The Department of Thai Traditional and Alternative Medicine (DTAM) has reached an agreement with the Department of Tourism on the promotion of health-oriented tourism, using Thai massage, Thai herbs, and medical cannabis to attract more visitors.
The Minister of Tourism and Sports, Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn has disclosed that Thailand in 2019 was able to generate some 400 billion baht in revenue from health-oriented tourism, which is a segment of the tourism industry that created some 500,000 jobs, attracting the government’s attention on the further potential of the sector.
He said that health-oriented tourism could be the key to the generation of income after the COVID-19 pandemic, while the government will be promoting knowledge of Thai herbs, including medical cannabis, as an aspect of this form of travel.
The DTAM Director General, Dr Amporn Benjaponpitak said the Ministry of Public Health is going ahead with the promotion of cannabis for medical use, and as an economic plant, following the legalization of medical cannabis in the country.
She said cannabis-related medical products and services, now undergoing development along with other Thai herbs, could further promote the health and wellness tourism sector in Thailand, making the country one of the key global destinations for health tourism.
An event promoting health and wellness tourism as well as herbal products is taking place at Iconsiam shopping center in Bangkok on the G floor. The event features herbal products from local producers around the country. It is taking place from now until Sunday 13th December. (NNT)
