A Revieved Brand
To capitalise on the interest from the Middle East market, TAT reveals it plans invest US$ 1.1 million (AED 4 million) in marketing Thailand in the region this year.

“We are targeting a 15% rise in visitor numbers from the region this year,” says Supyen. “Unfortunately for the next six years, Ramadan is falling in the high season so this will affect the pattern of travel.

But we have already educated the hotels in Thailand about what Ramadan is and what it means for the Middle East and Muslim traveller. Some hotels have said they will provide Iftar, Suhour and even transportation to nearby mosques.

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“Our job is not only to educate the market here about Thailand but also to educate the Thai private sector about how to cater to the Middle Eastern traveller.”

The ‘Amazing Thailand’ brand, first launched in 1997, has evolved this year with the tag line ‘Always Amazes You’.

“Last year, and the year before, with the economic crisis we campaigned on the promise of value for money,” explains Supyen. “ But this year we’ve changed the focus to be about emotions, and to show that we are a country with variety, and we are ready to welcome every kind of tourist.”

The new tag line has been designed to reinforce the “positive emotions” that visitors to Thailand experience, and the fact that whether or not people have visited the destination before there are plenty of experiences on offer.

“There are so many things you can do in Thailand, wherever you go. The first time people come they might go to Bangkok, but the next time they can go to Phuket, then Krabi, Koh Samui… every time they go, they get a different feeling.”

For Middle East visitors, Thailand’s cities and the northern parts of Thailand remain the most popular says Supyen.

“If people want to go for culture they can go to the North — there they can touch the culture and the ‘Thainess’. Younger people prefer soft adventure and eco-tourism.”