Thailand paves way to become regional hub of marine tourism

BANGKOK, January 7 (TNA) - The Ministry of Tourism and Sports has injected a 15-million-baht budget to organise a cruise ships and marina expo in the southern resort Phuket Province next month, paving the way for Thailand to become a regional hub of marine tourism in the future. Permanent Secretary for Tourism and Sports Pongpanu Svetarundra told journalists on January 6 that the Thai government has assigned the Ministry of Tourism and Sports to organise the Cruise Ships and Marina Expo at Ao Po, or Po Gulf, in Phuket during February 8-14, 2016, aimed to display Thailand's potential to become a regional hub for cruise ships and marine tourism in the future. Pongpanu noted that cruise ships passengers are considered hi-end tourists who spend about one million US dollars on average per ship per trip and also help boost revenues of local hotels, retail stores and hi-end tour agencies and guides. According to the senior official, more than 150 yachts and over-30-metre 10 super yachts are expected to participate in next month's Cruise Ships and Marina Expo in Phuket, which should create confidence in Thailand's potential among hi-end tourists and draw more of them to visit the Kingdom in the future. (TNA)