Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul has pledged strong government support and urgent measures to protect the country's tourism industry, as industry leaders warn the country risks falling from a "top global destination" to "one of many options."
A delegation representing five major tourism associations met with Prime Minister Anutin on November 18 to present urgent recovery measures for Thailand's tourism industry as the country's "smokeless" industry shows signs of recession in the region.
International arrivals to Thailand are expected to fall by about 7% next year compared to 2024.
The delegation included representatives from the Tourism Council of Thailand (TCT), the Association of Thai Travel Agents (ATTA), the Thai Travel Agents Association (TTAA), the Thai Hotels Association (THA) and the Airline Association of Thailand (AAT).
Representatives proposed three-month emergency measures focused on enhancing safety, restoring trust and combating negative sentiment on social media.
Four key proposals were put forward, including: a global safety campaign to rebuild trust; stronger price incentives for domestic and international airfares; tax measures to stimulate tourism; and proactive communications to prevent reputational damage.
In the medium and long term, the private sector is calling on the National Tourism Policy Committee to promote six key work streams, including: reforming tourism laws; raising national service standards; improving infrastructure, especially in second-tier cities; promoting investment in new, world- class tourism products; building a fresh and attractive brand identity for Thailand; and enhancing competitiveness through sustainable development.
The private sector has warned that if the government fails to act promptly, Thailand faces a serious risk of being downgraded from a “top destination” to just “one of many options” in tourists’ travel decisions.
Prime Minister Anutin assured the associations that tourism is a top priority for the government. He also said his recent visit to China has opened up new opportunities through government-to-government (G2G) dialogue and created space for the private sector to negotiate on increasing tourism between the two countries.
According to the Thai leader, if the Chinese Prime Minister visits Thailand for deeper bilateral negotiations, the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) can propose a tourism Memorandum of Understanding to strengthen long-term cooperation and promote sustainable tourism between the two countries./.
Source: https://www.vietnamplus.vn/tu-diem-den-hang-dau-thai-lan-co-nguy-co-rot-xuong-mot-trong-nhieu-lua-chon-post1078013.vnp
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