New TCT president poised to tackle tourism challenges
A tourism veteran from the Southern region, Ittirit Kinglake, yesterday was chosen as the new president of the Tourism Council of Thailand (TCT), to lead the sector as it tackles uncertainty and prepares for the opening of the Asean Economic Community (AE
Ittirit replaces Piyaman Tejapaibul, who held the post for two consecutive two-year terms.
Ittirit is not new to the hospitality and tourism industries, as he was president of the Krabi Tourism Association and also vice president of the TCT for years.
He will take on a two-year term in the top post at the country’s largest private-sector organisation, which represents about 50 associations across the country plus hundreds of individual and corporate members.
Ittirit said the tourism sector was still plagued by uncertainty, disturbed by many factors including political unrest, instability of the global economy, natural disasters, and internal competition. However, he said he would try his best to tackle this tough situation.
In the short term, he will form a team to handle several tasks such as boosting tourism in the remaining months of the year, maintaining tourist attractions, improving human resources, managing data and information, and readying the sector for the AEC, which will begin next year.
Moreover, the TCT will work closely with the government, especially the Tourism and Sports Ministry, on master tourism-development plans.
Ittirit said he would also continue with the TCT’s road map unveiled during Piyaman’s tenure, which aimed to increase tourism revenue to Bt2.2 trillion in 2015 and Bt4.4 trillion in 2019.
