Unsurprisingly, Bangkok tops the list of destinations for international visitors, followed by Phuket, Chonburi, Krabi and Surat Thani, shared Tanes Petsuwan, TAT’s deputy governor for marketing communications at the ASEAN Tourism Forum (ATF) this year.
While 2017 was a challenging year for Thailand, the country has pulled through and fielded a strong performance. It crossed the 35 million arrivals mark and is expecting to ring in tourism earnings of US$53 billion from international tourists.
For 2018, the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) has set a growth target of 8% in tourism revenue.
Unsurprisingly, Bangkok tops the list of destinations for international visitors, followed by Phuket, Chonburi, Krabi and Surat Thani, shared Tanes Petsuwan, TAT’s deputy governor for marketing communications at the ASEAN Tourism Forum (ATF) this year.
Marketing efforts this year will focus on promoting local Thai experiences, beginning with the northern city of Chiangmai, which is currently hosting ATF.
Recognised as a UNESCO Creative City for Crafts and Folk Arts, Chiangmai’s culinary and cultural heritage unique to the northern region will be highlighted alongside other local Thai experiences.
TAT is focussed on a local strategy to boost tourism by driving traffic to local communities in second-tier provinces. To drive up local tourism demand, TAT has approved tax breaks to boost the local economy in 55 second-tier tourist provinces nationwide. The tax break will cover expenditure on hotels and tours.
The country also hopes to attract the millennial traveller segment who enjoy personalising their travel itineraries with ‘mix and match options’ by pushing digital marketing efforts.
Beyond promotion efforts, TAT is also looking to expand its scope to include tourism supply, and will be exploring ways to help preserve local events and traditions.