The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) has cut its estimate for tourism revenue growth this year from 10% to 9.5%, attributing the set back to the global slowdown, strong baht and rising fuel prices.
The number of international arrivals this year is now estimated at 40.2 million, far short of the 41.1 to 41.3 million visitors the authority confidently targeted early this year.
Tourism revenue receipts are expected be down to 3.38 trillion baht, from 3.4 trillion, breaking down into 2.21 trillion baht from international tourists and 1.17 trillion from domestic travellers, according to TAT governor Yuthasak Supasorn.
He said some negative conditions surrounding Thai tourism were expected to ease next year, and TAT's marketing plans would help boost numbers to an expected 3.72 trillion baht in 2020, a 10% growth year-on-year.
Speaking at the TATAP 2020 (TAT Action Plan) forum in Udon Thani, Mr Yuthasak said the 10% growth target for next year was a considerable challenge, but it was achievable. The agency would place a higher focus on market segmentation and niche marketing, especially lifestyle and health-concerns tourists.
Cooperation with overseas travel agencies would be strengthened further to broaden the market and facilitate foreign visitors making arrangements abroad, he said.
He believed about 42 million foreign visitors would arrive in Thailand next year, contributing about 2.43 trillion baht, or 65% of the total receipts, while domestic travel would make up the balance, at 1.28 trillion baht.