As the next crisis looms, Travel & Tourism faces a failure of leadership
IN MY 45 years of reporting on Thai, Asean and Asia-Pacific Travel & Tourism, I have covered multiple crises. Three of the most devastating were the 1997 financial crisis, the 2004 tsunami and the 2020-2022 Covid pandemic. Each left a swathe of destruction, with Travel & Tourism being particularly badly hit. […]
Read MoreAOT moves to increase flights during high season
THE Airports of Thailand Plc (AOT) has begun offering discounts on service fees and other benefits to airlines that replace flights cancelled in their slots due to schedule changes to encourage faster resumption of flights which in turn increases the number of passengers while reducing revenue loss, Thai Rath newspaper said this morning (Jan. […]
Read MoreSEC launching TouristDigiPay this quarter
THE Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) is launching the TouristDigiPay scheme to help foreign tourists convert their digital assets to Thai baht for spending during their holiday here this very quarter, which is the peak tourism season, PPTVHD said today (Nov. 6). The scheme will be tested by SEC and partner agencies over the […]
Read MoreTAT ropes in Lisa Manoban as ‘Amazing Thailand Ambassador’ 2026
IN an effort to attract more tourists the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) today (Oct. 15) announced that Thai superstar Lalisa “Lisa” Manoban has accepted the position of “Amazing Thailand Ambassador” for next year, PPTVHD 36 said. Ms. Thapanee Kiatphaibool, TAT’s governor, said Lisa will showcase Thailand’s attractions as a leading tourist destination. “This […]
Read MoreThai tourism still growing but signs of slowdown emerging
WHILE Thai tourism industry still looks rosy in 2025 signs of a slowdown next year have emerged with this requiring a comprehensive overhaul to maintain momentum, PPTVHD 26 quoted an in-depth research by TTB Analytics as saying today (Oct. 11). That a slowdown seems to be looming next year is due to saturation of […]
Read MoreTwo former tourism department heads face graft charges
THE NATIONAL Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) has gathered sufficient evidence to take legal action against two former directors-general at the Tourism and Sports Ministry for corruption in the procurement of exercise equipment for the development of recreational and health tourism destinations, PPTVHD 36 said late afternoon today (Oct. 8). Mr. Surapong Intarathaworn, the graft agency’s […]
Read MoreCambodian tourism plummeted after border clashes
CAMBODIA’S Tourism Ministry has released latest statistics that show a 38.4% year-on-year drop in the number of foreign tourist arrivals in August following five-day clashes with Thailand late July, PPTVHD 36 said today (Oct. 7). Altogether 338,351 foreign visitors arrived in Cambodia in August, with this 38.4% decrease compared to the same month in […]
Read MoreThailand’s foreign visitors drop 7.16% y/y in first eight months of 2025
By Reuters and published by Business Times THAILAND’S foreign tourist arrivals this year up to the end of August fell 7.16 percent from the same period a year earlier, the Tourism Ministry said on Tuesday (Sep. 2) There were 21.9 million foreign visitors during the period, it said in a statement, with China the […]
Read MoreMove to give free domestic air tickets to foreign tourists
AS PART of a tourism promotion campaign the cabinet is going to be asked to approve the distribution of free domestic air tickets, along with 20 kilogrammes of baggage allowance, to 200,000 foreign tourists who purchase regular-priced air tickets to fly to Thailand, Thai Rath newspaper said this morning (Aug. 20). Mr. Sorawong Thienthong, […]
Read MoreTourist arrivals shrink due to safety concerns
TOURIST arrivals dropped by 5 percent last week (July 28 to Aug. 3) after Thai-Cambodian clashes ended compared to an increase of 1 percent while the conflict raged the previous week (July 21-27), Thai Rath newspaper quoted Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) as saying yesterday (Aug. 8). Ms. Thapanee Kiatphaibool, TAT’s governor, said last […]
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