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According to the Tourist Authority<br />

of Thailand (TAT), a whopping<br />

40 million tourists are expect<br />

to visit Thailand during the next<br />

year, up from 37.5 million in 2018.<br />

Along with the increase in traveler<br />

numbers, the total tourism<br />

revenue is expected to increase<br />

some 10 per cent to 3.4 trillion<br />

baht. Encouraging is the fact that<br />

domestic tourism will likely generate<br />

1.12 trillion baht from 169 million<br />

trips, with the other 2.28 trillion<br />

baht coming from foreign tourists.<br />

Tourism revenue is expected to<br />

help the economy and improve<br />

living standards of poorer communities.<br />

The Tourism Authority of Thailand<br />

governor Yuthasak Supasorn<br />

was quoted as saying, “Tourism<br />

contributes 18-19% to GDP. The<br />

industry will continue to grow and<br />

that is very challenging for TAT.”<br />

Overall, there was a growing<br />

diversity making up foreign tourists<br />

currently.<br />

610,000 visitors came from<br />

the Middle East last year. Whilst<br />

this was only 2 per cent of international<br />

arrivals, this group spent<br />

an average of 7,200 baht per day<br />

whilst in the Kingdom, more than<br />

the average daily spend overall<br />

which stood at 5,200 baht per day.<br />

Mr. Pichaya Saisaengchan,<br />

director for the Dubai and Middle<br />

East office was quoted as saying,<br />

“The high season for the Middle<br />

East falls between July and August,<br />

which is good [as it’s] Thailand’s<br />

low season. TAT expects<br />

tourist numbers from this region to<br />

increase by 3% next year.”<br />

As expected, China remains a<br />

big market for the TAT. Anchalee<br />

Kumwong, the TAT Beijing office<br />

director was quoted as saying,<br />

“China will remain the top market<br />

for Thailand. Only 10% of China’s<br />

population, 140 million people,<br />

have a passport. That number will<br />

increase, boosting overseas travel.”<br />

Interestingly, the US and Canada<br />

markets are also expected to<br />

grow from the already robust 1.5<br />

million American and Canadian<br />

tourists last year. Executive director<br />

for the Americas Region, Jittima<br />

Sukpalin said that there are<br />

now three offices in the US and<br />

Canada located in New York, Los<br />

Angeles and Toronto. She was<br />

quoted as saying, “We will promote<br />

secondary provinces such<br />

as Chumphon, Ranong and Trat<br />

provinces in this market”. The aim<br />

is to appeal to millennial tourists<br />

who are keen to enjoy the outdoor<br />

attractions that Thailand has to offer.<br />

However, following the news<br />

that the famous coastal area used<br />

in the movie “The Beach” is to shut<br />

down for some months so that it<br />

can recuperate from an over-run<br />

of tourists, the government is keen<br />

to ensure that there is sustainable<br />

tourism in all resorts. There will be<br />

random checks on resorts in such<br />

places as Koh Phi Phi to ensure<br />

that standards are kept high and<br />

that licenses and employment<br />

contracts are in check.<br />

The tourism and sports minister<br />

Weerasak Kowsurat said that<br />

the aim was to improve tourism<br />

quality and maintain standards.<br />

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