Tourism industry representatives are urging the recently appointed tourism minister to revive plans for the collection of a 300-baht fee from tourists, asserting that it is not perceived as a deterrent to tourist arrivals.
The Tourism Council of Thailand (TCT) intends to hold discussions with Sermsak Pongpanich, the new tourism minister, to emphasize the importance of this initiative as soon as he assumes office.
Surawat Akaraworamat, vice-president of the TCT, noted that the majority of stakeholders in the industry, along with the Thai Chamber of Commerce, support the implementation of the fee collection due to the lack of alternative mechanisms for generating funds to prioritize tourism development.
Acknowledging the challenges with maintaining safety standards, particularly in light of the limited budget allocated for regulating tourism standards, Mr. Surawat highlighted the need for additional financial resources.
While Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin had proposed suspending the fee collection to boost tourist numbers, the TCT is of the view that introducing the levy would have minimal impact on tourist influx, according to Mr. Surawat.
Wuthichai Luangamornlert, CEO of Siam Park City Group, expressed agreement with the fee collection, emphasizing its negligible impact on the market and underscoring the decreasing budget allocation for tourism development as a pressing concern for the industry.
Sisdivachr Cheewarattanaporn, president of the Association of Thai Travel Agents, stressed the importance of fee collection methods that do not disrupt other categories of arrivals beyond foreign tourists, emphasizing the need for transparent guidelines on fund utilization.
Tassapon Bijleveld, executive chairman of Asia Aviation Plc, representing the majority shareholder of Thai AirAsia, highlighted the potential challenges faced by airlines due to increased costs, particularly in maintenance, and emphasized the need for considerations such as a reduction in fuel excise tax for sustainable airline operations.
