Tourism operators have responded positively to a proposal to merge the Tourism Ministry with the Culture Ministry, citing the ability to better synchronise policies, while urging the government to also actively collaborate with other ministries.
MPs from the ruling Pheu Thai Party recently proposed restructuring the Tourism and Sports Ministry, separating the sports administration into a new ministry, while combining tourism and culture into a new ministry to enable more consistent work.
Thienprasit Chaiyapatranun, president of the Thai Hotels Association (THA), said pairing tourism and culture could be a more suitable solution than combining tourism and sports, as these two components have different missions and a different direction in terms of budget utilisation.
As the Culture Ministry is currently responsible for historical attractions, religious sites and cultural events, its database could be used to support tourism promotion and the development of new supply, said Mr Thienprasit.
He said the most critical issue is integration between different ministries, not only the Culture Ministry, since the tourism industry has typically been involved with several authorities.
These include the Transport Ministry, which regulates transportation for tourists, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, which administers national parks, and the Interior Ministry, which oversees hotel licensing.
Mr Thienprasit said it was good to see some collaboration between them over the past year, such as the visa-free initiatives, which were initiated by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Thanet Supornsahasrungsi, president of the Association of Chonburi Tourism Federation, said both sports and culture could support the tourism industry.
He said that when tourists visit Thailand, they typically look for cultural sightseeing, while sport events, such as MotoGP racing or other popular sports such as golf and diving, can also attract foreigners to spend more money in the country.
Any restructuring should bring about improved public facilities and infrastructure development and create safety and good experiences for tourists.
The government should also ensure the most efficient budget utilisation possible, as well as sufficient funds for tourism to attract high-spending visitors, said Mr Thanet.
The Tourism and Sports Ministry targeted 3.5 trillion baht in revenue next year as it announced the "Amazing Thailand Grand Tourism and Sports Year 2025".
As of Dec 22, Thailand had welcomed 34.3 million foreign tourists this year, generating over 1.6 trillion baht.
By the end of this year, domestic tourism is expected to earn over 931 billion baht from more than 193 million domestic trips.
