The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) has unveiled a roster of “5-D reasons” why Thailand is the perfect destination for romance, weddings and honeymoons. Mr. Tanes Petsuwan, TAT Deputy Governor for the Marketing Communications, identified these 5-D reasons as follows:
1. Destinations Extraordinaire: A wide choice of breathtaking locations that are perfect as the setting of the couples’ most important day;
2. Diverse Choices: Tailor-made wedding themes for couples by professional wedding planners; from a beach wedding, a luxury yacht wedding, Under the Blue Sea Wedding, to extravagant Indian style;
3. Dream Hideaways: Couples can find a desirable place to stay together from a serene homestay to a deluxe villa;
4. Delectable Tastes: Ranging from five-star hotels to Michelin recommended restaurants, or street food; and
5. Distinct Hospitality: The essence of Thai romance celebration lies in ‘Thainess’ and heart-warming hospitality that shape the couple’s experiences like nowhere else.
Mr. Tanes said numerous marketing and promotional activities are planned to reinforce Thailand’s image as a global wedding and honeymoon destination. In the future strategy, TAT will categorise the romance markets into three main target segments:
1) Pre-wedding market: China has come up as the potential source market, as Chinese couples are normally fond of shooting photos and prefer visiting Thailand.
2) Wedding markets: These include short-haul markets; such as, India, Hong Kong and Australia. India contributes a huge share for this segment.
3) Honeymoon markets: This covers long-haul markets from America and Europe. Due to the long flight to Thailand, a honeymoon will be more attractive to this group. Nearby markets like Indonesia, Malaysia and South Korea are also potential targets.
TAT has also identified potential romantic destinations including main destinations and emerging ones. Most of them are beach destinations, but each place is uniquely charming. In addition to Pattaya, the host city of the TTM+2018, these include Phuket, Ko Samui, Krabi, Chiang Mai, Trang, Trat, Hua Hin-Pran Buri, and Chiang Rai.
Mr. Tanes said, “When it comes to romance, people often think about two colours: pink and red. But, love is more than two colours. When you are in Thailand, there are a million shades of romance that enamor you. It might be either the crystal-clear blue of the sea, the greenery of the tropical forest, or the glowing sunset on the beach that counts.”
He said the selection of Pattaya as the host of the TTM+2018 was also designed to enhance its status as a high-end destination and a romantic venue for couples.
Mr. Tanes added, “The Ocean Marina, where we now are, is a fine example of how the resort and its surrounding areas have reinvented themselves to cater for the upscale market.”
In 2018, TAT expects to see a growth of 5 percent for the wedding and honeymoon segment. Moreover, the goal is to promote Thailand to be among the top five world-class destinations for newlyweds and honeymooners, and it seems that things are happening with regard to this aim.
Mr. Tanes also noted Thailand hosted the 4th Destination Wedding Planners Congress 2017 in Phuket , an event held for the first time in Asia. Moreover, Thailand was unanimously voted to be the venue for the Amour Asia Pacific 2018 by its luxury buyers.
