Thailand to boost tourism revenue by hosting Indian weddings, says TAT

Indian weddings are a “multi-billion dollar industry” that Thailand plans on tapping into, according to Deputy Governor of the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) Siripakorn Chaewsamoot.

The TAT said they want to bump up Thailand’s tourism revenue for 2022 up to 600 – 700 billion baht (US$16 – 19 billion) by the end of the year by targeting high-spending groups like Indian wedding parties and honeymooners.

So far this year – between Jan 1 and August 28 – Thailand has generated 186 billion baht in total from 4.2 million tourists, according to the TAT.

To hit the minimum target revenue of 600 billion baht, Thailand’s tourism industry is going to have to generate 414 billion baht in the next four months. That’s a LOT of Indian weddings.

Siripakorn said the average Indian wedding in Thailand costs between 10 million and 30 million baht. Indian weddings are expensive because they can last up to one week, he said. The costs cover event planning, catering, decorations, and transportation.

Siripakorn said that during the past two years, many Indian couples have postponed their wedding because they want their reception and honeymoon to take place in Thailand.

In June, TAT reported that 300 Indian weddings had been booked in Thailand for 2022, mostly in Phuket.

The deputy governor said he hopes Thailand’s tourism industry will benefit from upcoming changes to visa-on-arrivals and visa exemptions on arrival. More time spent in the kingdom means more money spent in the kingdom, he added.

SOURCE: Reuters