Nathapol Khantahiran, Ambassador of Thailand to Qatar, during the Amazing Thailand Road Show 2019 to Qatar by Tourism Authority of Thailand at Crowne Plaza Hotel Doha on Saturday. Pic: Abdul Basit / The Peninsula
Doha: Qatar ranks one among the top five countries in the Middle East with the highest number of visitors to Thailand.
The year 2018 saw, as many as 35,838 tourists from Qatar visiting Thailand, which was a 27.45 percent increase from the previous year. This generated an income of over $101,920,815, a substantial 24.21 percent increase from 2017.
In 2018, Thailand welcomed 38.2 million visitors, bringing in $63bn in terms of tourism revenue, a 7.5 percent increase over the previous year. Of those visitors, more than 550,000 were from the Middle East; generating an income of more than $1.4bn. The figures were given by the officials of Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) during a programme at the Crowne Plaza in Doha to promote its new ‘Open to the New Shades’ campaign as part of its post-Arabian Travel Market (ATM) 2019, roadshow event. Nathapol Khantahiran, Ambassador of Thailand to Qatar, attended the event.
The roadshow, which took place from May 2 to 4, covered two countries, both of which are key markets for TAT. The post-ATM roadshow has seen TAT visit Kuwait on May 2, with the team finishing the tour on May 4 in Qatar. The roadshow serves to highlight Thailand’s many offerings to the travel industry in the Middle East region.
This year multiple Thai hotels, tour operators, medical service institutes and tourism-related agencies from the private sector attended the roadshow, each highlighting the unique offerings available across the diverse nation.
The ‘Open to the New Shaded’ campaign by TAT showcases the diversity of Thailand and its many unique and undiscovered offerings for travellers. It comprises of five pillars: shades of Thai gastronomy, shades of nature and beach, shades of arts and crafts, shades of culture and shades of the way of life.
Srisuda Wanapinyosak, TAT Deputy Governor for International Marketing (Europe, Africa, Middle East and Americas), said: “The Middle East is a key market for us and we are incredibly excited to see continued growth in visitors from the region.” She said that from white sand beaches to world-class wellness retreats, fascinating culture and the famous Thai gastronomy, Thailand offers something unique and exciting for every type of visitor from across the region. “This year, we want people to discover the incredible family-friendly hotels and activities on offer throughout Thailand, as well as uncover the hidden gems that are yet to be fully discovered.”
“We have recently launched a landmark ‘Go Local’ campaign to promote Thailand’s emerging generation of secondary destinations which offers a new and exciting travel experience to tourists. We are truly pleased to be back in Qatar to showcase our offerings to this unique market and look forward to welcoming more visitors to the Land of Smiles throughout the year,” said Wanapinyosak.
