Illustrative image (Photo: AFP) Bangkok (VNA) – Thailand's plan to attract 1 million quality tourists by the first quarter of next year is to serve as a key blueprint to drive the economic recovery after almost two years of being hit by COVID-19, reported Bangkok Post newspaper.
During the Bangkok Post Forum 2021, Deputy Prime Minister and Energy Minister Supattanapong Punmeechaow said Thailand has learned from past lessons and now it will optimise the tourism sector by focusing on quality rather than quantity, which poses a threat to the environment and ecosystem.
The country will focus on quality tourists who can spend more, instead of relying on 40 million tourists to generate 2 trillion THB (59 billion USD) in revenue, Supattanapong said, adding this will be good for the Thailand’s environment and natural resources.
The Government has been planning to reopen Bangkok and several other tourist destination areas from next month onward.
Supattanapong also mentioned the promotion of sustainable tourism by attracting wealthy foreigners and highly-skilled professionals from overseas to work and stay in Thailand.
The Thai cabinet will come up with measures to promote the campaign, he said, noting that it aims to draw about 1 million of these foreign visitors to make up for the lack of tourist arrivals during the COVID-19 pandemic./.
