CHIANG RAI – Thailand’s Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) will work with the National Economic and Social Development Council to help boost the competitiveness of second-tier provinces.
Chiang Rai and nine other provinces have be selected for a pilot project that aims to develop the destinations to meet market demands.
The other nine provinces selected were Mae Hong Son, Nong Khai, Ubon Ratchathani, Sa Kaeo, Trat, Chumphon, Ranong, Trang and Satun.
The first ten are part of the 55 second-tier provinces or cities that receive no more than 4 million visitors a year.
Tourism in less-popular tourist destinations like Chiang Rai have been promoted by the government in recent years, aiming to use the travel sector to generate more income for local communities.
The details of the pilot project are still under discussion and the initiative will seek a budget in fiscal 2020 Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) governor Yuthasak Supasorn said.
The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) is eyeing a 5-6% increase in its annual budget of 6 billion baht to run the project, which could help increase domestic travel to 185 million trips next year, up from 170 million trips expected this year.
The development of tourism services and products in other provinces will be on the TAT’s blueprint.
It will help achieve the goal of generating tourism revenue valued at 4 trillion baht in 2021, up from an estimated 3.38 trillion and 3.72 trillion baht in 2019 and 2020.
The tourism body is following the 20-year national strategic plan (2017-37) that maps out revenue targets and contributions to the country’s GDP.
The TAT anticipates contributions of 4 trillion baht revenue, which would account for 22% of GDP in 2021.
Tourism receipts will account for 30% of GDP by the end of the national plan, with income from smaller provinces like Chiang Rai representing some 40% of total tourism income.
Source: Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT)
