Thailand launches Green Tourism Collections
One of the destinations featured in the project is Poomjai Garden, a 2.7-acre venue offering activities and local experiences by canal in Bangkok's Chom Thong district.
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Bangkok Post
8 hours ago
- Bangkok Post
TAT sees hope in winter flight prospects
The 1-million target set for the Middle East and African markets this year remains challenging due to geopolitical conflicts, but Thailand still has opportunities from new flight openings this winter, according to the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT). Hatsanai Chaisri, marketing manager for the Middle East and Africa at TAT's Dubai office, said growth in the Middle East market has been slow, particularly among family groups and first-time visitors. They are hesitant to travel abroad due to geopolitical uncertainty in the region, as well as the 12-day war between Israel and Iran, which took place in June, even though it ended with a ceasefire, said Mr Hatsanai. He said the agency expects travel momentum to rebound in August, which aligns with the school break for summer -- a high season for the market. TAT Dubai is responsible for marketing in 13 Middle East and nine African markets, mostly in North Africa, along with South Africa. Prior to the 12-day war, arrivals from the market had strongly increased since the beginning of the year, but growth has weakened with a year-on-year increase of roughly 2%. As of July 27, the markets under the TAT Dubai office tallied 497,697, growing 2.22% year-on-year. To achieve the 1-million target set for the TAT's Dubai office, it must secure at least 11% growth year-on-year in 2025, he said. Key drivers include Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Oman, which are expected to generate 243,000, 181,000 and 118,030 arrivals, respectively, this year. Mr Hatsanai said a strong flight recovery of over 95% compared to the level recorded prior to the pandemic could also be a crucial factor. Currently, 11 airlines operate direct flights between the region and Thailand, serving roughly 231 flights per week and 288,380 seats per month. There are three new flights scheduled for this winter, namely Abu Dhabi-Krabi and Abu Dhabi-Chiang Mai via Etihad, and Sharjah-Krabi via Air Arabia. Typically, the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) market accounts for 70% of overall arrivals from the region each year, said Mr Hatsanai. Major segments are families and millennials, with high average spending of 9,600 baht a day or more than 100,000 baht a trip. They mostly choose five-star or luxury hotels and enjoy shopping, beaches and nature, as well as health and medical tourism. A decisive factor is halal-friendly trips offering halal food, prayer facilities and exclusive programmes or privacy options, such as private pool villas and VIP airport transfers, he said. As the outbound market among GCC countries is forecast to grow by 7% annually over the next five years, tourism operators are urged to adapt to changing behaviour. They have started using AI to plan their trips and are gravitating towards sustainable travel. Providing content and advertisements in Arabic is recommended for Thai operators, as they have higher click-through rates than English. Next month, the TAT will host the Middle East Trade Meet in Bangkok and Koh Samui, and organise a luxury roadshow to Kuwait and Bahrain in November. Next year, one of its flagship projects is Wellness Escapes in Amazing Thailand, targeting the Saudi Arabia and Oman markets in particular. Opportunities in other markets include Morocco, with a population of over 38 million. Arrivals surged after visa requirements were lifted for this market last year. A large portion of them are honeymooners. However, growth in some countries remains challenging due to sluggish economies and devalued currencies, such as Iran and Egypt.
Bangkok Post
a day ago
- Bangkok Post
TAT: Tariff may affect Indian tourism
After securing solid growth from the Indian tourism market in the last two years while Asian markets stagnated, 2025 is an uncertain year for arrivals from the subcontinent as US tariff rates are expected to have an impact. The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) anticipates growth of more than 10% for the Indian market until 2026, after recording a surge of 14.4% to 1.3 million as of July 20. Tourism growth has been sluggish for most Asian markets this year. "We need a period after the new US tariff rates for India start on Aug 1 to gauge the impact on the Indian economy and tourism demand," said Siriges-a-nong Trirattanasongpol, director of the TAT's New Delhi office. Last year, Thailand claimed a 6.15% share of the Indian outbound market, following the United Arab Emirates (25%), Saudi Arabia (11%) and the US (6.9%). During an overseas market briefing held by the TAT last week, the agency dubbed this a "bittersweet year" for the Indian market as more countries step in to seize a share of the 30 million outbound travellers. The potential of this market is huge as the number of Indians travelling overseas is expected to post annual growth of 8% and reach 39 million in 2028. Their expenditure is forecast to increase 9% annually through 2030, noted the authority. However, the situation over the next 18 months has become more challenging as other destinations offer cheaper airfares on new routes with increased frequencies, matching some Indian preferences for "pocket-friendly" trips, said Mrs Siriges-a-nong. According to the air tickets portal Skyscanner, flights from India to Almaty in Kazakhstan dropped by 44% in 2025, as well as to Jakarta by 27% and to Singapore and Kuala Lumpur by 19%. Airfare cost influenced 62% of Indians' travel decisions, compared with 65% for accommodation costs, while 50% of respondents chose hotel rooms that cost around 7,000 Indian rupees per night, or around 2,620 baht on average, according to Skyscanner. For Thailand, the number of flights are projected to fully recover this year to the level in 2019 with 19,118 flights, rising 31.9% year-on-year for a capacity of 3.79 million seats. The Indian government already lifted restrictions on flight expansion to Thailand. Eleven airlines operate direct flights from cities in India to three destinations in Thailand, with Bangkok accounting for 78% of the 374 weekly flights, while Phuket accounts for 19% and Krabi 3%. "For the India market, it's necessary to grow value with volume, stimulating more spending from both metro cities and more areas, as Thailand already has flights connecting 18 cities in India to three destinations in Thailand," she said. OFF THE RADAR Mrs Siriges-a-nong said MakeMyTrip, one of the largest Indian agents providing market data, reported 23% of travellers have a preference for shopping and luxury, with Dubai and Singapore the most preferred destinations for these activities. Searches for business-class flights in the international segment grew by 10%, according to the agent. Unfortunately, Thailand is not yet considered a luxury destination among Indian tourists, she said. Mrs Siriges-a-nong said Thailand still has room to grow the Indian luxury travel market as revenue from this segment is projected to reach US$124 billion by 2030, with a compound annual growth rate of 9.8% from 2024-2030. According to the TAT, luxury tourists are mostly aged 35-65 and live in urban areas, taking 4-6 international trips a year. They are willing to spend for ultra-luxury travel, allocating more than $300 per day, noted the authority.
Bangkok Post
a day ago
- Bangkok Post
Tariff may affect Indian tourism
After securing solid growth from the Indian tourism market in the last two years while Asian markets stagnated, 2025 is an uncertain year for arrivals from the subcontinent as US tariff rates are expected to have an impact. The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) anticipates growth of more than 10% for the Indian market until 2026, after recording a surge of 14.4% to 1.3 million as of July 20. Tourism growth has been sluggish for most Asian markets this year. "We need a period after the new US tariff rates for India start on Aug 1 to gauge the impact on the Indian economy and tourism demand," said Siriges-a-nong Trirattanasongpol, director of the TAT's New Delhi office. Last year, Thailand claimed a 6.15% share of the Indian outbound market, following the United Arab Emirates (25%), Saudi Arabia (11%) and the US (6.9%). During an overseas market briefing held by the TAT last week, the agency dubbed this a "bittersweet year" for the Indian market as more countries step in to seize a share of the 30 million outbound travellers. The potential of this market is huge as the number of Indians travelling overseas is expected to post annual growth of 8% and reach 39 million in 2028. Their expenditure is forecast to increase 9% annually through 2030, noted the authority. However, the situation over the next 18 months has become more challenging as other destinations offer cheaper airfares on new routes with increased frequencies, matching some Indian preferences for "pocket-friendly" trips, said Mrs Siriges-a-nong. According to the air tickets portal Skyscanner, flights from India to Almaty in Kazakhstan dropped by 44% in 2025, as well as to Jakarta by 27% and to Singapore and Kuala Lumpur by 19%. Airfare cost influenced 62% of Indians' travel decisions, compared with 65% for accommodation costs, while 50% of respondents chose hotel rooms that cost around 7,000 Indian rupees per night, or around 2,620 baht on average, according to Skyscanner. For Thailand, the number of flights are projected to fully recover this year to the level in 2019 with 19,118 flights, rising 31.9% year-on-year for a capacity of 3.79 million seats. The Indian government already lifted restrictions on flight expansion to Thailand. Eleven airlines operate direct flights from cities in India to three destinations in Thailand, with Bangkok accounting for 78% of the 374 weekly flights, while Phuket accounts for 19% and Krabi 3%. "For the India market, it's necessary to grow value with volume, stimulating more spending from both metro cities and more areas, as Thailand already has flights connecting 18 cities in India to three destinations in Thailand," she said. OFF THE RADAR Mrs Siriges-a-nong said MakeMyTrip, one of the largest Indian agents providing market data, reported 23% of travellers have a preference for shopping and luxury, with Dubai and Singapore the most preferred destinations for these activities. Searches for business-class flights in the international segment grew by 10%, according to the agent. Unfortunately, Thailand is not yet considered a luxury destination among Indian tourists, she said. Mrs Siriges-a-nong said Thailand still has room to grow the Indian luxury travel market as revenue from this segment is projected to reach US$124 billion by 2030, with a compound annual growth rate of 9.8% from 2024-2030. According to the TAT, luxury tourists are mostly aged 35-65 and live in urban areas, taking 4-6 international trips a year. They are willing to spend for ultra-luxury travel, allocating more than $300 per day, noted the authority.
