Tourism operators welcome speculation on the new cabinet, with the Tourism and Sports Ministry forecast to be headed by the leading political party, Pheu Thai, which has vowed to stimulate the industry through various mechanisms.
Though a new cabinet has yet to be announced, several news outlets reported the ministry would be allotted to Pheu Thai, changing hands from the Bhumjaithai Party.
Adith Chairattananon, honorary secretary-general of the Association of Thai Travel Agents, said if the new tourism and sports minister came from Pheu Thai, it would be positive for the industry in terms of budget allocation and effectiveness in integrating relevant policies with other economic ministries.
If the ministry is led by the Bhumjaithai Party again, tourism policies are likely to remain the same, he said.
"We are looking forward to more fresh ideas," said Mr Adith.
He said he is optimistic about this shift, as Pheu Thai has already pledged to fix visa application problems for Chinese tour groups and the party wants to introduce visa fee waivers for foreign tourists.
Mr Adith said these measures are more likely to occur if the Pheu Thai Party also takes charge of the Foreign Affairs Ministry, which was forecast.
Srettha Thavisin, the new prime minister, also vowed to develop two new airports in Chiang Mai and Phuket. Mr Adith said the government should focus instead on developing infrastructure in second-tier tourism cities.
He said tourism operators agree with Mr Srettha's idea to revamp regional airports in more provinces, instead of increasing investment at major destinations.
While the Pheu Thai Party has a track record in developing economic policies in the past, Suksit Suvunditkul, president of the southern chapter of the Thai Hotels Association (THA), said it will take a while to see how much the new government can drive the economy.
Mr Suksit said the THA is concerned with the party's minimum wage policy because it would affect hotels with three stars and below.
He said the new government should prioritise reducing operational costs and other living expenses at an appropriate rate, such as electricity fees and food products.
As the Pheu Thai Party is also aiming for the Transport Ministry, Mr Suksit wants the party to solve several problems in Phuket, including taxi scams, drivers using ride-hailing apps being unable to enter the airport, and development of more public transport networks.
