Thailand expects to receive more than 10 million ASEAN tourists this year
BANGKOK: Thailand is expected to receive more than 10 million tourists from ASEAN countries this year, following the launch of the “ASEAN + India Shoppers in Thailand” project here on Tuesday. Thailand Tourism Authority (TAT) Governor Thapanee Kiatphaibool said that with the launch of the project, the number of visitors from ASEAN and India is expected to increase.
“We expect arrivals from ASEAN to exceed 10 million this year, while the number of Indian tourists is projected to reach 1.7 million. This represents 35 percent of the overall target for this year, which is 35 million visitor arrivals,” she said in her opening speech before launching the project.
Thapanee said the project, aimed at boosting Thailand’s economy through soft power, will run from April 29 to June 15 and emphasizes the government’s policy to make Thailand a tourism hub while promoting ASEAN as a single tourism destination. She said TAT and partners jointly initiated the activities, especially for ASEAN and Indian tourists, considering the geographical location of these countries and their interest in shopping and local experiences.
“Easy access and visa incentive policies are among the key factors contributing to 75 percent of ASEAN tourists becoming repeat visitors and India emerging as the fastest-growing source market,” she said. Thapanee said passport holders from Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Vietnam, and India can log on to the website www.aseanindiashoppers.com to vote for Thailand’s rich cultural resources.
She said participants will be given gift vouchers and special privileges, worth 500 baht (RM65.22) to 3,000 baht (RM391.34) each, which can be used to purchase Thai fashion and lifestyle brands as well as authentic Thai products at participating stores.
– BERNAMA