Thailand cuts target for tourism<\/p>\n
BANGKOK (AP): Faced with stronger competition from other
\nexotic locations, Thailand's tourism authority is expecting only
\n10 million foreign tourists to visit the country in the next four
\nyears, an official said Wednesday.<\/p>\n
That would be a sharp drop from the 7.2 million tourists
\nThailand received in 1996 alone.<\/p>\n
Thailand is now considered a "mature" destination -- well-known
\nto international travelers -- and so is having a harder time
\nattracting tourists who are opting for places such as Indonesia
\nand the Philippines, said the official at the Tourism Authority
\nof Thailand, who asked not to be named.<\/p>\n
The authority hopes that foreign tourists will spend 400
\nbillion baht (US$16 billion) in Thailand in the next four years.<\/p>\n
Tourism officials are hoping to counter the declining trend in
\ntourist arrivals by promoting more domestic travel by Thais and
\nlaunching a promotional campaign called "Amazing Thailand" in
\n1998-99.<\/p>\n
The campaign will promote such events as the Asian Games, an
\nOlympic-style competition to be held in Bangkok in 1998, and the
\nnationwide 72nd birthday celebrations in 1999 of King Bhumibol
\nAdulyadej, the world's longest reigning monarch.<\/p>\n
Tourism officials hope that Thais will spend 250 billion baht
\n(US$10 billion) in the next four years traveling within the
\ncountry.<\/p>\n
The authority also is looking to tap into new tourism markets
\nsuch as Eastern Europe, but is constrained from opening new
\noffices in potentially lucrative locations because of budget cuts
\nresulting from Thailand's economic crunch.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/thailand-cuts-target-for-tourism-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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