Government house: The Minister of Tourism, Mr. Surasak Panjaroenvorakul, announced that the National Economic and Social Development Council (NESDC) is in the final stages of preparing the conditions for the "Thai Travel Plus" project, aiming to generate 5 billion baht in revenue and increase tourist numbers in the final quarter of the year.
According to Thai News Agency, Mr. Surasak stated after a Cabinet meeting that while the Ministry of Tourism and Sports has not yet formally discussed the project within the Cabinet, the NESDC has provided updates on its progress. The council is working towards meeting the October 1st deadline for finalizing the project conditions. They are also considering feedback from the hotel association, which prefers the project to commence by September, and are making efforts to finalize plans by then.
Mr. Surasak highlighted that the initial budget for the "Thai Travel Plus" project is estimated at 1,750 million baht. Success in the first phase could lead to additional phases to further stimulate domestic tourism. He noted a slight slowdown in domestic tourism, although figures have improved since the energy crisis. Meanwhile, foreign tourist numbers have decreased by 2-3%. However, the Ministry of Tourism predicts over 33 million foreign tourists overall, with an expected increase in the last quarter, partly due to the introduction of new airlines from different countries.
When questioned about the project's impact on domestic spending, Mr. Surasak estimated that it could generate at least 5 billion baht in revenue, providing comprehensive benefits to the tourism sector, including hotels, accommodations, and other tourism-related businesses.