Tag Archives: TAT

Almosafer and The Tourism Authority of Thailand signed a Memorandum of Cooperation (MOC) to boost tourism between the Kingdom of Thailand and GCC countries. Almosafer’s consumer segment and The Tourism Authority of Thailand will work together to promote and develop quality tourism experiences in Thailand for travellers from GCC countries, with a focus on key niche markets including sport tourism, luxury tourism, and health and wellness tourism. Muzzammil Ahussain, Executive Vice President of Almosafer, said: “The signing of the Memorandum of Cooperation with The Tourism Authority of Thailand today is an important step in meeting the growing demand for tourism from the GCC to Thailand. This partnership will provide our consumers with the best experiences while strengthening ties between the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Kingdom of Thailand. Thailand is an increasingly popular destination and we look forward to working together with The Tourism Authority to enable many visitors from the GCC to experience all that Thailand has to offer.” The MOC follows the announcement on 9 March 2022 permitting Saudi nationals to travel to Thailand which marked the end of a travel ban for nationals wanting to visit the popular Southeast Asian destination. Since the announcement, Almosafer has experienced huge growth in demand for travel from Saudi Arabia to Thailand with a 470% increase in demand compared to January 2022 and a 268% increase compared to February 2022. Thailand is currently a very popular international destination for visitors from the GCC, especially from Saudi Arabia and Kuwait where Thailand ranks in the top 5 and top 9 international destinations respectively. During the month of May to date, searches for Thailand on Almosafer’s platform grew by 1100% in Saudi …

After nine months of experiencing Thailand virtually, the country has reopened its borders to travellers from the Middle East and the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) is highlighting the best elements of the destination for visitors to experience. With lush nature and beautiful scenery, Chiang Mai meaning ‘New City’, is the ideal destination to embark on a one-of-a-kind adventure that is cultural and sustainable. Known for its religious sites and mountainous landscape, Chiang Mai also has a variety of local markets, hill tribe traditional weaving experiences and luxury resorts. For an off-the-beaten-path retail experience, Jing Jai Market (also known as Chiang Mai’s JJ Market) is an open-air local market north of Chiang Mai’s old city that operates over the weekend where visitors can find organic produce and handmade handicrafts, or unwind at one of the cafes and restaurants in a pleasant atmosphere. In the same vicinity of the market is Chiang Mai’s largest plant and garden market that sells a variety of native plants. Nestled in the shade of Suthep Mountain, Studio Naenna is an ethical fashion and eco textiles community of women weavers comprised of ‘Weavers For the Environment’ (WFE). The studio and store hosts a variety of textiles workshop including indigo harvesting and dying, as well as traditional Karen backstrap loom weaving workshops. A popular upscale tourist hotspot, Koh Samui is an island off the east coast of Thailand and surrounded by over 40 other islands in the calm waters of the Gulf of Thailand. Island hopping is one of the most popular tourist activities, allowing travellers to spend time on different islands with ample opportunities to snorkel and scuba dive.

Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) has announced the reopening of its borders to travellers from the Middle East with the introduction of the ‘TR’ tourist visa which enables tourists to visit Thailand up to 60 days. The updated TR tourist visa aims to revive Thailand’s international tourism following its successful launch of domestic travel within Thailand, as well as the recently launched STV long-stay tourist visa. “After taking all the necessary precautions to mitigate the pandemic, we are finally ready to welcome back visitors from the Middle East,” said Pichaya Saisaengchan, Director of the Tourism Authority of Thailand for Dubai and the Middle East. “With the unwavering support from our public and private sector partners in Thailand, we believe we have elevated the Kingdom’s tourism standards, taking into consideration the health and safety of our visitors from the region.” The visa enables citizens and residents from the Middle East to visit Thailand for the purpose of tourism and must comply with the Kingdom’s COVID-19 control and preventive measures. This includes undergoing a 14-day quarantine upon arrival, holding the required medical and travel insurance and a bank statement providing proof of income in the last 6 months equivalent to USD 16,336 (500,000 Baht) . A medical insurance policy with coverage of at least USD 100,000 or about 3.16 million Baht for possible COVID-19 treatment is among the official documents required from foreign visitors planning to visit Thailand. After completing the 14-day quarantine and testing negative for COVID-19, TR visa holders are free to travel anywhere around Thailand. Travellers looking to visit the Thailand from the Middle East can reach out to the Thai Embassy or Consulate in home country with the …

To welcome visitors back this winter, the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) has announced a fresh redesign of their Thailand Muslim Friendly App.  With a redesigned interface the app has now expanded its offering, adding 110 new restaurants, 70 new mosques, 75 new hotels, 10 healthcare facilities, 19 education centres, 20 shopping locations, 17 travel destinations, and five additional video clips. Pichaya Saisaengchan, Director of the Tourism Authority of Thailand for Dubai and the Middle East said, “In 2019, Thailand welcomed over 550,000 visitors from the Middle East and we are excited to introduce a modern version of the Thailand Muslim Friendly App. As we prepare to reopen our borders for tourism, we want to ensure that our Muslim visitors from the Middle East are able to enjoy a vibrant stay in Thailand in accordance with their faith as we continue to develop halal tourism in the Kingdom.”

Presentation was started off by the Marketing Manager of Thailand Tourism Office in Dubai Hatsanai Chaisri. Some of the most important facts were shared by Hatsanai. He stated that Thailand is known as the hub of travel in Southeast Asia. It is a destination in the rich center of Asia, Bangkok has received the fourth most visited destination of the year for the second consecutive year by mastercard. He reiterated that this virtual show is a recap of the new products on offer in Amazing Thailand. Chawarot Chankiatthitikul (TAT Dubai and Middle East Marketing Executive) started off with Shopping paradise in amazing Thailand.Dining options from interesting seafood options to some of the top notch dining destinations were stated by Chan Rujikietkumjorn (TAT Dubai and Middle East Marketing Executive). From the north of the country in Bangkok China Town to the other areas were covered with all the variety of food and dining options much loved by visitors from the Middle East. Artitaya Intaratoot (TAT Dubai and Middle East Marketing Executive) shared some of the most interesting instagramable areas of Thailand as she explained about the various destinations for sightseeing. She started with Flower farms in Chiang Mai where you can actually visit a flower garden with various accessories and it is an exclusive area which needs to be booked prior as they only allow 200 people at a time. Next up was Atiwan Saengla – Senior Sales Manager – Leisure, Sofitel Bangkok Sukhumvit shared some of the most important facts about the flagship hotel Sofitel Bangkok managed by Accor. Next to the hotel are malls and shopping centers that would give you a really great retail experience. Followed NapatWatthanasan – …

The much loved destination of the GCC and Middle East travellers, Thailand tourism will host its first virtual event on Monday August 10, 2020 from 11am to 12 noon. At a recent interaction with Pichaya Saisaengchan, Director of Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) Dubai &The Middle East Office shared that The Middle East is home to a youthful population, and millennials in the region are some of the highest spenders globally. As a result, we are constantly developing our tourism offerings in order to move away from mass tourism and encourage sustainable tourism in order to attract millennials. The webinar, ‘Arab Millennials in Amazing Thailand’, sheds light on the Kingdom’s latest tourism offerings to our partners in the region to cater to the growing demographic – including dining, shopping, and off-the-beaten-path regions to visit.

The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) is asking millennials in the Middle East to share their top destinations in the kingdom that they have visited or are interested to visit through its online poll, ‘Amazing Thailand Millennial Roadmap Survey’. As travel restrictions start to ease around the world, Thailand is taking strides to kick start its tourism as it prepares to welcome travellers back to its shores. With the purpose of mapping some of the top must-visit places in Thailand. Welcoming over 550,000 visitors from the Middle East and generating an income of more than 1.4 billion USD in 2019, Arab millennials are among the highest spenders in the world, spending up to twice as much as millennials from the US, Europe, and Asia, and are considered catalyst for the growth of the tourism industry. The ‘Amazing Thailand Millennial Roadmap Survey’ is designed to gather and develop a directory of destination hotspots and hidden gems to visit, tailor-made for the Arab millennial. The Tourism Authority of Thailand will conduct the ongoing survey through their social media channels, including Facebook and Instagram until August 26, 2020. The channels will post both photos and videos of a variety of destinations across the Kingdom and will enable millennials to share their preferences in an online poll. The survey findings will then be used to develop the ideal Thai travel guide that caters to the travel group’s preferences, which will not only include popular touristic destinations, but also hidden gems of the vibrant, scenic, and buzzing country. In addition, participants will automatically enter a weekly draw for a chance to win a Bose SoundLink Revolve+ portable Bluetooth speaker, which will be delivered to their …

For international tourists throughout the Middle East, the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) outlines a number of ways travellers can support independent Thai brands, social enterprises and community projects to ensure a sustainable future for all. “More than 21% of Thailand’s GDP comes from tourism revenue, meaning that the current worldwide travel restrictions has had a significant impact on the Thai economy, with many independent businesses suffering and individuals left out of work,” said Pichaya Saisaengchan, Director of the Tourism Authority of Thailand for Dubai and the Middle East. “TAT is keen to support local and shed light on how tourists can continue to back grassroots businesses, despite not being able to visit ‘Amazing Thailand’ at the moment. Assisting independent makers, creators and services is the key to maintaining the long-term sustainability of the tourism industry and shows the strength of our community to emerge stronger than ever before.” The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) has introduced a number of initiatives to help small businesses generate revenue during the lockdown period, including the launch of online marketplace, ‘Amazing Market’. With over 20,000 members, the platform connects shopper to sellers, offering a free place for local communities, entrepreneurs and restaurants to promote their products such as fruits and vegetables, textiles and accessories, and encouraging locals and residents to support local.

Strategies to protect the ecosystem and wildlife for the long-term sustainability of the country are at the core of Tourism Authority of Thailand’s (TAT) commitment to responsible tourism, with the tourism board introducing the Responsible Thailand Awards in 2019. “Thailand is one of the top tourist destination in the world and welcomes over 39 million visitors annually, of which over 500,000 come from the MENA region,” said Pichaya Saisaengchan, Director, Tourism Authority of Thailand for Dubai and the Middle East. “In order to preserve the natural habitat, wildlife and traditions of the Kingdom, it is our responsibility to ensure that we regulate the impact of mass tourism on the ecosystem and engage with our local partners to ensure responsible tourism that is sustainable”. Thailand benefits from a number of esteemed wildlife initiatives and conservation programmes that contribute towards the greater good of Thailand, yet have been affected by the impact of COVID-19 with regards to funding and volunteering. “The impact of the global pandemic has left a funding gap for the world’s wildlife initiatives, many of which rely on tourism for their revenue streams. We would like to support them by highlighting legitimate organisations and initiatives that are doing great work in the Kingdom, and how tourists can continue to support them whilst travel is restricted”, confirms Pichaya.

Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) introduces an ‘Amazing Thailand Safety and Health Administration: SHA’ certification aimed at elevating the country’s tourism industry standards and developing confidence among tourists, including visitors from the Middle East. The project is part of TAT’s efforts to mitigate the impacts of the COVID-19 crisis and accelerate recovery in the travel and tourism sector. The Amazing Thailand SHA certification is to prepare Thai tourism operators to be ready for the return of tourism post COVID-19. Pichaya Saisaengchan, Director of the Tourism Authority of Thailand for Dubai and the Middle East, said, “As the pandemic has currently halted the travel, we have taken this time to prepare ourselves for when restrictions are lifted. The Amazing Thailand Safety and Health Administration: SHA certification puts emphasis on hygiene and sanitation measures across all stakeholders in the travel and tourism sector in order to inspire confidence in our visitors and assure them that we are taking all the necessary precautions during their time with us.” TAT is currently working on details of the Amazing Thailand SHA certification together with the Ministry of Public Health, Ministry of Tourism and Sports, Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau, Board of Trade of Thailand, Federation of Thai Spa and Wellness Association, Thai Retailers Association, Thai Hotels Association, Association of Domestic Travel, Thai Amusement and Leisure Park Association, Thai Restaurant Association, Thai Spa Association, Thai Boats Association, and Event Management Association.