Jetro, Commerce Ministry promote Thai hospitality overseas

 

The department and Jetro yesterday began a two-day workshop and conference on “Capacity Building for Thai Entrepreneurs on Hotel Management and Related Hospitality Services” to promote Thai hotel and service enterprises to businesspeople from Japan and countries in Southeast Asia.

Keynote speakers from Japan were invited to provide information on investment opportunities to more than 50 companies in Thailand. Japanese hoteliers also explained Japan’s investment law and other conditions. Japan has potential for wellness hostility.

Chantira Jimreivat Vivatrat, deputy director-general of the International Trade Promotion Department, said the service sector contributed up to 51.9 per cent of gross domestic product in Thailand last year while employing 45 per cent of the workforce.

“Hospitality is the target for this conference because it has high potential as the current government is putting more efforts into driving this sector,” she said. 

Tourism business contributed up to 17.3 per cent of GDP last year, she added.

The World Tourism Organisation has predicted that by 2020, the number of international travellers will increase to 1.6 billion. The Asia-Pacific region will play a major role, commanding 25 per cent of the global market, or about 400 million tourists. 

Tourists from Southeast Asia are expected to account for one-third of the Asia-Pacific total, or about 130 million to 140 million travellers.

Chantira said her department would work to improve service quality, particularly at small and medium-sized hotels, to cope with the surge of foreign tourists.

“Our operators, especially SMEs, should be able to cope with the growth of tourism and take long-term benefits for sustainable growth,” she said.

The department is also planning to promote proficiency and expertise of Thai hospitality to emerging markets including Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam, as all these countries need the expertise operators in Thailand can share.