Its president Suthassa Laohongkiat said the association would do this by working with the Thai Restaurants Association and local communities across the country.

She said many communities had unique products and a unique character that could be developed as attractions.

“This idea is our major plan for this year. We are supporting domestic tourism in order to strengthen the economy,” Suthassa said.

ATTM will help local organisations develop products and design packaging as well as to develop stories for communities based on their identities. It also hopes to help expand marketing channels to spread product wider.

Suthassa said the association would educate communities to enhance skills and improve the quality of products.

The association was founded in 2012 by a diversified tourism operator group made up of different market segments but with the common goal of promoting the sector as a whole.

As the result, the association’s structure was designed to accommodate the need for the further development of tourism marketing.

This provides a platform where tourism marketers discuss and exchange ideas with one another about new marketing techniques, which benefits Thailand tourism.

“Our purpose is to promote Thailand’s economic prosperity throughout the tourism business |by strengthening travel industry |personnel in marketing,” Suthassa said.

The association also aims to develop the sales knowledge of industry professionals.