Thai tourism federation FETTA plans transformative change for streamlined operations

Faced with a long-standing need for agile operations and goal-directed development, the Federation of Thai Tourism Associations (FETTA) is set to drive transformative change in Thailand’s tourism landscape. This follows the recent realignment of seven local tourism associations that have transitioned from the Tourism Council of Thailand (TCT) to become part of FETTA.

According to Adith Chairattananon, a FETTA representative with significant influence, also serving as honorary secretary-general of the Association of Thai Travel Agents (ATTA), there are strategies in place to promote streamlined operations via a non-hierarchical structure at FETTA. Explaining the blueprint for future operations, Chairattananon disclosed that a core agenda would be laid out, with different segments of this agenda entrusted to proficient association leaders.

By way of illustration, the task of ramping up the attraction of Chinese travellers will fall on ATTA, while the Thai Hotels Association (THA) will be responsible for overseeing concerns related to the accommodation supply chain. Chairattananon mentioned that one of the challenges when FETTA’s member associations were with TCT was the one-vote-per-association rule, regardless of the size of the association. Consequently, small associations with as few as 10-20 operators held as much voting power as larger associations boasting over a thousand members.

In light of FETTA’s leaner structure, encompassing just seven associations compared to TCT’s behemoth of over a hundred, the path is clear for a more effective workflow along with enhanced inter-member cooperation, Chairattananon suggested.

Furthermore, FETTA anticipates staging the Thailand International Tourism Conference before the year is out. The Federation will also submit a tenet of proposals to the newly appointed government. Key among these proposals is the request for a delay in the proposed increase in the minimum wage, given the financial strain many Thai hotels are grappling with.

Also on the agenda is a call for reduced interest rates for tour operators.

Long-term initiatives include the establishment of a tourism fund for operators, the granting of tax exemptions for refurbishing hotels and the introduction of visa-free travel arrangements for Thai tourists visiting Europe and the United States.

Fetta, a robust collective, includes ATTA, THA, the Thai Travel Agents Association, the Thai Tourism Promotion Association, the Professional Tourist Guide Association of Thailand, the Thai Transportation Operators Association and the Association of Domestic Travel.

THA claims nearly a thousand hotel members nationwide, accounting for around 26% of total licenced hotels in Thailand. Coupled with this is the occupancy capacity of 160,000 rooms across the member hotels.

On a related note, the 1,800 agent members of ATTA registered an impressive 10 million foreign travellers to Thailand in 2019, boosting revenue by over 500 billion baht. Of equal import is the Thai Travel Agents Association’s contribution to outbound tourism via its 900 member consortium, which facilitated 12 million Thai travellers’ trips on foreign soil in 2019, reported Bangkok Post.