Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin has urged governors of 55 secondary provinces to vigorously promote tourism in the second half of 2024 in order to stimulate the Thai economy and develop Thailand into a tourism hub.

The Prime Minister chaired a meeting of provincial governors and executives of the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) at Santi Maitri Building, Government House, on 11 June 2024, where he briefed them on the policy to enhance the potential of secondary tourism cities.

He stated that the Government was attaching great importance to the tourism industry and had worked out strategies to boost tourism in both popular and lesser-known cities. In order to promote tourism in lesser-known cities, he said, the provinces involved must take into consideration the readiness of local tourism attractions, accommodations, transportation, food shops, and identities.

Moreover, the top five “Must Do in Thailand” should be set for various tourism activities. They include (1) Must Eat (local food), (2) Must See (cultural shows), (3) Must Seek (unseen attractions), (4) Must Buy (handicrafts), and (5) Must Beat (sports and games).

The Prime Minister told governors of the 55 provinces to accelerate the development of infrastructure to facilitate the travel of visitors, and to establish partnerships with tourism-related operators, such as tour agents, credit card companies, airlines, restaurants, and hotels.

The governors were also instructed to promote sustainable tourism, develop new tourist attractions, and improve security and safety systems.

Prime Minister Srettha, meanwhile, told the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment and the Ministry of Culture to expedite the nomination of Nan Province, in the North, as a UNESCO Cultural World Heritage Site. Nan will link with Luang Prabang, the old capital of Laos, which has been inscribed on the World Heritage List. Both will be further developed as twin cities, which will contribute to tourism promotion.

At the same time, he also instructed the Ministry of Transport to improve the transport system in Nan, especially the expansion of Nan airport, known as Nan Nakhon Airport.