Skift Take
In a fiercely competitive tourism industry where every destination is vying to attract more visitors, Thailand knows it needs to act swiftly and decisively, so it’s no surprise that the country is already formulating its tourism strategy for 2025, aiming to stay ahead of the curve.
Peden Doma Bhutia
The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) aims to increase domestic tourism revenue by 7.5 percent next year.
“The TAT has set a target of increasing tourism receipts by more than 7.5 percent in 2025, 1.7 times Thailand’s projected GDP growth rate this year. This is based on a ‘best-case scenario’ of 39 million international tourists and more than 205 million domestic travelers,” the TAT said in a statement.
To attract more visitors, Thailand has expanded its visa-free entry scheme, allowing citizens of 93 countries and regions to stay for up to 60 days without a visa, while citizens of 31 countries and regions can apply for a visa on arrival.
Countries eligible for visa-free travel include major tourism markets such as China and India, as well as the United States, United Kingdom, Albania, UAE, Cambodia, Jamaica, Kazakhstan, Laos, Mexico, Morocco, Panama, Romania, Sri Lanka and Uzbekistan.
This latest move sees the total number of countries granted visa-free entry jump from 57 to 93.
Thailand last month backed away from a controversial proposal to impose a 300 baht ($8.20) tourism fee on international visitors arriving by air.
Tourism targets and figures so far…
The initial target for 2025 was 3 trillion baht ($94 billion) in total tourism revenue, up from 3 trillion baht ($83 billion) in 2024. But Prime Minister Surendra Tavishin has expressed hope of generating 3.5 trillion baht ($97 billion) in tourism revenue this year alone.
According to Tapanee Kiatpaibool, governor of the Tourism Authority of Thailand, the 7.5 percent growth forecast depends on the tourism revenue Thailand receives by the end of this year.
Foreign tourists are expected to reach 17.5 million in the first half of 2024, up 35 percent from the same period last year. The top five countries contributing to the increase were China, Malaysia, India, South Korea and Russia. TAT also adjusted its target for Indian tourists to 2.3-2.4 million from 2.06 million this year, due to the promotion of visa waiver policy.
Chinese tourists alone accounted for more than 3.4 million in the first half of this year.
How can Thailand achieve its goals?
Looking ahead to 2024, TAT is focusing on 23 potential markets around the world that will account for more than 80% of total foreign tourist numbers and revenue.
The goal is to increase the number of markets attracting at least one million tourists to 13 by 2025.
The initiative includes increasing seat capacity by adding flights to current routes and introducing new routes, both scheduled and charter.
The strategy will also capitalize on the popularity of Thai filming locations for dramas, movies and music videos, with many K-pop artists, such as (G)I-dle and Seventeen, shooting their music videos in Thailand.
The country is also stepping up efforts to cater to the needs of diverse travellers as part of its strategic tourism initiative towards 2025. TAT said it will launch targeted promotions to attract a new generation of travellers from neighbouring countries and regions such as China, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan and Hong Kong.
Marketing Activities
Marketing efforts will focus on Southeast Asian millennials, families and upscale travellers, including shoppers. In addition, TAT also aims to attract car and train travellers from Malaysia, Singapore and even China.
As a highlight for the Chinese market, TAT will commemorate the 50th anniversary of diplomatic ties between Thailand and China with a series of events, including a “Ni Hao Month” featuring influencers and celebrities, joint promotions with partners, and a “China Passport Special Discount” to encourage Chinese tourists from major and secondary cities to travel, spend and stay longer.
The focus will be on attracting higher spending tourists and restoring air capacity in long-haul markets in Europe, Africa, the Middle East and America. The strategy will include establishing new market areas and raising awareness of Thailand’s tourism attractions.
There will be a particular focus on first-time travellers from the UK, Ireland, Western Europe and the Western Balkans, along with new generations of travellers from the Americas and Canada, including Gen Z, Millennials, Asian Americans, DINKS (working couples without children) and LGBTQ+ travellers, plus a strong focus on luxury travellers from six Arab countries.
In 2019, Thailand welcomed a record 39.9 million foreign tourists, generating revenue of 1.91 trillion baht ($53 billion).
Photo credit: Chinese tourists alone accounted for more than 3.4 million tourists who visited Thailand in the first half of this year.
