Thailand reveals strategy to achieve tourism targets
Thailand’s authorities on January 18 revealed a strategy to achieve the tourism target of 3.5 trillion THB (over 98 billion USD) in revenue and 40 million foreign arrivals this year set by Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin.
Thailand will focus on increasing the volume of tourists, and expenditure and length of stay. (Photo: Xinhua/VNA)
Bangkok (VNA) – Thailand’s authorities onJanuary 18 revealed a strategy to achieve the tourism target of 3.5 trillionTHB (over 98 billion USD) in revenue and 40 million foreign arrivals this yearset by Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin.
Minister of Tourism and Sports Sudawan Wangsuphakijkosolsaid the ministry will focus on increasing the volume of tourists, and expenditureand length of stay.
Those could be achieved through events and festivalsthroughout the year, new tourism routes in second-tier provinces, and softpower products.
The ministry has targeted at least 8 milliontourists to arrive from China this year, generating over 320 billion THB inrevenue.
She said the ministry and related authorities willcooperate to recover confidence among foreign tourists, ensuring they cantravel safely in Thailand.
Sudawan said tourism will also be utilised as amechanism to reinforce relations between Southeast Asian nations as therewill be a meeting between regional tourism ministries in Laos later this month.The topic of the discussions will be focused on strengthening transportconnections by air, road and via waterways.
Likewise, the government will implement a permanentvisa-free scheme between China and Thailand, helping drive the market.
Thapanee Kiatphaibool, Governor of the Tourism Authorityof Thailand (TAT), said Srettha has instructed the agency to host a roadshow tothe Republic of Korea (RoK) to attract high quality tourists as well asinvestors.
According to the ministry, Thailand needs toincrease the number of chartered flights connecting new cities in potentialmarkets where there are no scheduled flights at present, including in China andRussia.
Incentives in the form of joint promotions for bothThai and foreign airlines should be set across all important markets.
The ministry is also in the process of proposinganother 30-million-THB budget, in addition to the 50 million THB proposedearlier to assist foreign tourists in case of injury or death./.
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Thailand will focus on increasing the volume of tourists, and expenditure and length of stay. (Photo: Xinhua/VNA) 
