The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) has revised down the number of international arrivals this year to 40.2 million from the 41.3 million forecast earlier.
The agency also cut revenue growth of overall tourism receipts, which include domestic travel, to 9.5% from 10%, bringing revenue this year to 3.38 trillion baht, down slightly from the previous projection of 3.4 trillion.
TAT governor Yuthasak Supasorn has attributed the fall to the global slowdown, the baht's appreciation and soaring fuel prices disrupting travel plans.
Revenue this year will break down to 2.21 trillion baht from international tourists and 1.17 trillion baht from domestic travellers.
Speaking at TATAP 2020 (Tourism Authority of Thailand Action Plan 2020) in Udon Thani yesterday, Mr Yuthasak said he hoped some of the negative conditions surrounding Thai tourism would ease next year.
Together with the marketing plans of the TAT, better conditions will help boost tourism revenue to 3.72 trillion baht in 2020, or 10% growth year-on-year, Mr Yuthasak said.
The target is a challenging task but achievable, he said, as the agency will place greater focus on market segmentation and potential niche market groups, especially lifestyle and health-oriented individual tourists who tend to spend more during trips compared with mass tourism.
The aim is to increase the portion of quality tourists who have income above US$60,000 a year to 20% by 2021 from 13% at present.
Cooperation with online travel agencies (OTAs) will be strengthened to broaden Thai tourism and facilitate foreign visitors abroad. OTAs can serve as game-changers because they are an online platform with numerous demands, Mr Yuthasak said.
"We have to reconsider the tourism marketing plan from making it fast to making it last in the long run instead," he said. "The TAT will not only aim to raise income but also balance sustainable development through the return-on-experience strategy to impress tourists with local experiences and attract them to come back for more."
Sightseers at Wat Pho. The TAT will target quality tourists. PATIPAT JANTHONG
Next year, the volume of foreign arrivals is projected at 42 million, contributing about 2.43 trillion baht or 65% of total receipts, while domestic travel will make up the balance at 1.28 trillion baht.
Tossaporn Sirisamphan, chairman of the TAT board, said it's necessary for the authorities to improve existing tourism destinations and offer new attractions that meet global trends in order to maintain Thailand's status as a preferred destination.
One of the five-year goals for Thai tourism is to move up to 30th place from 34th in the Travel & Tourism Competitiveness report by 2022, Mr Tossaporn said.
In order to achieve the goal, the tourism sector has to focus on development of five key tourism products, namely creative tourism, business tourism, marine tourism, tourism that connects to other regions, and beauty, health and wellness tourism.
According to Mr Tossaporn, the national policy plan for tourism has placed a focus on promoting tourism in small provinces in order to use the sector to distribute income to locals. The plan aims to narrow the ratio of tourism receipts from major cities against second-tier provinces to 80:20 by 2022 from 87:13 last year. The ratio is set to rise to 60:40 by 2037.
Under the national plan, there are some projects that could promote tourism on site and nearby such as the Southern Economic Corridor that will create a strategic area between the Andaman Sea and the Gulf of Thailand, especially Ranong province with its eight-metre-deep seaport.
Another project is the development of the Thailand Riviera into a romantic coastline, a scheme already tabled for cabinet consideration.
In the North, Lanna culture plays a key role in promoting local experiences, while simultaneously connecting with China and Luang Prabang in Laos.
