Bangkok has been picked as the world's most popular tourist destination in a new ranking by Business Traveller China, a leading Chinese-language magazine, said the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) yesterday.
Bangkok beat Tokyo and Shanghai in the final round of this year's selection of the most popular city among the readers of the magazine surveyed, said Rattinan Chantanakoseth, deputy director of the TAT's office in Beijing.
The result of the "2019 Favourite Leisure City in The World" category was announced on Friday night at the 2019 Business Traveller China Awards Ceremony held at the New World Beijing Hotel, she said.
Tourism and Sports Minister Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn, meanwhile, said the government would next roll out measures to help ease the burden on foreign tourists caused by the strong baht.
He was speaking while attending China International Travel Mart 2019 in Kunming.
Aimed at bringing down the costs of visiting and staying in Thailand, "these measures are expected to be announced before the end of this year", he said.
The number of international tourists visiting Thailand this year is estimated to be 40 million, while in the coming year the number is projected to rise to at least 42 million, according to the minister.
"Thai tourists already have the cash giveaway and rebate Chim, Shop, Chai [taste, shop, spend] and the 'Go Everywhere for One Hundred Baht' schemes to help with costs," he said.
Recipients of the Chim, Shop, Chai scheme's first two phases have spent 12.4 billion baht, of which 12.3 billion came from the 1,000-baht cash giveaway and the remaining 100 million as part of the 15-20% cashback scheme, according to figures from the Finance Ministry.