Asia After Dark October 2017 | Page 27

THE NUMBER of f orei gn t ouri st s and domest i c t ravel l ers i s expect ed t o i ncrease i n t he f i nal quart er of t hi s year wi t h a t ot al revenue expect at i on of Bt 628. 4 bi l l i on. Touri sm and Sport s Mi ni st er Kobkarn Wat t anavrangkul has predi ct ed t hat f orei gn t ouri st s wi l l generat e revenue of Bt 400. 4 bi l l i on t hi s quart er , marki ng a 2-per-cent i ncrease f rom t he f ourt h quart er l ast year . Meanwhi l e, l ocal t ravel l ers are expect ed t o cont ri but e Bt 228 bi l l i on i n revenue, marki ng an 8. 8-per-cent i ncrease. The t ot al t ouri sm revenue f or t he Oct ober-t o-December peri od i s expect ed t o be Bt 628. 4 bi l l i on, represent i ng a 4. 4-per cent i ncrease f rom t he l ast t hree mont hs of 2015. Kobkarn sai d cumul at i ve i nt ernat i onal arri val s si nce January 1 unt i l December 27, 2016, were 32. 1 mi l l i on, up 8. 9 per cent f rom t he same peri od l ast year , and generat ed revenue of Bt 1. 6 t ri l l i on, up 12. 6 per cent . The mi ni st ry has promi sed t o make t hi s count ry a t op dest i nat i on f or f i ve segment s, namel y sport s, medi cal and wel l ness, weddi ngs and honeymoons, mari ne t ravel , and Asean Connect – a regi onal connect i vi t y programme. To mai nt ai n growt h i n t ouri sm, t he mi ni st ry wi l l al so work wi t h t he Transport Mi ni st ry t o promot e t ravel on t he rai l ways. Moreover , Kobkarn’ s mi ni st ry wi l l work on boost i ng arri val numbers f rom nei ghbouri ng count ri es, namel y Cambodi a, Laos, Myanmar and Vi et nam, by promot i ng t owns near t he borders. The mi ni st ry wi l l al so of f er at t ract i ve campai gns t o l ure t ouri st s f rom Europe, a market t hat i s expect ed t o rebound wi t h rapi d growt h of 12 per cent i n t he comi ng year . .