Deputy Government Spokesperson Rachada Dhanadirek disclosed that Prime Minister and Defense Minister Gen. Prayut Chan-o-cha has handed down a policy to revise tourism plan and policy according to the situation. Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) is now implementing a marketing plan to promote long haul tourism from Europe, America, and the Middle East in a bid to ensure that total tourism revenue reach 1.62 trillion by the end of 2023 as targeted.
According to the Deputy Government Spokesperson, tourists from the 3 aforementioned regions generally spend longer days and more money than others. The number of 2,933,660 incoming European, 620,474 American, and 231,206 Middle Eastern tourists were recorded in the first 6 months of 2023. Based on the analysis on international tourist behavior during the first 3 months of 2023 (January-March), tourists from Europe spend an average of 19.40 days and an average of 71,718 baht per person per trip; those from the Middle East spend an average of 16.17 days and an average of 99,172 baht per person per trip; and the American tourists spend an average of 15.26 days and an average of 76,297 baht per person per trip. It is expected that the number of long-haul tourists exceed 7 million in 2023, generating the total revenue of over 600 billion Baht.
TAT has also planned to open a new office in Chicago, USA, in addition to its existing offices in New York and Los Angeles. Target groups will be tourists in Middle America and Canada and charter tourists. Another TAT office will also be opened in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia to attract tourists from the Middle East and North Africa. Saudi Arabia has become a high potential market following the country’s normalization of diplomatic relations with Thailand in 2022. The number of Saudi tourists visiting Thailand between January 1 and July 10, 2023 accounted for 75,652, the highest among other Middle Eastern counterparts.
The Deputy Government Spokesperson also emphasized that the Government strives to promote sustainable, balanced, and environmental-friendly tourism development, while implementing tourism plans and policies to accommodate the needs of tourists. (PRD)
