BANGKOK — Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin’s team disclosed on Saturday that the PM will sign four announcements to update visa measures on Monday, July 15, that submitted by Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister Anutin Charnvirakul.
According to procedural regulations, the announcements will be published in the Royal Gazette, with all measures coming into effect simultaneously on July 15, 2024. The ease entry measures are aimed at attracting more foreigners to Thailand.
This move is in line with the adjustment of tourism plans in response to major challenges in the global and domestic economies, which are slowing down, and rising household debt.
The government aims to attract 36.7 million foreign tourists this year, with a target revenue of 2.3 trillion baht or 63.6 billion dollars from the international market.
Looking at the Overview of Tourism in the First Half of 2024 (Jan 1 – June 30), according to Sermsak Pongpanich, Minister of Tourism and Sports, Thailand received a total of 17.5 million foreign tourists, an increase of 35% compared to the same period last year. This generated revenue from foreign tourist spending of approximately 825,541 million baht or 22.8 billion dollars.
The top 5 countries with the highest number of tourists are: China (3,439,482 people), Malaysia (2,435,960 people), India (1,040,069 people), South Korea (934,983 people), and Russia (920,989 people)
These figures indicate that Thailand’s tourism sector needs to make significant efforts to achieve its goals, especially in terms of revenue.
Meanwhile, TAT has unveiled a comprehensive tourism strategy for 2025. This is not considered too early, as tourism has become the main engine driving the Thai economy at present and in the near future.
NatthriyaThaweevong, Chairman of the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT), has announced on July 8, a centralized operational plan for 2025, designated as the Thailand Grand Tourism Year. This initiative aligns with Prime Minister Srettha’s directive to elevate the tourism industry to new heights.
Key Strategies:
- Customer-Centric Approach: TAT plans to synchronize operations with tourist journeys, collecting feedback before, during, and after trips to enhance services.
- Economic Outlook: With global tourism expected to improve, TAT aims for total tourism revenue of 3 trillion baht in 2024, with an ambitious goal of 3.5 trillion in 2025 set by the Prime Minister.
- Foreign Tourist Targets:
- 2024: 39 million foreign tourists
- 2025: 40 million foreign tourists
- Domestic Tourism:
- 2024: 200 million domestic trips, potentially increasing by 30 million
- 2025: 220 million domestic trips
- Revenue Goals for 2025:
- 7.5-10% increase from 2024
- Approximately 3.4 trillion baht total
Implementation Plans:
- Large-scale events, especially in Q4 2024
- Expansion of flight routes
- Focus on high-spending tourists in luxury, health, and beauty segments
- Support for major cities and emerging tourist destinations
- Nationwide tour programs
- Enhanced collaboration among different units and agencies
Challenges:
- Competition from other countries, notably China’s low-cost tour packages
TAT’s Operational Structure:
- 29 domestic offices planned
- Collaboration with one agency for every 10 offices within the country
Government Initiatives:
- Aim to attract 36.7 trillion baht from foreign tourists
- Support for cooperation among state agencies and local government bodies
- Hosting conferences in 55 attractive provinces.
President of the Tourism Council of Thailand (TCT) Chamnan Srisawat mentioned that the government is confident it can reach the revenue goal by welcoming an additional 4 million tourists. It aims to boost domestic travel, attract Malaysian tourists to visit Bangkok, and increase spending. Additionally, more tourists from Arab countries are seeking medical treatment in Thailand.
For 2025, TCT estimates that the number of foreign tourists will be between 40-45 million, and domestic tourists will take about 220 million trips.
_____
Related article: Thailand Eases Entry for More Foreigners to Travel and Do Business from July 15
