Thailand targets high-spending Middle Eastern tourists for tourism growth

The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) is focusing on attracting high-spending visitors from the Middle East in the latter half of this year, with the goal of utilising this market as new tourism growth engine.

Apichai Chatchalermkit, TAT’s deputy governor for tourism products and business, has stated that since Thailand re-established full diplomatic relations with Saudi Arabia in early 2021, the authority has been increasing efforts to bring in high-spending tourists from the Middle East. Chatchalermkit also mentioned that Middle Eastern consumers hold a positive image of the quality of health and wellness businesses in Thailand.

TAT reported that in 2021, there were a total of 314,882 Middle Eastern tourists visiting Thailand. Approximately 100,000 of them were from Saudi Arabia and about 66,000 from the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

Middle Eastern travellers…