Mr Yuthasak revealed the prediction at the official opening of the Thailand Travel Mart Plus 2022 event (TTM+ 2022), being held at the Angsana Laguna Phuket in Cherng Talay.
The major travel trade show event opened yesterday (June 8) and will conclude tomorrow (June 10).
The travel mart is a crucial step in the enhancement of supply chain potential and creating business opportunities for tourism operators in the wake of the COVID-19 crisis, Mr Yuthasak said.
“The TAT will create a variety of travel routes as well as present Thailand’s readiness to host world-class events to reflect the country’s potential as a global destination aiming for strong and sustainable quality tourism,” he said.
“In 2022, the TAT expects that Thai tourism will generate a total revenue of B1.5trn, from 7-10 million foreign tourists and 160mn domestic tourists,” Mr Yuthasak said.
“During the first five months of this year there were about 1.23mn foreign tourists, and from May to September the TAT has set a target of 500,000 tourists per month, taking into consideration factors supporting the cancellation of Test & Go from May 1 and the policy of opening the country to welcome tourists in full from June 1, 2022, and the coming high season. Between October and December 2022, the number of tourists is expected to increase to 1mn per month,” he said.
“In addition, in 2023, the TAT forecasts that tourism revenue will increase by B2.4trn, before reaching a total tourism revenue of B3trn by 2024, which will amount to 80% of the total tourism revenue for the year 2019 before the outbreak of COVID-19,” Mr Yuthasak said.
AMAZING CHAPTERS
Minister of Tourism and Sports Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn yesterday said the event was the first key platform to deliver the "Visit Thailand Year 2022-2023: Amazing New Chapters" campaign.
“[The campaign] reflects the uniqueness of Thainess through the specialties of the A-Z experience menu that offers value over price, using a strategy based on storytelling to create a new travel experience, targeting quality tourists with high purchasing power and which shows social and environmental responsibility,” he said.
“The Ministry of Tourism and Sports and the Tourism Authority of Thailand has driven the policy of opening the country to welcome tourists in full, ready to accelerate the country’s economy to be strong and sustainable as soon as possible.
“This TTM+ event shows the potential of welcoming tourists to Phuket and Thailand after the COVID-19 situation. We still have to take care of safety and hygiene continuously without neglect for the revival of the strongest tourism sector economy, along with promoting the Thai Tourism Year 2022-2023 under the Guidelines for Tourism Amazing Thailand New Chapters to reflect the uniqueness of Thainess to the world,” he added.
QUALITY TURNOUT
Bhummikitti Ruktaengam, President of the Phuket Tourist Association, believes that TTM+ 2022 is a platform for introducing new dimensions of tourism products, to distinguish the uniqueness of Thailand while raising the level of tourism to the global market.
“This event is a tourism promotion platform to negotiate business and promote sales for Thai tourism business operators to present new and diverse tourism products and services,” Mr Bhummikitti said.
“They are ready to create new experiences and engage in business negotiations within the event area to offer products and services with a new dimension of tourism that is outstanding and unique. Through public relations, they will create awareness of Thai tourism in the form of demonstration activities for products and services that are consistent with the event concept for exhibitors such as BCG products, Tourism Awards and tourism products that match the Amazing Thailand New Chapters,” he continued.
More than 277 tour operators from 45 countries around the world and about 264 tourism product and service sellers are taking part at the TTM+ 2022, Mr Bhumikitti noted.
“This includes tour operators from all regions of Thailand, such as the MICE industry; entertainment operators; hospital, clinic, health and wellness providers; tourist attractions such as theme parks, cooking schools and restaurants; as well as golf courses, hotel and resorts, wedding organisers and many other related businesses,” he said.
Operators have also joined the event through an online presence, bringing the total number of “buyers” at the event to more than 300, he added.
The hybrid online format allows participation by operators from countries that can’t attend the event, such as the People’s Republic of China.
In total, 39% of the Thailand-based product and service “sellers” are new to the B2B event, while 45.7% of the “buyers” at the event are joining the travel mart for the first time.
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