Thapanee Kiatphaibool, who takes over as governor of the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT), is confident of hitting the country’s 2023 tourism targets within the next two months – she explains why and what’s planned for 2024

 

Thailand welcomed 11.4 million foreign arrivals in the first half of 2023 making Thailand the most popular tourism destination in South-east Asia this year. This must be cause for celebration in the TAT team. What led to this strong recovery even in the absence of the massive Chinese market?

Thailand’s tourism has been seeing a strong recovery since the pandemic subsided and travel resumed. This year, the figure proves to be even more promising. From January 1 to September 3, Thailand welcomed 17,808,866 international visitors, who generated over 735 billion baht (US$20.2 billion) for the country.

 

The top five international visitors were from Malaysia, China, South Korea, India, and Russia, in descending order.

 

This positive turnout comes from various factors, such as the return of potential markets like Russia, the Middle East, East Asia, and South-east Asia, and the rise in cross-border travel. Other factors include the increased number of flights and seating capacity to Thailand, as well as the recovery of the domestic market.

 

Would this powerful recovery serve as a good reminder to Thai tourism players to diversify their source markets, or would marketing focus return to China now that Chinese group outbound travel is allowed once more?

We have to acknowledge that before the pandemic, Chinese travellers amounted for one-fourth of the total number of arrivals, with over 11 million Chinese travellers generating over 500 billion baht in tourism revenue.

 

However, the pandemic has taught us not to rely on a single source market. Thus, we are diversifying our target markets by also focusing on other main markets, like South-east Asia, India and Europe, while tapping into emerging markets like the Middle East, which visits for medical tourism, and Saudi Arabia, which is new for Thailand.

 

We are also focusing on segments that have a higher spending power and longer length of stay, as well as niches like health and wellness, sports, luxury, and responsible tourism.

 

Full story: TTG ASIA 2023-10-28

 

- Cigna offers a range of visa-compliant plans that meet the minimum requirement of medical treatment, including COVID-19, up to THB 3m. For more information on all expat health insurance plans click here.

 

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In the tradition of TAT, let's see how good a BS'er she is! 🤔

Immigration Department should be run by the TAT. Within a week all our visa woes would be solved !!

 

Until then, all the goodwill of the TAT may just be a drop in the ocean.

 

Considering the immigration red tape all over Thailand or from Consulates abroad, no chance.  Sure the one-week millionnaire "quality" tourists, no problem for the weed welding Full Moon Parties. But to get the well-off retirees to come, house, stay-spend.... major immigration reforms are necessary to ease all the red tape.

1 minute ago, 2baht said:

In the tradition of TAT, let's see how good a BS'er she is! 🤔

She is good...for what, I'll keep it to myself...but she is quite good for sure 😝

Seems drugs legalization is having far reaching effects...

TAT are always 'confident' whatever the numbers; they wouldn't be in the job otherwise.

3 hours ago, tomazbodner said:

Seems drugs legalization is having far reaching effects...

Yeah those shops are all queued up lol

She looks like she is wearing a costume out of Star Trek. Very Klingon.

Nice apron.

With long opening threads and now tiny text I'm guessing TAT is talking bullock's 🤔

Is talking about tourism, 365 days a year really necessary?

35 minutes ago, Irish star said:

Yeah those shops are all queued up lol

 

we are starting to sell faster than ever now. by mid high season should be sold out frequently i bet. 

Edited October 28, 20232 yr by stoner

5 hours ago, observer90210 said:

Immigration Department should be run by the TAT. Within a week all our visa woes would be solved !!

 

 

Careful what you wish for, they'd have you do visa runs just because of their infatuation with arrival numbers. 🤣

For crying out loud; who is interested in these fabrications, who cares and why on Earth are those TAT goons blowing their own trumpet for something absolutely beyond their control. 

 

3 minutes ago, Sydebolle said:

For crying out loud; who is interested in these fabrications, who cares and why on Earth are those TAT goons blowing their own trumpet for something absolutely beyond their control. 

 

Cha cha. Smile and walk on 😎

On a serious note, my guess is that Europeans and Americans numbers will decrease in line with the increasing number of Russians being given special visa privileges. Just saying!

5 hours ago, 2baht said:

In the tradition of TAT, let's see how good a BS'er she is! 🤔

she will be good.... look at the start, she changed the words from hope, wish, surely, expecting to confident...  555

Edited October 28, 20232 yr by Mavideol

1 hour ago, Irish star said:

Yeah those shops are all queued up lol

All super quality Tourists (NOT)

I'm on Koh Tao right now and I've never seen so many tourists crammed into one tiny island.

Been coming here for 8 years and this is the first time I'm not renting a motorbike.  Too dangerous, too many places renting them now, and too many people who would never even think of getting on a motorbike back home plunking their 200B down and clogging the main drag.  

Edited October 28, 20232 yr by ArtVandelay

6 hours ago, webfact said:

Thapanee Kiatphaibool, who takes over as governor of the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT), is confident of hitting the country’s 2023 tourism targets within the next two months – she explains why and what’s planned for 2024

Aiming high as ever...

6 hours ago, webfact said:

What led to this strong recovery even in the absence of the massive Chinese market?

The Russians came.

6 hours ago, 2baht said:

In the tradition of TAT, let's see how good a BS'er she is! 🤔

I think she can BS with the best of them..

1 hour ago, Deez said:

Is talking about tourism, 365 days a year really necessary?

Well it dose or should represent 40% of Thailand's GDP anyone's guess what the actual figures are, 

 

 

8 hours ago, 2baht said:

In the tradition of TAT, let's see how good a BS'er she is! 🤔

The life jacket is a nice touch.

Actually tourist numbers in 23 exceeded my predictions  from 2020. I amd mamy here didn't expect half this many post covid.  

2 hours ago, ArtVandelay said:

I'm on Koh Tao right now and I've never seen so many tourists crammed into one tiny island.

Been coming here for 8 years and this is the first time I'm not renting a motorbike.  Too dangerous, too many places renting them now, and too many people who would never even think of getting on a motorbike back home plunking their 200B down and clogging the main drag.  

So from your 'man on the street' perspective in Khao Tao which nationality(s) are the majority tourist visitor(s)?

 

 

6 hours ago, mikebell said:

TAT are always 'confident' whatever the numbers; they wouldn't be in the job otherwise.

I never believe anything that TAT say - unless it's "hope for" or 'wish for"!

9 hours ago, 2baht said:

In the tradition of TAT, let's see how good a BS'er she is! 🤔

Or more precise, those who have been deeply indoctrinated as in regard to the upmost importance of tourism to the broader economy. 

Repeated long, often and loud enough - all becomes real and true.

 

😏

They better hope their evisa program is working more efficiently in other countries than through the thai embassy in Ottawa if they expect to see those kind of arrivals. 4.5 weeks now since application and still no word. You can't even access the evisa site at the moment because it's down for maintenance. 

that is mean 1120 us dollards from malaysia,india,china tourist,no way