Luxury, wellness, romance: TAT’s strategy to capture elite tourists

The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) has unveiled a three-year strategy to attract high-spending foreigners by showcasing exclusive events in Thailand, with a focus on sports, musical and cultural experiences.

Chiravadee Khunsub, TAT’s deputy governor for tourism products and business, on Tuesday, highlighted plans to collaborate with related authorities, including the Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau (TCEB), to hold flagship events.

These include sports events like the HOKA Chiang Mai Thailand by UTMB 2024 and the Amazing Thailand Marathon Bangkok 2024, which have already drawn tens of thousands of participants, including a large number of foreigners, generating hundreds of millions of baht in revenue.

For music and cultural events, TAT aims to elevate annual celebrations such as the New Year countdown, Chinese New Year, Songkran and Loy Krathong festivals into internationally recognised events.

“For instance, the three-year-old annual illumination show, ‘Vijit Chao Phraya’, attracted over 500,000 visitors this year, generating more than 1 billion baht in revenue,” she said.

Chiravadee said the strategy targets high-spending travellers who typically spend an average of 80,000 baht per trip. Key segments include wellness tourists, experience seekers, sports enthusiasts and romance travellers, such as honeymooners.

“We will run campaigns in high-potential markets, such as the United States, China, and the Middle East. These campaigns will promote well-known festivals and iconic attractions in secondary provinces, enhancing Thailand’s reputation as a destination for unique and high-quality experiences,” Chiravadee said.