Thailand to attract more Japanese visitors

BANGKOK, November 24 (TNA) - The state-run Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) will sign memoranda of understanding (MOUs) with three Japanese agencies to draw in up to about two million Japanese visitors to Thailand annually by 2020, or at least up to 10 per cent of the total number of Japanese people travelling out of their home country. TAT Governor Yuthasak Supasorn told journalists on Tuesday that TAT will sign the three MOUs with Japan External Trade Organisation (JETRO), Japan Association of Travel Agents (JATA) and TV Asahi during an upcoming roadshow to Japan, led by Thai Deputy Prime Minister Somkid Jatusripitak, who oversees economic affairs. In 2013, Yuthasak said, the number of Japanese tourist arrivals in Thailand reached its highest record of 1.6 million, but the number of Japanese arrivals in Thailand has declined to 1.2-1.4 million this year due to impacts from an economic slowdown and the domestic political situation. Yuthasak noted that Thailand has outstanding tourist attractions, namely the Thai identity, globally-renowned Thai cuisine, splendid Thai cultures and sports. According to the TAT governor, the MOU with JETRO will lead to the Japanese agency's support to not only help develop the tourism of Thailand, but also that of neighbouring countries in the Greater Mekong Sub-region (GMS), including the so-called CLMV group comprising Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam. To achieve the goal, the TAT governor stated, his agency will discuss and work out a joint operational plan with the Thai Ministry of Commerce and the Board of Investment of Thailand (BOI), under the Ministry of Industry. (TNA)