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Longstay Tourism in Thailand
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| In accordance with a government policy to promote the tourism industry as a means to direct foreign currency into the country and consequently to improve the economic status, the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) has created several programmes and activities to promote Thailand as a major travel destination and to expand the current markets to cover the niche segment. |
| Due to these ongoing promotions by TAT, the numbers of tourists coming into Thailand have increased every year. However, when taking into consideration the average length of stay in Thailand for the past five years, there has been a decrease of approximately 1.43% per year. Therefore, TAT has realized that it should expand its markets to include those tourists who spend a long period of time in the country. These kinds of tourists will consequently spend more money during their stay in Thailand. Not only for directing more income into the country, the promotion to this market will also strengthen the country's economic status as well as expand the production and service sectors relating to this industry. |
| Therefore, TAT has promoted and developed Longstay Tourism in Thailand by proposing the issues facilitating the arrival procedures for aged tourists (55 years and above) to the Cabinet. |
| On 7 and 14 July, 1998, the Cabinet approved the proposal in principle and approved its details to be in practice on 8 September, 1998. |
| Later, on 26 June, 2001, the Cabinet approved the proposal by the Minister to the Prime Minister's Office (Mr.Somsak Thepsutin) to promote Longstay Tourism and to set up a National Committee to support this programme. The Minister to the Prime Minister's Office will be the Chairman of the Committee while other government authorities will support the programme. |
| On 25 December, 2001, the Cabinet approved the establishment of the Thai Longstay Management Corporation Limitd. to promote the programme through the Supply Chain Management System. The corporation will be situated at the TAT office at Ratchadamnoen Nok Avenue, Bangkok. |
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