The Department of Tourism (DoT) promotes Thailand as a welcoming tourism destination in order to attract Muslim visitors.
In Phuket province, the Department of Tourism and the commercial sector recently hosted a focus group discussion on Islamic tourism. This was the fourth such meeting, following those in Bangkok, Chiang Mai, and Chon Buri. Athuek Phrasenmoon, Head of the Department of Tourism’s Tourist Attractions Development Division, noted that the worldwide tourism sector recognized Muslim visitors as a fast-growing market with strong buying power.
According to Athuek, Muslim visitors choose Muslim-friendly places like as Bangkok, Chiang Mai, and Krabi, as well as hotels and restaurants that offer halal cuisine and have amenities such as prayer rooms. The business sector also proposed boosting tourist events tied to the Muslim calendar, such as creating appealing promotions after Ramadan, one of the holiest months of the year for Muslims.
Thailand is the fourth most popular non-Muslim nation among Muslim travelers, after Malaysia, Singapore, and the United Kingdom, according to the MasterCard-CrescentRating World Muslim Travel Index 2022. In 2022, the kingdom attracted 11.8 million overseas tourists, with over 400,000 of them coming from the Middle East, representing a 65% increase over the same period in 2019. Over the preceding four years, this group’s aggregate spending climbed by 71%.
With this in mind, the Department of Tourism is dedicated to crafting a strong plan to attract more Muslim visitors to the kingdom while also making them feel welcome and comfortable throughout their stay. In addition to executing a sound tourist marketing plan, the department is striving to equip authorities and people working in the hotel and service industries to understand their culture, behavior, and specific demands.
