The Hat Yai Songkhla Hotels Association has warned that a new tourist fee set to take effect on June 1 will have an adverse impact on tourism, especially cross-border visits from Malaysia.
The Thailand Traveller Fee (TTF), approved by the cabinet this week, will be 300 baht for visitors arriving by air and 150 baht for those arriving by land or sea. The former will be included in air ticket prices but it’s not clear whether the latter will be collected at border checkpoints or included in tour costs.
Association president Sitthiphong Sitthiphatprapha said on Saturday that the new fee would likely impede tourists.
Malaysians who often cross the border for trips of two to three days would be significantly affected, and frequent charges would likely to deter visits, he said.
“Even if the fee is small, it would still have an emotional impact on tourists as travel already comes at a significant cost,” said Mr Sitthiphong.
“A family of four would have to pay 600 baht to enter by land, which would result in a longer decision-making period for travelling families. Although an exemption has been made for those holding border passes, 80% of arrivals over the border cross are using their passports.”
The association is working with local tourism businesses to monitor the situation. It is considering further action after previously submitting a letter to the Ministry of Tourism and Sports calling for the fee to be delayed for people traveling by land, or to be introduced gradually to ease the the impact.
The Tourism and Sports Ministry projects that fee collections will total 3.9 billion baht this year and could reach 10 billion baht next year.
Some of the money will go to a Tourism Promotion Fund, which has led tourism operators to call for measures to ensure its transparency.
