The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) has unveiled an ambitious
strategy for 2025, designating it as the “Thailand Grand Tourism Year”.
This initiative, announced by TAT Chairman Natthriya Thaweevong on 8
July, aligns with Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin's directive to elevate
the country's tourism industry to new heights.
For 2025, TAT has set the following targets:
- Foreign tourists: 40 million (an increase from 39 million projected for 2024)
- Domestic trips: 220 million (up from 200 million expected in 2024)
- Total tourism revenue: Approximately 3.4 trillion baht (US$94 billion), representing a 7.5-10% increase from 2024
Thaweevong outlined key strategies for achieving these goals: "TAT
plans to synchronise operations with tourist journeys, collecting
feedback before, during, and after trips to enhance services."
The implementation plan includes:
- Organising large-scale events, particularly in Q4 2024
- Expanding flight routes
- Focusing on high-spending tourists in luxury, health, and beauty segments
- Supporting major cities and emerging tourist destinations
- Implementing nationwide tour programmes
- Enhancing collaboration among different units and agencies
To support this initiative, the government plans to establish 29
domestic TAT offices and collaborate with one agency for every 10
offices within the country.
Chamnan Srisawat, president of the Tourism Council of Thailand (TCT),
provided an even more optimistic outlook, estimating that foreign
tourist numbers for 2025 could reach between 40-45 million.
The Thailand Grand Tourism Year strategy builds on the momentum
expected in 2024, for which the government aims to attract 36.7 million
foreign tourists and generate revenue of 2.3 trillion baht (US$63.6
billion).
However, challenges remain, including competition from other
countries, notably China's low-cost tour packages. The success of the
2025 initiative will depend on Thailand's ability to overcome these
challenges and capitalise on emerging trends in global tourism.