Tourism industry expected to generate over Bt600 bn in Q4
THE NUMBER of foreign tourists and domestic travellers is expected to increase in the final quarter of this year with a total revenue expectation of Bt628.4 billion.
Tourism and Sports Minister Kobkarn Wattanavrangkul has predicted that foreign tourists will generate revenue of Bt400.4 billion this quarter, marking a 2-per-cent increase from the fourth quarter last year. Meanwhile, local travellers are expected to contribute Bt228 billion in revenue, marking an 8.8-per-cent increase.
The total tourism revenue for the October-to-December period is expected to be Bt628.4 billion, representing a 4.4-per cent increase from the last three months of 2015.
Kobkarn said cumulative international arrivals since January 1 until December 27, 2016, were 32.1 million, up 8.9 per cent from the same period last year, and generated revenue of Bt1.6 trillion, up 12.6 per cent.
The ministry has promised to make this country a top destination for five segments, namely sports, medical and wellness, weddings and honeymoons, marine travel, and Asean Connect – a regional connectivity programme.
To maintain growth in tourism, the ministry will also work with the Transport Ministry to promote travel on the railways.
Moreover, Kobkarn’s ministry will work on boosting arrival numbers from neighbouring countries, namely Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam, by promoting towns near the borders.
The ministry will also offer attractive campaigns to lure tourists from Europe, a market that is expected to rebound with rapid growth of 12 per cent in the coming year.
However, Thailand will be facing a drop in Chinese tourists, because many rival countries are now waiving visa fees for Chinese passport holders.
Thailand, though, still has the strength to cash in on international arrivals as the World Tourism Organisation has predicted that the tourism sector in Asia will grow by 3.8 per cent in 2017.
It is hoped that the upcoming full capacity U-tapao Rayong Pattaya International Airport will lure more foreign airlines into the Eastern region, while the expansion of Phuket Airport and its yacht and cruise industry are expected to attract more niche markets to the island.
