Long-stay tourism drive aimed at Japanese

– Thailand news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community

PHUKET: The Tourism Ministry has initiated a plan to promote long-stay tourism by focusing on Japanese tourists one of Thailand’s biggest inbound markets, said Tourism Minister Kobkarn Wattanavrangkul yesterday.

She was speaking after meeting with Long Stay Foundation chairman Ryuji Funayama, who revealed that more than 1.2 million Japanese were long-stay tourists worldwide, a figure expected to grow in the near future. Roughly 4,000 out of the 60,000 long-stay Japanese tourist in Thailand resided in Chiang Mai.

Kobkarn said that she planned to meet with the Board of Investment to promote long-stay tourism.

She said the strategy was aimed at boosting the country’s competitiveness against Malaysia, which had clear tourism industry policies.

Kobkarn also referred to PM Prayut Chan-o-cha recent trip to Tokyo, saying it appeared to have had a positive impact on Thai tourism. She said Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe expressed confidence in Thai politics and tourism, which would encourage Japanese to visit Thailand in 2015.

— Phuket Gazette Editors