Thailand aims for 20 percent more tourists from the Netherlands this year. This was stated by Soraya Homchuen (Director France & Benelux) and Chirawadee Khunsub (Executive Director Europe Region) of the Thai Tourist Office (TAT Paris) this week in Amsterdam to TravMagazine. During a well-attended roadshow, Thailand presented itself to the Dutch travel industry. A large delegation of 30 local partners, including many hotels and DMCs from the ‘land of smiles’, entered into a conversation with Dutch travel professionals. According to the Thai Tourist Board, the Netherlands and the Dutch travel industry are of great importance for tourism in Thailand. ‘Last year we welcomed 230,000 tourists from the Netherlands. The target for this year is 280,000. That’s an increase of about 20 percent.’ ‘Post-covid in 2022-2023, there was a postponed demand. With a good focus, we see our European market getting going again. The ticket price is not a problem, but the seat capacity is. The demand is still there. We are focusing on partnering with airlines, both charter and scheduled flights, to increase the number of flights to Thailand and the region. This year, for example, TG will resume more flights from Oslo and Milan starting in the summer. Condor will fly directly from Frankfurt to Bangkok and Phuket at the end of September. British Airways will fly to Bangkok again at the end of October this year. From our point of view, airfares will be better.” We are seeing massive inflation in the world. What is the effect on the price level in Thailand? “Inflation and sluggish economic growth will undoubtedly have an impact on many destinations in Europe. However, we remain optimistic about Thailand. This is because Thailand offers a wide variety of tourism products that offer tourists better value for money. In this way, we exceed expectations. Despite inflation, a luxury holiday in Thailand is still within reach for everyone.’ What trends should travel professionals be aware of?
“At the moment, the ‘White Lotus’ trend is very popular, aimed at travelers who plan their vacation around locations from popular movies and shows. The filming of the long-awaited third season took place in Thailand. That will certainly appeal to the imagination of visitors and be a reason to explore these iconic locations.’ ‘We encourage people who don’t know Thailand yet to try it at least once. You are very likely to become a repeater, attracted by our culture, the food and the warmth of the Thai people. In Thailand, it’s easy to access luxury holidays in a sustainable way.’ How does the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) promote sustainability among local partners/entrepreneurs? ‘When awarding the Thailand Tourism Awards in 2023, we introduced two new categories in the context of sustainability. With this, we want to emphasize the importance of high-quality and sustainable tourism. The aim is to work with partners in the tourism sector to minimise the impact on the environment. Thailand, which relies heavily on tourism, has seen the entire industry become more aware of these issues. Over the past two years, we have been working with local authorities such as the Thailand Greenhouse Gas Management Organization (TGO) and the Thai Ecotourism and Adventure Travel Association (TEATA) to promote low-carbon tourism and implement climate measures for sustainability. At the ITB in Berlin, Thailand launched 100 new ways for CO2-free tourism. 
Photo: Jeannette Spits (USP Marketing PR), Chirawadee Khunsub (Executive Director Europe Region) and Soraya Homchuen (Director France & Benelux) of the Thai Tourist Office in Paris.
