He said the fee could be set at US$10 (THB360) and officials at international airport and border control post could collect it from tourists as they arrived. Mr Supasorn labelled the proposed charge a ‘tourist attraction administration surcharge’ and said it could generate up to THB12 billion every year.
The Association of Thai Travel Agents (ATTA) says the Tourism Ministry needs to explore all aspects of any surcharges imposed on international tourists. ATTA chief Charoen Wangananont stated that the ministry and TAT needed to justify why such a charge was necessary and where the money would go.
He said the relevant officials should also explain how the charge would benefit Thailand’s tourism industry as a whole. Mr Wangananont continued by saying that they needed to be able to explain what happened to money derived from the fees tourists currently pay.
He cited the fact that foreign tourists paid up to THB400 to enter national parks and claimed this was already expensive. Mr Wangananont concluded by asking rhetorically where the money went.
Thai travel agents take aim at mooted entry tax for tourists
News in Asia
The Thai travel agents’ association has responded to a proposal to charge tourists entry fees to enter Thailand by claiming it has not been thought through properly. In an interview aired on national television last week, Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) governor Yuthasak Supasorn said all tourists should be required to pay a nominal fee upon entry.