Thailand’s Tourism Council outlines strategies to raise tourist numbers

"To attract 35-40 million tourists from around the world, we need stronger entrepreneurs to serve the tourists, as well as concrete government policies to increase inbound traffic," said Chamnan, President of the Tourism Council of Thailand. 

While praising the government’s visa-free policies, he pointed out that it would be more advantageous to provide special visas to allow unique experiences, such as a six-month visa for foreign tourists to learn Muay Thai in the kingdom.

His suggestions are part of the council’s strategic framework for responding to the government’s ambitious target revenue of 3.5 trillion baht from the tourism industry this year.

Speaking at a media briefing on Thursday, he pointed out that while the government’s revenue target appears optimistically high, it should not be impossible to achieve due to the country’s wide-ranging resources, which can meet the diverse demands of tourists. In addition, Thailand is very distinctive and appealing due to its legendary hospitality and the friendliness of its people.

However, while there is plenty of demand for travel to Thailand, the country must do more to develop and upgrade the services offered by its entrepreneurs, as well as technology, innovations and its workforce

“Thailand needs to attract 35-40 million tourists from around the world to reach 3.5 trillion baht this year. To attract those numbers, we need stronger entrepreneurs to serve the tourists, as well as concrete government policies to increase inbound traffic,” Chamnan explained.

Meanwhile, with the help of think tanks and tourism clinics, entrepreneurs, particularly small and vulnerable ones, can improve their efficiency in order to compete with larger businesses and meet global sustainability trends.