Thailand’s government faces criticism from tourism operators for the country’s deteriorating position in the travel and tourism development index. Thailand slipped to the 47th spot from 36th in the latest World Economic Forum (WEF) index, marking a significant decline.
This drop is more pronounced than the fall observed in the 2021 index, where Thailand slipped from 35th to 36th position, largely due to the repercussions of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Among Southeast Asian nations, Singapore (ranked 13th), Indonesia (22nd), and Malaysia (35th) outperformed Thailand. Compared to 2019, Thailand’s ranking dropped by six places, trailing behind the global average of 117 countries by 3.9%.
In this index classifying Thailand as an upper-middle income country, the nation scored lowest in tourist services and infrastructure with a rating of 2.18 out of 7. The overall infrastructure and services index also garnered a meager average score of 3.61.
Sisdivachr Cheewarattanaporn, president of the Association of Thai Travel Agents (ATTA), voiced concerns that the country’s post-pandemic tourism revival hinges more on existing strengths than on enhancing services and infrastructure.
Despite some initiatives like the visa-free scheme, the lack of substantial progress in infrastructure and service enhancement planning since the previous administration remains disappointing.
ATTA, along with other tourism associations within the Federation of Thai Tourism Associations, plans to present a white paper to Tourism Minister Sermsak Pongpanich during ATTA’s upcoming monthly meeting on May 30. The document will address challenges and obstacles hindering the tourism industry’s development in Thailand, emphasizing the need for a comprehensive long-term strategy and increased cooperation among all stakeholders.
Criticism is also directed towards the government’s provincial visits during cabinet meetings, which have diverted the tourism minister’s attention away from essential responsibilities like enhancing the tourism experience quality. The focus should shift towards strategic development in provinces with high tourism potential and resource availability, including planning necessary infrastructure enhancements to cater to varying demands in each province.
Continuity in tourism development efforts has been hampered by ministerial changes within the past months, raising concerns about the government’s ability to expedite tourism growth and address prevailing challenges, which could lead to further declines in Thailand’s WEF index ranking.
