TAT’s plan to lure long-haul tourists with 3.5 trillion baht goal

The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) unveiled an ambitious strategy to boost tourism revenue to a staggering 3.5 trillion baht by year-end, focusing on long-distance markets.

Siripakorn Cheawsamoot, TAT’s Deputy Governor for Europe, Africa, the Middle East, and the Americas, outlined the plan yesterday, revealing that tourists from far-flung corners of the globe are crucial to hitting the government’s lofty target.

“To achieve this, we’ve categorised our target markets into two distinct groups.”

The first group, dubbed “star countries,” includes Russia, the UK, the US, Germany, and France, nations whose citizens are already familiar with Thailand’s allure and are expected to visit before year-end.

The second group, the “rising stars,” comprises Canada, Italy, Kazakhstan, Poland, Denmark, and Saudi Arabia. These countries have shown a significant uptick in tourism revenue and are further incentivised by Thailand’s visa-free policy.

“These six countries are considered rising stars due to their robust economic status and the potential for increased flight routes to Thailand.”

TAT’s strategy aims to rake in an additional 200 billion baht from these 11-star markets in the latter half of the year, contributing to the 500 billion baht needed to meet the ambitious 3.5 trillion baht goal. Collaborative campaigns with airlines and hotels are set to extend tourists’ stays and boost their spending.

For instance, Air Canada’s Long Stay Airfare programme offers discounted tickets for extended stays, with further discounts available at participating hotels and restaurants when presenting a boarding pass, reported The Nation.

“We meticulously planned these campaigns with our partners well before the government’s announcement to lift visa requirements for 93 nations. With the new policy allowing tourists to stay up to 60 days without a visa, we’ve adjusted our promotional efforts to accommodate even longer stays.”

In related news, TAT is targeting foreign tourists, especially from Spain, as plans get underway to launch a tour of haunted attractions.

TAT Deputy Governor Siripakorn reported on Saturday, June 8, that he discussed the project with the Spanish ambassador in Thailand and found that Spanish people would be interested in haunted tourist attractions or any attractions with mysterious stories.