BANGKOK, 20 November 2013 The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) has expressed confidence that more tourists will visit Samet Island by the end of this year, with the tourist number totaling 5 million for the whole year, generating revenue of 22 billion baht.
In the wake of the oil spill incident, Director of the TAT Rayong-Chanthaburi Office Chuchart On-charoen said hotel reservations for the high season on Samet Island this year had reached 60%. Although the figure was a 20% decrease compared to the same period last year, the director said he was confident the island’s hotel occupancy rate would grow during this New Year Festival due to many promotional plans.
For short-term promotion, the TAT will arrange road shows throughout the country and allow tourism entrepreneurs from Samet to set up booths at the fairs for free.
The TAT has set the tourist arrivals target on Samet Island for the entire year of 2013 at 5 million people, 90% Thai and 10% foreign, with the revenue target of 22 billion baht. At the end of this year, it is forecast that 700,000 tourists will travel to Samet and generate revenue of 4 billion baht.
