The Tourism Ministry has prepared a five-year tourism development plan aimed at receiving 30 million tourists and Bt1 trillion revenue per year.
“The ministry will propose this guideline and plan to the new government once the new tourism and sports minister is appointed,” permanent secre?tary Sombat Kurubhan said yesterday.
The strategy covers human resources, products, investment and tourism management.
For next year, the Tourism Authority of Thailand has set an international target of 19.5 million arrivals and Bt760 billion revenue. The domestic target is 93 million trips and Bt453 billion revenue.
The human development plan calls for improving personnel skills and working closer with more international tourism organisations like the Greater mekong Sub-region and United Nations World Tourism Organisation as well as Asean nations.
The ministry will ask the new government to increase caretakers and security guards at tourist spots around the country in order to reassure visitors. New products and attractions will be created by re-grouping eight tourism clusters covering all kinds of existing products, such as beaches, culture, nature and Thainess.
The new government should focus more on niche markets, including MICE (meetings, incentives, conventions and exhibitions), medical tourism and shopping.
The five-year plan would entail a significant boost in the budget for the entire industry from Bt20 billion currently to Bt100 billion per year.
The management would be upgraded by setting tourism as one of five national priorities over the five years.
Local administrations and other bodies will participate in the project to help develop their communities.
“Bangkok itself may need a special development plan to become a tourism hub not only for Thailand but also for the region,” he said.
The ministry will host the Tourism and Sports Festival from next Friday-Sunday at Impact Muang Thong Thani.
Source: The Nation
