Thai Govt Set To Help Tourism Sector For Launch Of ASEAN Economic Community

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Govt Set to Help Tourism Sector for Launch of AEC

BANGKOK: -- The prime minister has expressed confidence that Thailand's tourism will continue growing despite last year's flood turmoil and said the government is ready to support Thai tourism operators to be ready for the launch of the ASEAN Economic Community.

Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra made a special speech on the government's policies on future tourism, saying that Thailand's tourism will continue expanding, as seen by the high number of foreign tourists last year at 19.1 million people despite the flood crisis

The PM said the tourism industry last year generated an income over 730 billion baht to the country as the main attractions were the country's distinctive culture and natural resources, which also allowed many new tourism-linked businesses to boom.

Yingluck added that the government will coordinate with business sector to work together, saying the two major issues that tourism operators should be prepared include the plan to regain foreign tourist confidence and to get ready for the launch of the ASEAN Economic Community.

The premier cited that the development of Thai youths' language skills and market expansion for Indian tourists should also be emphasized for the AEC launch.

Yingluck also commented on the US travel warning against Thailand over possible terrorist threats, saying the Thai Foreign Affairs Minister have been coordinating with the US authorities and the revocation of the warning could take some time.

The PM assured that the US fully understands the situation in Thailand and she hopes the US Embassy in Bangkok will lift the travel warning soon after several countries have already done so.

The Federation of Thai Tourism Associations representative Siddiwat Cheewaratanaporn stated all sides must work together to help develop tourist attractions or Thailand may lose out to neighboring countries.

He said tourists are not only interested in Thai culture but natural attractions such as islands and beaches are becoming more popular and neighboring countries are working hard to promote such attractions.

What the country must do is promote a longer stay for tourists and higher spending which means focusing on the quality rather than the quantity of tourists.

Tourism operators expect a growth in the tourism sector of seven to eight percent this year but there are lingering concerns about natural disasters.

Siddiwat added that the recent terrorist warning has just a short-term impact on the tourism sector as most tourists understand the situation in the country. He expects tourist arrivals to reach 20 million this year.

-- Tan Network 2012-01-31

[ROMANOBA]

If they want ' quality tourism' they must offer quality tourism destination and services - which they lack completely, with the exception of medical and SPA tourism, catering to a minority.

Quality tourist do not go to places where nobody speaks english.

[DiorDaVinci]

Romanoba, do you think the only tourists come from english speaking countries? There is no more cash in America or UK to travel even to Alabama.

[BigJohnnyBKK]

Romanoba, do you think the only tourists come from english speaking countries? There is no more cash in America or UK to travel even to Alabama.

No but most people from other locations who can afford to travel can and will expect to use the international language English at their destination. Unless you're saying the Russians/Indians/Chinese will be brushing up on their Thai before they come? Or local legal guides will be available that speak their native tongue? Dream on.

Even the most rabid Sinophile Thai would acknowledge the importance of English at the grass-roots level in expanding truly international tourism.

[anterian]

I once sat in a train carriage in Romania en route to Venice, It was a typical International train, full of backpackers, Germans , Poles, Italians, etc Who all communicated in the English language, the international language.