Thailand is planning to increase the average spending per international tourist by some 30 percent in 2021 to rehabilitate the country's tourism industry in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, Yuthasak Supasorn, the head of the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT), said on Thursday, adding that the country was expecting only 8 million tourists next year compared to 40 million in 2019
BANGKOK (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 03rd December, 2020) Thailand is planning to increase the average spending per international tourist by some 30 percent in 2021 to rehabilitate the country's tourism industry in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, Yuthasak Supasorn, the head of the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT), said on Thursday, adding that the country was expecting only 8 million tourists next year compared to 40 million in 2019.
"No more mass tourism. When this industry gets back on its own feet, Thailand should not be recognised as an unsafe place but be a 'sexy' destination which means we will provide safety, hygiene, environmental sustainability, extra experiences and focus on yield," Supasorn said, as quoted by the Bangkok Post newspaper.
According to the TAT governor, the urgency to increase the average spending per trip emerged even before the pandemic hit the country. In 2019, the average income from a single international tourist was 47,000 Thai Baht (about $1,500), which is $100 less than in previous years.
TAT aims to raise this figure to 62,000 baht in 2021 and 2022, with fewer foreign tourists � 8 million tourist arrivals instead of last year's 40 million.
Supasorn noted that the pandemic's aftermath would affect the tourism sector for years to come, which is why the industry should focus on quality and profitability, and not on the pre-crisis figures
The Thai health authorities have confirmed a cumulative total of 4,039 coronavirus cases, including 60 deaths.
