THE EFFECTIVENESS OF GOVERNMENT MEASURES ON THE RECOVERY OF THAILAND’S TOURISM SECTOR AFTER THE COVID-19 CRISIS: A CASE STUDY OF PROVINCIAL REPRESENTATIVES BY REGION

Abstract

This study aimed to examine the influence of economic factors and the effectiveness of the "We Travel Together" program on tourism revenue in representative provinces across the six regions of Thailand. The study employed secondary panel data collected from 18 representative provinces during the period 2015-2022) Tourism revenue was specified as the dependent variable, while the number of tourists, Gross Provincial Product (GPP), fuel prices, Google Trends, average daily tourism expenditure per domestic tourist (Baht), and a dummy variable representing the "We Travel Together" program were included as independent variables. The data were analyzed using panel data techniques, and the Random Effects Model (REM) was selected as the most appropriate model. The results revealed that the number of tourists and average daily tourism expenditure per domestic tourist had a positive and statistically significant effect on tourism revenue. In addition, the "We Travel Together" program had a statistically significant effect on tourism revenue, indicating that although tourism revenue did not immediately recover to its pre-COVID-19 level, the program helped support the tourism sector and mitigate the severity of the decline in tourism revenue during the COVID-19 pandemic. In contrast, Gross Provincial Product, fuel prices, and Google Trends were not found to have a statistically significant effect on tourism revenue. The model explained approximately 86.71% of the variation in tourism revenue. The findings provide useful implications for policymakers in formulating tourism promotion policies and measures to support the sustainable recovery and long-term growth of Thailand's tourism sector.

Keywords: Tourism Revenue, We Travel Together Program, Economic Factors, Domestic Tourism, Panel Data