The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) has unveiled its strategy plan for 2024, which calls for respecting tight guidelines for sustainable tourism and utilising Thai soft power to promote luxury travel to Thailand. The tourism body expects to welcome 35 million foreign tourists and inspire 200 million domestic trips in 2024.
International Market
For the international market, five directions have been devised to boost the overseas market comprising:
1) Enhance the sustainability image of Thailand and utilising it as the country’s unique selling point, which aims to strengthen the awareness of the Kinnaree Brand (Thailand Tourism Awards) to international travellers.
2) Penetrate emerging quality markets to focus on new markets in Europe and the Middle East region and other potential segments, such as Oya Rich, business travellers, and wedding and honeymoons.
3) Seek new partners and expand collaboration with global partners, such as Tourism Cares, Alipay, and WeChat.
4) Promote overland travelling via the high-speed train between the People’s Republic of China-Lao PDR-Thailand.
5) Empower marketing with digital content, such as utilising virtual influencers to promote Thailand to Generation Z and Y to Thailand.
“2024 will be the year of accelerating Resilience, transforming Thailand’s tourism into High Value and Sustainable Tourism that emphasises on elevating and moving forward to a better tourism ecosystem. To build a new ecosystem, we need to become less reliant on the number of tourists and focus more on increasing tourist spending, attracting quality tourists, developing the supply chain with our partners, and distributing income fairly to the local communities. We need to create a balance between economic wealth, social well-being, environmental wellness, and human wisdom,” says Yuthasak Supasorn, TAT Governor.
Domestic Market
The domestic market promotion will be prioritized on stimulating Thais to travel in Thailand, increasing travel frequency, and distributing tourism income to the local communities, so to generate income for all sectors equally. TAT will also showcase the strengths of the Thailand Soft Power (5F) and highlight meaningful travel experiences across all five regions of Thailand.
The ‘Northern Region’ invokes nostalgia through local arts and crafts and soft power of the North.
The ‘Central Region’ highlights the happiness of travelling through 4HD or the 4 Happy Definitions, which aim to stimulate frequent travels in the Central Region.
The ‘Northeastern Region’ leverages the fabulous Isan food and the Michelin Guide to whet the domestic travel appetite to the Northeast.
The ‘Eastern Region’ highlights the gastronomic delights, local beliefs, getaway destinations, and responsible tourism in the East.
The ‘Southern Region” recommends an exciting array of food, nature, superstitions, and work from anywhere in the South.
“TAT will continue to focus on creating and delivering ‘meaningful experiences’ to quality travellers with different demands in tourism experiences. To achieve this, TAT is concerned about the subculture movement and will strengthen partnerships at all angles with stakeholders and suppliers to drive Thailand’s tourism industry towards sustainability,” says Thapanee Kiatphaibool, TAT Deputy Governor for Domestic Marketing.
Amazing Thailand
For marketing communication in 2024, the ‘Amazing Thailand’ brand is being implemented for both the domestic and international markets. ‘Create Your Great Moment Now’ is the key concept, which is being conveyed to domestic tourists, while the ‘Meaningful Relationship’ is being communicated to international travellers to encourage them to engage in meaningful connections with the local people and community.
By synergising with the private sector, TAT will strengthen Thailand’s five soft powers under the Brand Collaboration: Amazing Thailand x 5F project.
