TAT WORKS ON TOURISM ACTION PLAN 2002

The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) has entered the final stage of drafting its Tourism Action Plan 2002 with the start of a week-long marketing and development meeting designed to compile all the various components of the plan into one comprehensive document.

Presided over by the Minister to the Prime Minister’s Office and Chairman of TAT H.E. Mr. Somsak Thepsutin and attended by TAT Governor Mr. Pradech Phayakvichien as well as other key TAT officials, the Meeting is being held between June 4-8 at the Viphavadi Ballroom of Sofitel Central Plaza Bangkok Hotel.

The Thai tourism industry, now widely recognised as a major generator of jobs and foreign exchange, has proved itself an important factor in helping boost the country’s economic status.

Going forward, however, it recognises the fact that growing global competition for the visitor dollar means having to do everything possible to create a truly quality destination based on the principles of sustainable development.

As such, the primary focus of the Tourism Action Plan 2000 will be to:

1) develop sustainable tourism by minimising the negative impacts of tourism on the environment, culture, heritage and other important elements of the Thai tourism product; and

2) finding ways to more effectively disseminate tourism revenue to provincial areas by promoting supplementary destinations and encouraging stronger participation from local businesses in tourism management.

TAT officials will also discuss the agency’s changing role, ways to boost co-operation with neighbouring countries as well as with public and private sector agencies to prevent problems like cheating, fraud and cut-price tours.

A series of consultative sub- meetings will be held among related TAT staff from different departments and divisions at all levels.

TAT Governor Pradech commented, “While maintaining the focus on quality, we need to gradually develop and promote new tourism destinations to attract both first-time and repeat visit visitors.

“At the same time, tourism niche products like agro-tourism, health and spa, and auto- adventure need to be developed and promoted. We also have to attract new market segments like transit passengers, film production teams, expatriates living in other regional countries, and long-stay visitors.”

The process of drafting the Tourism Action Plan 2002 is completely different from that of previous years.

This year, TAT started with a series of Focus Group meetings in which the private sector played a lead role in airing opinions and suggestions. This was followed by the National Tourism Promotion and Development Workshop in Chiang Mai between April 20-21 which was chaired by H.E. Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra and attended by senior officials and executives from public and private agencies in the tourism industry.

This Meeting will compile all the suggested strategies and ideas that have emanated from the Focus Group Meetings and the Chiang Mai Workshop. The outcome will become the Tourism Action Plan 2002.

The Meetings between June 4-8 will cover the entire range of issues from an evaluation of past tourism promotion and development plans to brainstorming sessions on future products, services and marketing strategies as well as a discussion of possible privatisation of TAT.

On June 11, TAT will hold marketing briefings and a press conference chiared by the TAT Chairman to explain details of the Tourism Action Plan 2002 to public and private agencies as well as travel industry media.

In 2002, TAT is projecting about 11.13 million international visitors for Thailand, up 8.06% over an estimated 10.30 million in 2001. This will generate about 370.4 billion baht in foreign exchange revenue for the Thai economy. On the domestic front, Thais and foreign expatriates will make about 58.20 million trips generating about 291 billion baht tourism revenue.