Ministry seeks to court more Japanese women
The Tourism and Sports Ministry aims to attract more female Japanese tourists to Thailand because they spend more than men.
The ministry will promote activities to make Thailand more attractive to Japanese women, such as muay Thai, meditation, shopping, cookery, textile weaving and organic gardening, Tourism and Sports Minister Kobkarn Wattanavrangkul said at a luncheon talk entitled, “Empowering Women Leadership in Business and Society”, held by Assumption University.
“The campaign for northeastern or Isan food is an interesting way to attract foreign travellers as Thai food is already known for its great taste and unique culinary style. Presenting Isan food will benefit Thai tourism a lot,” she said.
On average, Japanese women spend 5% more than men.
If Thailand can draw more Japanese women to visit the country and try Isan dishes, it will be possible to boost the cuisine’s popularity, helping food vendors in the process, said Ms Kobkarn.
She is confident that launching more tourism campaigns could increase the number of Japanese women visiting Thailand by 30%.
This year, Thailand expects to attract 1.7 million Japanese tourists, generating 66.2 billion baht in revenue.
Last year, the country welcomed 1.43 million Japanese travellers, up 4.1% from 2015, generating 61.4 billion baht, up 6.3%, said the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT).
According to a TAT survey, the most popular tourist destinations for Japanese travellers are Bangkok, Chon Buri, Phuket, Chiang Mai and Ayutthaya.
Ms Kobkarn said the ministry has launched numerous campaigns to attract women that have been well-received by Japanese visitors, especially executives seeking to reduce stress by enjoying Thailand’s nature and hospitality.
“New tour packages will be offered along with various activities and campaigns to lure Japanese women to spend more in Thailand,” she said.