Tasty travels: Thai SELECT campaign spices up tourism

The Travel, Taste, Eat Thai SELECT campaign, a collaboration between the Commerce Ministry and the Tourism Authority of Thailand, has been unveiled. This initiative is part of a soft power strategy aimed at promoting and bolstering Thai businesses, particularly certified Thai SELECT restaurants.

The Deputy Commerce Minister, Napintorn Srisunpang, emphasised that the campaign is designed to ensure these establishments meet high standards of professionalism, hygiene, and authentic Thai cuisine.

In partnership with the Business Development Department, TAT, Krungthai Card, Line Man, and Makro, joint marketing strategies will be employed to promote Thai SELECT Food.

The campaign’s pilot project will take place in Nakhon Ratchasima province, with plans to roll out to other tourist-heavy provinces. This expansion aims to stimulate economic growth and support small businesses across the country.

As of March 14, the department’s data shows that there are 370 Thai SELECT-certified restaurants scattered across Thailand. The regions hosting these establishments include 81 in the central region, 69 in the northeast, 68 in the north, 67 in the south, 59 in Bangkok, and the remaining 26 in the eastern region.

An additional 200 eateries, particularly in Chiang Mai and Phuket, are anticipated to receive the certification this year, according to the department.

Linking the service and tourism sectors, the Commerce Ministry expressed that this soft power campaign plays an integral role. With 1,400 Thai SELECT restaurants operating overseas, the Thai SELECT symbol is globally recognised by tourists as a guarantee of high-quality Thai food, according to Napintorn Srisunpang, reported Bangkok Post.

A projection of the restaurant market growth in Thailand, by Krungthai Compass, a research unit of Krungthai Bank, suggested a 7.8% increase in 2023 and 5.8% in 2024 year-on-year. This growth, estimated at 620 billion (US$17 billion) and 650 billion baht (US$(US$18 billion)) respectively, is primarily attributed to the resurgence of domestic consumption.

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