Are changes coming at TAT?
Many have believed that the Tourism of Thailand (TAT) was only concerned about increasing numbers of tourists - it was a question of quantity not quality. Now that may be about to change.
The new Minister of Tourism Weerasak Kowsurat has had discussions in Bangkok with the people that run the TAT about the future directions of tourism and what the new government hopes could be achieved.
He said there is a need to focus more on generating high spending visitors rather than mass volume traffic. He also noted there had to be a better working relationship between the government and the public sector to insure the tourism market developed to the benefit of everyone.
Mr. Weerasak is one of the younger members of the cabinet and his initial ideas and comments have been welcomed by the TAT and many hoteliers who work in the top end of the tourist business and had felt, under the previous regime, their efforts were not as appreciated as much as those who brought mass tourism to the country. One hotelier said: "We have always believed you are better off having 100 visitors spending 5,000 Baht a day than 1,000 spending 500 Baht. You might have a lot more people - but the country gets a lot less money."
