The Cabinet Tuesday agreed to extend the government's tourism stimulus measures for another year. The visa fee waiver, airport landing and parking reductions and insurance coverage for visitors will now end in March 2011. Tourism accounts around 6 per cent of the country's gross domestic product.
It acknowledged that last year welcomed only 14 million tourists, down 8 per cent, while tourism revenue of Bt527 billion also showed a 3percent dip.
The Cabinet endorsed a Bt372 million budget for the restoration of the ancient capital of Ayutthaya, of which Bt20 million will go to TAT to improve tourism contents.
It also approved a Bt20.5 million budget to promote "safe and creative" media, a scheme under Deputy Prime Minister Sanan Kachornprasart.
An allocation of Bt51.1 million from the central budget will be used by the Prime Minister's Office to restore the country's image.
The Nation
