Thailand expects tourism revenue to hit 80% of pre-Covid level this year

Roughly 880 billion would come from Thai tourists while the other 1.5 trillion would be from foreigners, he added.

However, Thai tourism is experiencing difficulties because airlines had not yet reached their pre-Covid operating capacity, Yuthasak said.

“Compared with the pre-pandemic period, domestic flights have returned to 85%, while foreign flights have returned to only 56%." 

“Hence, TAT has joined hands with airline businesses to launch ‘BMA’ – which stands for ‘Bring it back, Make it full, All year round’,” he said.

The partnership will increase the number of flights and expand their availability all year long, he explained. 

However, tourism growth should not be measured in economic terms alone but should also include the “4Ws” – economic wealth, social wellbeing, environmental wellness, and human wisdom, he said.

As such, TAT is focusing on sustainable tourism by teaming up with Thammasat University to develop the "STAR" initiative.

Standing for Sustainable Tourism Acceleration Rating, the STAR initiative rewards tourism businesses that comply with United Nations sustainable development goals, he explained.

“Companies that take part in STAR will receive funding to assist them to improve their sustainability,” he said, adding that environmental friendliness is a major factor in hotel booking choices

However, only 20% of Thai hotels on the Agoda website are certified as sustainable, Yuthasak said.

The majority of visitors to Thailand last year came from Malaysia, India, and Singapore respectively, according to TAT data.

China was not on the list, having only lifted travel restrictions in January this year, but Yuthasak insisted Chinese tourists will continue to be essential for Thailand's tourism. Before the pandemic, Chinese tourists comprised about one-third of all arrivals.

This year, Thailand saw 2.1 million foreign visitors in January, and another 2 million in February and March, he said, citing TAT data.

Yuthasak was speaking at the event “Visit Thailand Year 2023: Marketing Strategy to Promote Year-Round Travel” held by the Thai Hotel Association on Monday.

He said TAT has been striving to encourage tourism through many projects, including the Phuket Sandbox and Special Tourist Visa.

The former allowed foreigners entry to Phuket during the pandemic without being quarantined, while the latter allowed tourists to stay in Thailand longer.