BANGKOK, Thailand – The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) has set a target for 2024 to promote domestic tourism, aiming for 200 million Thai tourists traveling within the country, with a revenue goal of 1.08 trillion baht. While the number of domestic tourists is on track, with 160 million trips taken in the first seven months of the year generating 582 billion baht, the spending per trip has fallen short due to the sluggish economy.
Somrudee Chitjong, Deputy Governor for Domestic Marketing at TAT, highlighted that while Thai people continue to travel, they are spending less, particularly on shopping, as they enter a more frugal mode. The drop in shopping expenditure is significant, with tourists feeling that products sold at tourist destinations are not unique, reducing the incentive to spend.
To address this, TAT is exploring ways to promote local products that are difficult to replicate, such as region-specific alcoholic beverages like local spirits, fruit wines, and rice-based alcohols. These items could become signature products for tourists to purchase and take home as souvenirs.
In the short term, Somrudee pointed out that there is still potential for growth in the “activities” category. Typically, Thai tourists spend less on recreational activities when traveling, but TAT plans to change that perception with a campaign titled “Travel Your Way, Enjoy the Activities You Love.” This campaign will encourage Thai tourists to participate in various activities, including scuba diving, white-water rafting, kayaking, ATV driving, rock climbing, Muay Thai training, Thai massages, painting traditional pottery, golfing, and swing dancing, among others.
Currently, the average expenditure for domestic trips is around 4,000 baht per person, which is relatively low due to the popularity of day trips that do not require overnight stays. However, Somrudee believes this trend is shifting, with more Thais beginning to see hotels as destinations themselves, potentially leading to increased spending on accommodation and overall travel experiences.
