, and environment friendly).

There are 11 ‘Best of SHA Awards’ winners – one for each of the 10 categories, namely:

1. The Grand Palace and the Temple of the Emerald Buddha – category of recreational activities and tourist attractions.
2. Kathi Baan Ahaan Thai and Khanom –category of restaurants and diners.
3. Royal Cliff Hotels Group –category of hotel accommodation and homestay.
4. Thai Air Asia –category of transportation (air travel).
5. Chic Car Rent –category of transportation (land travel).
6. JampaHom Tour and Travel –category of travel agencies.
7. Let’s Relax Onsen and Spa Thonglor –category of health and beauty.
8. Siam Paragon –category of department stores and shopping centres.
9. Alpine Golf Club –category of sports for tourism.
10. Aksra Theatre King Power –category of activity/meeting and theatre/entertainment.
11. Gourmet Market – MRT Ladprao –category of souvenir and other shops.

Meanwhile, 81 SHA-certified tourism-related businesses have been awarded 3 stars for consistently adhering to the SHA standard and have a white tourism standard (rated above 90 points).

Another 46 businesses have been awarded 2 stars for consistently adhering to the SHA standard (rated above 80 but under 90 points).

Last but not least, 33 others have been awarded 1 star for consistently adhering to the SHA standard (rated above 70 but under 80 points).

‘The Best of SHA Awards 2021’ presentation ceremony, which took place on 10 March, 2022, was presided over by Mr. YuthasakSupasorn, TAT Governor. The event was jointly presented by Mr. ApichaiChatchalermkit, TAT Deputy Governor of Tourism Products and Business, and Ms. ThapaneeKiatphaiboon, TAT Deputy Governor for the Domestic Market.

The full list of 160 winners of The Best of SHA Awards 2021 is available at this website: www.thailandsha.com/thebestofsha.

About the SHA & SHA Plus Certificates

The Amazing Thailand SHA certification was introduced in May 2020, and was certified by the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) in alignment with the WTTC SafeTravels protocols.

The elevated SHA Plus certification was first introduced in Phuket in June 2021, as the popular tourist island was prepared to pilot Thailand’s reopening under the Sandbox programme from 1 July, 2021.

Both the SHA and SHA Plus certifications are used to assess 10 types of business; namely, restaurants and diners; hotels, accommodation and homestays; recreational activities and tourist attractions; transportation; travel agencies; health and beauty; department stores and shopping centres; sports for tourism; activities and meetings, theatres and entertainment, and souvenir shops and other shops.

Meanwhile, the SHA Extra Plus (SHA++) are accommodation establishments that are certified for having partnered with medical facilities for COVID-19-related testing and medical treatment.

As of 7 March, 2022, some 42,191 tourism-related businesses have been certified with the Amazing Thailand SHA certificate with the top 3 being restaurants and dinners; hotels, accommodation and homestays, and transportation. (TAT)