Vachirachai Sirisumpan

Director, Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) New Delhi Office

The last two years have been very challenging for us and everyone in the tourism industry. One of the most important tasks for us, TAT India team, has been to constantly send out positive energy to all our partners in the Indian travel trade. In return, we have received a lot of support from them. We try to stay connected and constantly communicate with the travel trade and travellers in India, keeping current sentiments and the developing situations in mind.

Thailand has been and will be one of the favourite destinations for Indian travellers but that does not afford us to sit back and relax or put things on hold even when the situation does not permit or facilitate travel to Thailand. We are sure that the India market will rebound fast, as people are looking forward to their next holiday when the time is right.

I am very confident that once the pandemic situation improves and travel restrictions are relaxed by both countries with flights connections, we will see a good number of Indian travellers travel to Thailand once again. This was evident from the fact that some charters which were supported by us and operated in the months of December and January to Phuket drew a good response.

Our strategy is to maintain Thailand as a “Top of Mind” destination by giving a new perspective about the destination in line with the current marketing campaign “Amazing New Chapter”, and focus more on sustainable and responsible tourism. We remain a very safe destination to visit, considering the strict safety standards maintained by Thailand. We will also maintain constant and regular communication with our travel trade partners in India and Thailand.

The other strategy is to move fast and be flexible in the market. At the first stage we are focussing and preparing to push travellers whom we have identified as our “First Movers” these are the people who want and are ready to travel to Thailand, based on segments such as Millennial Group, Golf, Wedding and Incentive groups.