Domestic travel grows 6.5%

BANGKOK Kasikorn Research Centre estimates domestic travel in Thailand will increase 6.5% to reach 146.5 million trips by year-end.

The bank’s think-tank  said domestic travellers will expand this year due to long holidays and the government’s tax rebate that was introduced 1 April.

The tax rebates are valid up to the end of the year.

The Cabinet approved tax rebates ahead of the Songkran Festival travel peak, 9 to 17 April, but it should spur travel around the country throughout the year.

Travellers can deduct up to THB15,000 for the fiscal year 2016, ending 31 December, based on official invoices for travel related services and another THB15,000 for hotels services.

Combined, the maximum tax deduction will be THB30,000 per person for the entire year.

For the entire year, the centre projects Thai travellers will make 146.5 million trips up 6.5% from 2015 and generate THB835,000 million in related tourism revenue, an increase of 12.6%.

“Tourism operators should focus more on digital marketing to expand their business a tool that helps to save marketing cost,” it suggested.

In addition, tourism operators should promote new tourism products to Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam in order to respond to traveller demand particularly group tours.

Kasikorn Research Centre is a subsidiary company of Kasikorn Bank, which conducts tourism and business research mainly on Thailand’s economy including tourism with reliable recommendations and indicators on business prospects.