No country in Asia, if not the world, is equally loved by tourists as Thailand. Visiting Bangkok this week, I was reminded again and again of its enduring appeal. Five hundred meters from my hotel, I contemplated the novel idea of easy, clean and accessible street food in the basement of the city’s most luxurious shopping mall, for foreigners and locals alike. In Ithai, stall after stall had offerings ranging from street market roast duck to fried noodles. Visitors were given cards with a QR code to scan as they ordered and then paid a cashier as they exited the area. There was also a booth for tourists to get VAT refunds on their purchases. The contrast between the moderately priced hearty fare at Ithai in the basement of the central Embassy Mall and the wildly expensive fashions of Paul Smith and Versace, Christian Louboutin and Prada in the floors above was an inspired juxtaposition. In my case, I overcame the sticker shock of checking out Paul Smith black loafers, which were almost $600, despite a 30% discount, because down there I ate like a king and bought one for less than I would in Mumbai or Bengaluru. Sampled the nice margarita. When I met Ethai’s manager, Pradid Intiya, as he toured the place where waiters prepare the food you choose and bring it to your table, he couldn’t be more humble about its unique appeal Were. After lamenting that Bangkok was far less busy than it was before the pandemic, he said that Ethai should promote its vegetarian and vegan options so that Indians have more options.
Between 2015 and 2019, tourist arrivals in Thailand increased from 30 million to 40 million, an astonishing feat. Even though Covid has hit the tourism industry hard, the country is on track to take in around 25 million this year. India can learn a lot from Thailand regarding policies to attract tourists and boost business of hoteliers and restaurant owners. By comparison, India attracted 11 million tourists in 2019. If there was a way to reduce the number of Indian-origin visitors who return to India to visit family with foreign passports, the number would be much lower. Thailand, in contrast, has a much smaller diaspora, so its tourism numbers don’t grow as well.
India really needs to revamp its approach towards tourism with some revolutionary thinking. Instead of simply expanding the number of countries from where citizens are eligible to apply for an e-Visa, why not introduce visa-free travel to the G20 and our prosperous Southeast Asian neighbors? A list of countries that Thailand allows without a visa would fill the space for this article. And it would be a truly meaningful way to celebrate when it will be our turn to host the G20 in 2023. Southeast Asia’s success now extends beyond Thailand to Vietnam and even tiny Cambodia (which received 6.6 million tourists in 2019). The World Travel and Tourism Council estimates the industry accounted for 7.6% of global gross domestic product (GDP) last year, despite nearly a quarter of the drop in value following the pandemic.
the Indian Ministry of Tourism The introduction of ‘Dekho Apna Desh’ might boost domestic travel but there is a huge gap in foreign tourists in India. Goods and Services Tax has been reduced to 18% for hotels charging 7501 or more one night is about to capture the imagination of foreign travelers like never before incredible India, The advertising campaigns were started in 2002 by the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government. I used to be the FT’s travel editor until 2010 and thus I have an opinion about influence. Week after week full page ads for Incredible India appeared in the FT’s weekend section and glossy travel magazines. Seemingly overnight, India has gone from a destination for backpackers to a destination for luxury travelers. Palace hotels in Rajasthan started demanding astonishingly high prices, soon followed by Kerala with its Ayurvedic retreats. Amitabh Kant, the then tourism secretary, brilliantly reiterated the brand building he had done for Kerala at the national level.
This year has been declared as “Incredible India”! “Visit India Year” by Govt. After two decades, however, the slogan feels tired and repetitive. And not enough has been done for the success of the first campaign. Removing the visa requirement, rather than withdrawing e-visas that are available to countries whenever we have a diplomatic dispute with them, is a more sensible way to build a larger tourism industry.
Thailand may draw millions of tourists, but with travel from China set to resume in 2022 because of its extreme Covid controls, the Thai government held roadshows across India late last year to drum up business. Realizing your Thailand Pass—which required the cumbersome step of obtaining $10,000 Thai health insurance for the duration of your stay in the country—was a huge disappointment, the country scrapped it on July 1. (Travelling to Bangkok in June last year, I was almost thrown off by overbearing Air India ground staff in Bengaluru who did not understand that the pass can be obtained online only if you have bought health insurance .) Growth in arrivals in the second half of the year. Thailand registers a trade surplus and a strong Baht when tourism is in full swing. What this quick recovery demonstrates is that the Thais instinctively understand how important tourism is, and respond to the industry’s concerns in a way that New Delhi does not.
The author is a columnist for Mint and former foreign correspondent for the Financial Times.
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Updated: June 07, 2023, 10:40 PM IST