TAT seeks B1.9bn to market
- By: CHATRUDEE THEPARAT
- Published: 13/01/2009 at 12:00 AM
- Newspaper section: Business
HANOI : The Tourism and Sports Ministry is to request an additional 1.9-billion-baht budget for the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) to boost the tourism industry and launch intensive measures to attract foreign visitors back.
According to Tourism and Sports Minister Chumpol Silpa-archa about 1.2 billion baht of the requested funding would be spent on marketing overseas and 700 million in Thailand.
The funding would cover an image-rehabilitation programme for Thailand along with advertisements and roadshows in target markets.
The funding proposal will go before the Cabinet for approval today.
According to Mr Chumpol, as part of tourism stimulus measures, the ministry would also seek cabinet approval for cutting landing fees for airlines by up to 50% and for introducing visa exemptions for tourists from the region and China.
Santichai Euachongprasit, TAT's deputy governor for international marketing, said the programme would help draw back foreign visitors by the second quarter of this year.
He said that Thailand's first priority in reviving the tourism industry is to restore the confidence of foreign visitors, most of whom remain concerned about Thailand's security following the week-long closure of Suvarnabhumi airport by the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD).
The Asean Summit in late February would be an opportunity for Thailand to restore its image, he said. In his view, the country's image would be revived if the summit goes ahead without obstacles or protests.
A team led by Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva is also scheduled to visit Japan and China by mid-February to boost confidence among investors, traders and visitors.
He said tourists from the Far East are the first group TAT needs to convince because they are extremely wary travellers.
In 2007, 1.2 million Japanese tourists visited Thailand, along with 900,000 Chinese and 600,000 Taiwanese.
Mr Santichai said the agency would co-operate with major tour operators in China and Taiwan on special packages for visiting Thailand during Chinese New Year between Jan 26- Feb 4. The China National Travel Association has already withdrawn its travel advisory for Thailand since Dec 25.
Mr Santichai said the agency would also go ahead with promotion programmes in the Middle East, India and Eastern Europe.
In a bid to get more access to target countries, the agency also planned to open offices in nine or 10 countries. Probable locations include Vladivostok in Russia, Mumbai in India, Hamburg in Germany and Kunming in China. Indonesia, France and Kazakhstan are also likely to be covered.
Without stimulus measures, the agency forecasts that foreign visitors to Thailand would be fewer than 14 million in 2009, compared with an estimated 14.3 million in 2008.
- Big drop in visitors to Koh Samui
- TAT expects 14 million arrivals in 2010
- Tourism sector frets over rally
- Government pledges to support convention sector
- Call for Phuket overhaul
- Nip to Thailand for a quick tuck
- Langham grows further in Thailand
- Big fair crowds bring smiles to operators
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