UNWTO Pledges Support For Thailand's Tourism

The United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) has pledged to continue supporting Thailand's tourism industry, which has been affected by anti-government protests and the clashes between the protesters and security forces on May 19, according to Thai News Agency.

Its secretary-general Taleb Rifai said UNWTO together with its 155 country membership is ready to assist Thailand in crossing over the current tourism business crisis.

The pledge was made by during a meeting with Thailand's Minister of Tourism and Sports Chumpol Silapa-archa on Friday.

However, Rifai stressed that Thailand must move forward and prepare to adapt its economy by taking responsibility on environmental issues on a sustainable basis.

"Thailand also need to improve its tourism measures such as exempting visa fee for tourist travelling to Thailand, as well as halve the aircraft landing fee," Thai News Agency quoted him as saying.

Meanwhile, Chumpol said Thailand still prioritises the tourism business sector as its most important industry and the government has urgently allocated budget to stimulate tourism as well as to assist tourism operators, especially small and medium tourism enterprises.

A World Bank report forecasts that the Thai economy would grow 6.1 per cent in 2010.

Sourced=bernama