‘Sell premium’ – Thailand discourages discounts, wants high value tourists

Tourists visit Maya bay after Thailand reopened its world-famous beach after closing it for more than three years to allow its ecosystem to recover from the impact of overtourism, at Krabi province, Thailand, January 3, 2022. Picture taken January 3, 2022. REUTERS/Athit Perawongmetha/File Photo

BANGKOK, July 4 (Reuters) – Thailand’s hotels, businesses and private hospitals should refrain from offering big discounts to lure tourists and focus instead on raising the country’s value as a premium travel destination, government ministers said on Monday.

Thailand has received about 2 million foreign visitors in the first six months of this year, a steady revival after its tourism industry almost collapsed due to the pandemic and more than 18 months of complex and costly entry requirements.

“We cannot let people come to Thailand and…