SPONSORED FEATURE THAILAND
SPONSORED FEATURE Q&A
Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn: Minister of tourism and sports, Tourism Authority of Thailand
What key messages are you sharing at WTM London? Our messages come from the Ministry of Tourism and Sports’ latest policy focusing on improving the tourism experience for local and international arrivals. This includes implementing better safety standards, enhancing attractions, and promoting reasonable pricing for products and services as well as environmental consciousness and community-based tourism. Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) will also promote local attractions, cultural and historical sites and sports tourism, as well as sports and arts events that will be held in Thailand, such as the MotoGP race and Tomorrowland festival. This strategy is in line with the Royal
Thai Government’s initiative to promote emerging provincial destinations around the country, aiming to achieve a better distribution of tourist arrivals between urban and rural areas outside high season, and encourage weekday travel.
What are your 2019 highlights? The Royal Coronation of King Rama X from 4-6 May, and the Royal Barge Procession on 12 December. Thailand also received a host of awards; for example, Bangkok topped Mastercard’s Global Destination Cities Index for the fourth consecutive year.
44 WTM OFFICIAL EVENT DAILY 04.11.2019
Are you running any sustainable tourism initiatives? In terms of responsible tourism and environmental conservation, two of Thailand’s national parks have been designated ASEAN Heritage Parks. Hat Chao Mai national park and Mu Ko Libong non-hunting reserve, and Mu Ko Ang Thong national park, became the 45th and 46th in the protected portfolio. Thailand has also added five new national parks around the country between 2016 and 2019 in accordance with the country’s 20-year national strategic plan, which targets increasing the forest area to 55% of the entire country by 2037. The five new national parks are: Namtok Chet Sao Noi; Khun Sathan; Mae Takhrai; Than Sadet-Ko Phangan and Doi Chong.
What will your marketing focus on next year? We will continue to focus on promoting responsible tourism alongside our “Open to the New Shades” marketing campaign, which places emphasis on providing positive and unexpected experiences in our “Amazing Thailand”. Future advertising campaigns will
continue to target specific groups and highlight the friendliness and hospitality of Thai people.
What are your 2020 tourism targets? To boost total tourism revenue by 10% over the projection for this year. We have also set clear directions to move the Thai tourism industry out of mass tourism and towards responsible tourism with an emphasis on quality, revenue- generating tourists.
What else is on the agenda for the next 12 months? To mark our 60th anniversary, we will launch a nationwide campaign with the theme “next steps towards a sustainable Thailand”, delivered to Thai people and Thai tourism stakeholders. In foreign markets, we will seek
first-time visitors from both new and long-standing source markets, and attempt to balance the seasonal spread by encouraging visitors in low season. We will also market homestays,
walking tours and local cuisine, and devise technology to reach customers.
FURTHER INFORMATION
Website:
tourismthailand.org Facebook: Amazing Thailand Twitter: @ThailandFanClub Instagram: @tourismthailand
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