The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT), in collaboration with public and private sector partners, has embarked on the ‘Trusted Thailand, You Taiguo Yue Wan Yue Kaixin’ campaign, aimed at restoring confidence among Chinese tourists. A key aspect of the campaign is a Mega Fam Trip involving 60 key opinion leaders (KOLs) from China, taking place from May 18 to May 28, 2023.
During the trip, the KOLs will explore significant travel experiences in various popular tourist destinations, including Chiang Mai, Ko Chang in Trat, Chanthaburi, Pattaya in Chon Buri, Hua Hin in Prachuap Khiri Khan, Kanchanaburi, Nakhon Ratchasima, Khon Kaen, Udon Thani, and Nong Khai.
The carefully planned itineraries, with a strong emphasis on tourist safety measures, will highlight community-based tourism, gastronomy tourism, health and wellness tourism, beach tourism, the China-Lao PDR-Thailand high-speed railway, and an array of new travel experiences tailored to the preferences of Chinese tourists.
In addition to exploring key destinations, the trip will feature a ‘Shopping Challenge’ at ICONSIAM, where various Thai tourism products and services will be showcased. These offerings focus on experience-based tourism and leverage Thailand’s 5F soft-power elements – Food, Film, Festival, Fight, and Fashion – to provide meaningful travel experiences in the country.
To ensure the safety and security of all tourists, TAT and the Royal Thai Police have shared the measures in place during the trip. The participating KOLs, along with Thai and Chinese media, and representatives from airlines and campaign partners, were briefed on these safety protocols.
As part of the campaign, tourists can utilize the ‘Tourist Police I Lert U’ mobile application, connected to the Tourist Police’s emergency response center. This app allows tourists to seek assistance in multiple languages, including Chinese, by contacting the Tourist Police, who will dispatch officers immediately upon receiving a report or photo upload through the app.
To enhance surveillance, Tourist Police and patrol vehicles will be equipped with live cameras to monitor and broadcast situations to the emergency response center. The Tourist Police, working alongside the Royal Thai Police, will intensify safety and security measures during festivals and peak tourist seasons.
The ‘Trusted Thailand, You Taiguo Yue Wan Yue Kaixin’ campaign aims to raise awareness of the safety measures and meaningful travel experiences in Thailand. The participating KOLs will share content with their followers through various online platforms, including Weibo, WeChat, Little Red Book, and Bilibili.
With a recorded 1,003,893 Chinese tourists visiting Thailand from January 1 to May 18, 2023, and increased flight schedules between the two countries, TAT has set a target of welcoming 5 million Chinese tourists in 2023 through the implementation of the ‘Trusted Thailand’ campaign.
