Thailand is directing efforts to develop itself as a luxury tourism destination in the India market. As part of the plan, Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) recently organised the fourth edition of its luxury roadshow in India.
The tourism authority had initiated the luxury roadshow in 2013 – then a two-city campaign – which now covers four cities, Mumbai, Delhi, Ahmedabad and Kolkata. Speaking to Express TravelWorld in Mumbai, Soraya Homchuen, director, TAT – Mumbai office, said, “We have identified the spending power of the people of Mumbai. Thailand has a lot of luxury offerings and various experiences for high-end travellers. As the Indian economy is growing, we are tapping the luxury segment in the country.”
Homchuen also pointed out that the number of online visa applications from Mumbai has increased. “About 15-20 per cent of Indian tourist arrivals to Thailand are luxury travellers, majorly from Mumbai, Delhi and Bengaluru. We are targeting at least 10 per cent growth from the India market for 2017. Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai are two of the major luxury destinations in Thailand. In 2017, we plan to promote Northern Thailand,” informed Homchuen.
Alongside leveraging the luxury offerings of Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai, TAT has also identified cruise lines’ role in promoting luxury tourism. The tourism authority is working with cruise lines for pre and post tours.
