Grab Thailand reveals foreign tourist trends

Grab Thailand saw a 45% increase in foreign users between Q2 and Q3 in 2022, suggesting a positive outlook for the recovery of the tourism industry.

The top five countries foreign Grab users came from are…

1. Indonesia
2. Malaysia
3. Singapore
4. United States
5. Vietnam

To meet the needs of foreign users, the ride-hailing super-app focussed on perfecting three key aspects of service: “Convenience, safety, and upfront pricing.”

Grab Thailand’s 2022 travel insights report revealed what foreign users are getting up to in the kingdom…

• Thailand’s top five tourist cities are 1) Bangkok 2) Chiang Mai 3) Phuket 4) Pattaya and 5) Hat Yai.
• Bangkok’s most popular tourist destinations are 1) ICONSIAM 2) Jodd Fairs Night Market 3) CentralWorld 4) Khaosan Road and 5) Siam Paragon.
• The longest distance a foreigner travelled with Grab is from Phuket to Krabi.

Grab Thailand conducted a survey among 10,046 Grab users in six countries across Southeast Asia including Singapore, Malaysia, Philippines, Vietnam, Indonesia, and Thailand, finding…

• Thailand is voted as the top international destination users would like to visit the most, followed by Singapore and Japan.
• Half of all Grab users plan to travel in the next six months, and 39% plan to travel abroad.
• Of those users, 84% plan to travel in groups of 2-5, especially with family (59%), lovers (37%), and friends (31%).
• Top three reasons people want to travel: getaway (60%), festive season (33%), an outing with friends (25%).
• Top three experiences travellers are looking for: visiting local sights (54%), tasting local foods (51%), and experiencing local culture (36%).

Country Head of Grab Thailand Worachat Luxhanalode said…

“As an app-based ride-hailing service provider certified by the Department of Land Transport, Grab is dedicated to promoting Thailand’s tourism through the convenient, safe, and high-quality standard transport service for foreign users. The three main reasons that these users choose to travel with Grab are…

“1) Convenience – Tourists can request a ride easily and conveniently via their smartphones. Simply choose the destination and the driver-partner will arrive at their preferred pick-up point. The in-app chat and translation feature also make communication with the driver-partner at ease.

“2) Safety – Passengers are secured with high safety standards and technology. All driver-partners must have passed the thorough screening system such as identity verification through facial recognition before providing service in every ride and the criminal background check for at least seven years of tracked records.

“3) Upfront pricing – Ensure transparency with the system showing the fare in advance, which helps tourists with their travel decision and assurance. Along with various e-payment options, they are worry-free about carrying cash.”

About Grab

Grab is Southeast Asia’s leading super app based on GMV in 2021 in each of the food deliveries, mobility, and e-wallets segments of financial services, according to Euromonitor.

Grab operates across the deliveries, mobility, and digital financial services sectors in 480 cities in eight countries in the Southeast Asia region – Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam.

Grab enables millions of people each day to access its driver- and merchant-partners to order food or groceries, send packages, hail a ride or taxi, pay for online purchases, or access services such as lending, insurance, wealth management, and telemedicine, all through a single “everyday everything” app.

Grab was founded in 2012 with the mission to drive Southeast Asia forward by creating economic empowerment for everyone, and since then, the Grab app has been downloaded onto millions of mobile devices. Grab strives to serve a double bottom line: to simultaneously deliver financial performance for its shareholders and a positive social impact in Southeast Asia.

Grab delivery drivers protest in Bangkok, Thailand