Anucha Buraphachaisri, a government spokesman, claimed on Tuesday that cruises are growing in popularity among tourists based on statistics from the Tourism and Sports Ministry.
In Thailand, between 1,800 and 2,400 passengers arrive on cruise ships annually between the months of October and March, according to him. The majority of these tourists made one-day trips to Thailand, he continued.
Anucha continued by stating that statistics indicate cruise ship passengers spend up to ten times as much as regular visitors. According to him, this segment of tourists enjoys spas, Thai cuisine, marine activities, cultural shows, and souvenir buying.
“Thailand has established new ports for the ships to dock at in order to entice more cruise ships,” he said. “We are convinced that this will bring Thailand a lot of money.”
There are now four major ports in Thailand where cruise ships can berth. These are Laem Chabang in Bangkok, Phuket, Koh Samui, and Chonburi. In order to better develop ports and ready Thailand for cruise ship traffic, the government unveiled a 10-year plan in 2018.
These changes include enhancing security, upgrading facilities, and changing relevant laws and regulations.
Anucha, meanwhile, said that before the epidemic put everything on hold, Thailand produced more than 4.84 billion baht annually from cruise ship visitors.
Anucha claimed that in addition to welcoming cruise ships, the government was also focusing on the soft power, cultural tourism, and the film sector.
He said that the government has teamed up with Netflix to produce a trip documentary with the working title “Uncover Thailand: A Creative Travel Guide”.
He promised that the movie would showcase both well-known attractions and locations used for local and foreign movies and television shows. “We think this movie will attract producers and moviegoers to Thailand.”
He claimed that the Netflix movie will serve as a brand-new platform for promoting Thailand and its culture.
Such aggressive marketing of Thailand and its culture, according to Anucha, will also open up new business options for people.
