BANGKOK - Local tour operators are asking the government for help, complaining that more travellers now tend to drive their own cars rather than take tour buses.

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"The behaviours of Thai tourists have changed as 85% of them prefer to plan their own trips while the others travel with tour agencies, causing many of them to close down or cancel many of their trips because they cannot afford the cost while the number of their customers decreases," Association of Domestic Travel (ADT) president Yuthachai Soonthronrattanavate said on Monday.

He said the ADT wanted the state sector to come up with measures to stimulate Thai tourism and encourage people to buy tour packages from tour companies.

These measures would have to be more concrete because tourism sector growth had dropped. Local tour operators saw growth of only 3 to 5% annually, and the rate would likely decline further, he worried.

Mr Yuthachai said more Thais now like to travel by themselves, because tour packages had not changed or improved much, and travellers can now also book hotels online.

Thawatchai Aranyik, Tourism Authority of Thailand deputy governor for domestic marketing, said TAT will hold a workshop with the ADT to help find solutions for local tourism operators.

However, tour agencies must find new ways to entice people to buy their products, and convince them of the  benefits of travelling with tour agencies.

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