Lower Thirds:

0:02 	  	Report by Jörg Jelinnek
0:24		Gary Bowerman, Travel and tourism analyst High Yield Tourism 
1:16		Gary Bowerman, Travel and tourism analyst High Yield Tourism 
1:44		Gary Bowerman, Travel and tourism analyst High Yield Tourism 

(( +++ info:
Longing to experience Thailand’s white sands, lush jungles and buzzing street markets? Now might be a great moment to book your next getaway as Thailand is giving away free domestic flights for 200,000 international visitors over the next 3 months.  The move is aimed to help the struggling tourism sector. In May alone, the country welcomed 14 percent fewer tourists than in 2024. Especially people from one particular country are avoiding Thailand right now...))    

Script:

The Grand Palace is one of the main attractions in Bangkok, yet there are fewer tourists coming to see the gold-plated buildings and Buddhist temples.

The Chinese are the top source of tourists but their number is expected to decline by 40 percent to just 4 Mmillion visitors this year.

Experts say, there are various reasons why many Chinese choose to stay away from Thailand.

00:24
(( +++ O-Ton Gary Bowerman, Travel and tourism analyst High Yield Tourism 02:40 - 03:03 +++ ))
"There have been issues in terms of the border war with Cambodia is not helping. Earlier in the year, we had those issues around the scam centers in Cambodia and the kidnaping of a Chinese national, which had a huge impact on Chinese confidence to travel to Thailand."

00:41
To attract more visitors from all over the world, Thailand is offering free domestic flights for 200,000 visitors from September until November.

Tourists can claim the free round-trip flights within the country including 20 kilogramms of lugguage when they book international flights directly through airlines or travel agencies.

The goal is to push travellers beyond favourites like Bangkok and Phuket towards under-the-radar provinces rich with temples, and lesser-visited islands and regions.
     
01:16
 (( +++ O-Ton Gary Bowerman, Travel and tourism analyst High Yield Tourism 10:52 +++ ))
"We don't really know what the ultimate impact will be. We don't know how this will drive spending into different parts of the country. It's it's a little bit of a gamble and I think it really shows at the moment that Thailand is struggling for ideas, really to recapture the vibrancy of its entire travel economy."

01:32
To revive tourism, Thailand is also allowing visitors to convert their crypto currencies into Thai Baht to fund their travel expenses and spending while in the country.
 
01:44
 (( +++ O-Ton Gary Bowerman, Travel and tourism analyst High Yield Tourism 09:00 +++ ))
"So by enabling younger people in particular and you know, Bitcoin is now quite widely used in some of the key markets for Thailand such as India, Indonesia, Vietnam, Russia, it's popular and it's well held. So basically being able to convert that that store of wealth into an e-wallet in Thailand and then spend it liberally as you want while you're traveling is an interesting idea."
    
02:08
Tourism accounts for only 12 percent of the GDP, according to the central bank, but in terms of employment the sector is crucial as 1 in 5 people depend on this sector. And even more if you look at the indirect economic benefits. That is why the government is trying hard to attract more visitors to the land of smiles.