The Tourism and Sports Ministry is planning to divert tourists to less crowded destinations by developing sand dunes in Pathiu district, Chumphon as a new tourism attraction in the southern region.
Tourism and Sports Minister Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn said the development is part of a tourism rehabilitation plan after the pandemic to shift focus to community-based tourism and allowing small operators and local communities earn more revenue.
A completed rehab plan is expected by this week, with Mr Phiphat due to discuss the agenda with Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha next week before submitting the proposal to the cabinet for approval.
As tourists prefer less crowded destinations to explore, the ministry will develop the natural landscape of potential areas.
The sand dunes in Pathiu are a pilot project as it is a unique place in Thailand, similar to the popular dunes in Vietnam, with a length of 12 kilometres and a height of 30 metres.
Apart from developing the nature of the main area, new investment should bring man-made components to the tourism site without causing environmental damage.
"Tourists can experience southern coastal culture, such as local fisheries and blue swimming crab banks in local fishing villages as part of the new tourism package," said Mr Phiphat.
Tourism-related agencies have to prepare locals by helping them learn the basics of foreign languages and provide life vests or other useful equipment to ensure the safety of guests, he said.
A key target market is visitors from Scandinavia, who typically are concerned about the environment and tend to travel more in coastal provinces along the Gulf of Thailand, including the Khanom district of Nakhon Si Thammarat, rather than flocking to the popular seaside areas along the Andaman sea.
The sand dunes project is expected to draw people from major southern provinces.
Tourists who visit Koh Tao have to take a ferry at Chumphon. The dunes would be located 25km from Chumphon airport, attracting some tourists to stay here for a few more days, said Mr Phiphat.
The ministry also plans to combine sporting activities with tourism by developing a roller ski training centre in Chumphon.
The roller ski centre will be located at the King Mongkut's Institute of Technology Ladkrabang Prince of Chumphon Campus on 30 rai, on which a 2.8km roller ski training track will be built. The sand dunes and the roller ski training centre require budgets of 30 million baht each.
