Tourism Authority of Thailand sticking to target of 300,000 visitors a month
With a glass half-full in one hand, and a calculator in the other, the Tourism Authority of Thailand is confident the country will see 300,000 tourists a month – potentially more towards the end of the year. Yuthasak Supasorn says his agency will meet with tourism operators on April 29, to discuss promotional strategies for the international market. He remains optimistic that every time Thailand further relaxes entry measures, tourism numbers will pick up, as happened in April when the requirement for a pre-departure PCR test was lifted.
Despite the impending low season, Yuthasak says Thailand could welcome 300,000 visitors a month, potentially from places like India and the Middle East, in particular Saudi Arabia, after the Ramadan religious period. Furthermore, he says that number could grow to 1 million a month by the end of the year, if entry restrictions are further lifted and the pandemic situation improves.
In a bid to persuade Thais to holiday within Thailand instead of travelling abroad, the TAT will meet today with domestic tourism operators to discuss phase 5 of the “We Travel Together” scheme. According to a Bangkok Post report, under the scheme, hotel operators will be asked to offer an extra 2 million room nights, separate to the government’s subsidy for 2 million nights.
“The 2 meetings will help us explore the gap we still need to fill each month and be able to maintain the same goal at 5 – 15 million international arrivals and 160 million domestic trips.”
According to Yuthasak, the TAT also plans to focus on Thailand’s gastronomic offering, through its partnership with the Michelin Guide. Last year, the TAT extended the contract to 2026, following the launch of the Bangkok edition in 2017. In the north-east of the country, the provinces of Nakhon Ratchasima, Ubon Ratchathani, Udon Thani, and Khon Kaen have all been listed in the 2023 guide, following Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Phuket, Phang Nga and Ayutthaya.
SOURCE: Bangkok Post
