Bangkok: Thailand will offer exclusive privilege cards to deep-pocketed tourists in a bid to triple tourism revenue in the next five years, the government said Tuesday.
The cards will be issued at a hefty 1 million Thai baht (24,000 dollars) each to tourists seeking a lifetime's premium services in the kingdom of Thailand, following Thai cabinet approval of the tourism ministry plan.
The Thailand Tourism Authority (TAT) is targeting one million memberships, which will generate one trillion baht in revenue over the next five years," a cabinet statement said.
Membership would provide benefits such as investment privileges, smoothly facilitated immigration procedures, airport transfers, discounts from flag carrier Thai Airways International, and access to golf courses and top-end medical and spa treatments, according to the statement.
The TAT will spend 350 million baht to set up a company to coordinate between government and private organizations to set up the program. No time frame was given for the issuing of the first cards.
The program is aimed at bolstering Thailand's position as a regional tourism hub and to generate more income, the statement said.
Tourism is a major revenue earner for Thailand, with 10.8 million arrivals in the kingdom last year. This year arrivals however are expected to fall to 9.7 million following the regional SARS outbreak and war in Iraq.
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