The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) is making a push to draw more tourists from the Middle East to the country in the second half of this year. Apichai Chatchalermkit, TAT’s deputy governor for tourism products and business, stated that since full diplomatic ties were restored between Thailand and Saudi Arabia in 2022, the organization has been working hard to attract more tourists from the region. He noted that visitors from the Middle East are increasingly drawn to the quality of health and wellness businesses in Thailand.
Chatchalermkit emphasized that tourists from the Middle East are considered high-spending travelers who stay for extended periods. He cited figures showing that visitors from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) spent over 220 US dollars per day and stayed for an average of 11.4 days in 2019.
TAT revealed that last year, 314,882 Middle Eastern tourists visited Thailand, with around 100,000 from Saudi Arabia and around 66,000 from the UAE.
Meanwhile, TAT is planning events to attract more tourists to the country, such as fruit buffets and tropical fruit-tasting events. Chatchalermkit highlights the “Thailand Amazing Durian & Fruit Fest 2023,” which is currently being held at the CentralWorld department store in Bangkok until May 15. The event, which showcases Thailand’s fruits to domestic and foreign visitors, is expected to generate over 200 million baht in sales.
