Thailand gears for Quality and Responsible Tourism in 2020 : Focus on Luxury and Niche Tourism is slated

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Gearing up to mark its 60th anniversary in 2020, the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) has reaffirmed its commitment to making travel and tourism the kingdom’s most environmentally sustainable, quality-oriented and culturally vibrant sector in the years to come. A must as tourism is turning into a maturing industry in the country.

With 2019 being the record breaker year touching almost 2 million tourist, the destination is now eyeing an increase by 10% in 2020 from the India market. Klissada Ratanaparuk, Executive Director – ASEAN South Asia and South Pacific Region, Tourism Authority of Thailand and Isra Stapanaseth, Director, Tourism Authority of Thailand said Promoting Thailand as a premium destination for Weddings and  Golf, Tourism Authority of Thailand is looking forward to maintaining the momentum through B2B as well as B2C promotions. Thailand hosted  400 Indian weddings in 2019. Talking of tier 2 and 3 cities, Isra Stapanaseth said, “After the introduction of the new routes, we are glad to admit that traffic from West Bengal and Guwahati is showing good response. We look forward to maintaining the travel quotient and if the airlines find it profitable, they might introduce newer sectors between India and Thailand this year too.”

TAT is vigorously working implementing a 360 degree approach for marketing the destination through website, social media and B2B inviting people for a quality experience in Thailand. The government is also trying to lend full support and ensure a safe environment for women travellers, especially solo women travellers. Besides its known factors such as sightseeing, shopping, luxury resorts and spas, the destination, in its endeavour to tap the “millennials”, is positioning “adventure” activities, especially diving, prominently to the segment, inviting them to come and experience the ‘sporty’ side of Thailand.

Living up to its tagline – ‘Open to the New Shades’, Thailand, which is much more than a fabulous shopping paradise, is hoping for a spectacular 2020.

In 2020 TAT wants to look at the new challenges emerging from a more demanding sophisticated traveller and face also the issues over environment, sustainability, over tourism  in a highly competitive and constantly changing global and regional environment.

Targets for 2020 are to boost total tourism revenues by 10% over the projection for this year in both domestic and international markets. TAT has also set clear directions to move the Thai tourism industry out of mass tourism and towards responsible tourism with an emphasis on revenue-generating quality tourists.