TAT backs short-haul, low-energy travel for sustainable tourism

The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) is reshaping its strategy to cope with the global energy crisis by moving ahead with a new tourism industry strategy and launching the “Heal Everywhere, Feel Good Every Trip” campaign under the “MOOD” concept, adjusting travel patterns to focus on short-haul, low-energy tourism.

At the same time, it is highlighting a “Celebrity Marketing” strategy to create appeal through influencers, linking experiences from the online world to promotional activities on the ground, while laying the foundation for sustainable tourism and spreading income to grass-roots economies nationwide.

Thapanee Kiatphaibool, Governor of the TAT, said the tourism industry is facing pressure from fluctuations in global energy prices, particularly the impact of tensions in the Middle East.

This has significantly raised travel costs for both air travel and the transport sector, and is beginning to affect travel behaviour.

There is a growing tendency for people to cut back on long-distance travel and control spending more carefully. For this reason, the TAT has launched the “Heal Everywhere, Feel Good Every Trip” campaign under the “Smile Thailand” project to drive the Thai tourism industry through easy, short-distance travel.

This energy crisis is not only a challenge, but also an opportunity to restructure Thai tourism in line with a new world that emphasises sustainability, energy saving and the value of experience.

Nithee Seeprae, TAT Deputy Governor for Marketing Communications, said the key task is not simply to get people travelling, but to get them to “travel with quality”. The focus is shifting from travelling far and fast to travelling near, using less energy, and creating value for local economies.

The “Heal Everywhere, Feel Good Every Trip” campaign is designed to shape tourism experiences in line with the current situation, using a “Celebrity Marketing” strategy led by Mario Maurer, Anntonia Porsild and Opal Suchata to generate broad public awareness.

At the same time, tourists will also be invited to share their feelings or submit photos of smiles for the chance to win a range of prizes. The campaign is being driven through the “MOOD” concept, comprising:

Mass Transportation promotes shared travel to reduce energy use, such as trains, buses and EV shuttles.

Outbound to Domestic encourages Thais to travel within the country instead of going abroad.

Outdoor Activities focuses on low-energy nature-based activities such as hiking and cycling.

Deep Seeking supports in-depth tourism through slow tourism and communities, including nearby attractions that should not be overlooked.

In addition to Thai travellers, the campaign is also targeting short-haul foreign visitors to Thailand, particularly target groups from Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia, who favour cross-border travel to southern Thailand, which was affected by flooding last year.

The TAT is therefore focusing on linking online experiences with promotional activities to stimulate the market continuously, including the Smile@South Super Deal campaign in partnership with Agoda, offering 15% discounts on accommodation for tourists from Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia across nine southern provinces, to encourage short-haul travel.

It is also rolling out the Amazing Thailand Passport Privileges@Hat Yai activity, which aims to attract foreign tourists through special privileges and community souvenirs, creating tourism experiences that connect with local economies.

The “Heal Everywhere, Feel Good Every Trip” campaign is not only intended to stimulate travel in the short term, but also reflects a new direction for Thai tourism that seeks balance between the economy, the environment and quality of life, while underlining the sector’s adjustment towards sustainable growth even as the world faces the current energy crisis.