The Tourism Council of Thailand (TCT) views the Finance Ministry’s stimulus package as crucial to reviving tourism in second-tier cities, which has worsened from last year.
Ratchaporn Poolsawadee, vice-president of the TCT, said the outlook in second-tier cities is worse than for major cities, as arrivals declined because of perceptions of an unsafe travel image, border skirmishes, a sluggish economy and the strong baht.
For provinces bordering Cambodia, tourism operators are struggling to restore the flow of visitors as the border dispute remains tense, said Mr Ratchaporn.
He said the corporate tax exemption for meetings and seminars in second-tier destinations as well as the domestic tourism subsidy campaign should help draw local tourists, particularly those with high spending power, to the provinces.
However, the council urged authorities to assure participants that systems have been prepared for these campaigns so they are seamless and user-friendly, attracting as many tourists as possible.
The systems should not cause inconvenience, as happened with the previous domestic co-payment scheme handled by the Tourism Authority of Thailand, said Mr Ratchaporn.
He said the tax incentive programme for hotels to renovate as green properties aligns with the sustainable tourism trend. Very few hotels and accommodations can earn green certifications, making the country lose competitiveness, said Mr Ratchaporn.
Many operators, particularly small and medium-sized tourism businesses, would like to transform their operations to become more sustainable, though this requires considerable expenses, he said.
Meanwhile, more corporate and leisure travellers are demanding environmentally friendly tour packages and accommodations.